Movie Watch: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Curious Case does quite a few things quite well, but there's nothing earth shatteringly good about the film. It is a solid enough period romance with a Forrest Gump feel to it, but obviously handled in a very serious and somber way.

The movie's handling of the main twist, that Benjamin is "headed the other way" as it is put in-film, allows the story to flesh out elements of it without turning the movie into a freak show. Characters are either aware of the scenario or completely oblivious. While this saves the movie from rapidly degenerating into an X-Files episode, it also removes the audience a bit from what is really happening to the main character. Also, there's an odd lack of conflict from most of the plot until nearly the very end.

The film is shot quite well, however, and the makeup and effects used on Brad Pitt are especially impressive. For the genre, I'd say this is an easy recommendation but I wouldn't feel like you have to watch it just because of the Oscar buzz.