The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)
| The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | |
|---|---|
| File:Curious case of benjamin button ver3.jpg Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | David Fincher |
| Screenplay by | Eric Roth |
| Story by | Eric Roth Robin Swicord |
| Produced by | Kathleen Kennedy Frank Marshall Ceán Chaffin |
| Starring | Brad Pitt Cate Blanchett Taraji P. Henson Julia Ormond Jason Flemyng Elias Koteas Tilda Swinton |
| Cinematography | Claudio Miranda |
| Edited by | Kirk Baxter Angus Wall |
| Music by | Alexandre Desplat |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures (North America) Warner Bros. Pictures (International) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 166 minutes |
| Country | Template:Film US |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $150 million[1][2] |
| Box office | $333,932,083[3] |
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy-drama film directed by David Fincher. The screenplay by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate Blanchett as the love interest throughout his life.
The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2008, to positive reviews. The film went on to receive thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Pitt, and Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson. It won three Oscars, for Art Direction, Makeup, and Visual Effects.
Plot
In 2005, Daisy, an elderly woman, is on her deathbed in a New Orleans hospital. Daisy asks her daughter, Caroline, to read aloud from the diary of Benjamin Button.
In 1918, Mr. Gateau, a blind New Orleans clockmaker, loses his son on the battlefields of France in World War I. As a way to deal with the grief, Gateau builds a large clock for the New Orleans train station, but fixes it so that the time goes in reverse. When asked why, Gateau states that maybe time will reverse and the men lost in the war—including his son—might come home again.
On the evening of November 11, 1918, a boy is born with the appearance and physical maladies of a very elderly man. The baby's mother dies shortly after giving birth, and the father, Thomas Button, abandons the infant on the porch of a nursing home. Queenie and Mr. "Tizzy" Weathers, who work at the nursing home, find the baby, and Queenie decides to care for him as her own.
In 1930, 12-year-old Benjamin, having exchanged a wheelchair for crutches, befriends six-year-old Daisy, whose grandmother lives in the nursing home. As Benjamin's body grows younger, he accepts work on a tugboat. Benjamin also meets Thomas Button, who does not reveal that he is Benjamin's father. In 1936, Benjamin leaves New Orleans with the tugboat crew for a long-term work engagement. He eventually finds himself in Murmansk, where he starts an affair with Elizabeth Abbott, wife of the British Trade Minister.
In 1941, while the tugboat crew is still in Russia, Japan attacks the U.S. at pearl harbor thrusting America into World War II. Mike volunteers the boat to be a ship in the U.S. Navy and the crew is assigned to scrap collection duty. Then one night later in the war, the tugboat stumbles upon a sunken U.S. transport and the bodies of hundreds of American troops. Then a German submarine surfaces. Knowing his duty Mike steers the tugboat full speed towards the sub while a German gunner fires on the tugboat killing most of the crew including Mike. The tugboat rams the submarine causing it to explode sinking both vessels. The next day Benjamin and one other crew member a picked up by ships of the U.S. Navy.
In 1945, Benjamin returns to New Orleans, and learns that 21-year-old Daisy has become a successful ballet dancer. Benjamin again crosses paths with Thomas Button, who, terminally ill, reveals that he is Benjamin's father. Thomas wills Benjamin his possessions before he dies.
Daisy's dance career is ended in Paris in 1957, when she is hit by a taxi cab and breaks her leg. When Benjamin goes to see her, Daisy is amazed at his youthful appearance, but frustrated at her own injuries; she tells him to stay out of her life. In 1962, Daisy returns to New Orleans and reunites with Benjamin. Now of comparable physical age, they fall in love and move in together.
Daisy gives birth to a girl, Caroline in 1968. Benjamin, believing he cannot be a father figure to his daughter due to his reverse aging, sells his belongings and leaves the proceeds to Daisy and Caroline. He travels the world alone during the 1970s.
Benjamin, appearing to be in his early twenties, returns to Daisy in 1980. Now re-married, Daisy introduces Benjamin to her husband and daughter as a family friend. Daisy then visits Benjamin at his hotel, where they share their passion for each other. Daisy admits that Benjamin was right to leave; she could not have coped otherwise. Benjamin departs again.
In 1991, widowed Daisy receives a phone call from social workers. They have found Benjamin — now apparently about 12 years old — living in a condemned building, and have contacted her because they found her name in his diary. The bewildered social workers say that his condition resembles dementia. Daisy moves into the nursing home where Benjamin grew up and takes care of him as he becomes increasingly younger until, physically, he becomes an infant once more. In 2003, he dies in Daisy's arms remembering who she was. Benjamin's story now told, Daisy dies in her New Orleans hospital bed, as Hurricane Katrina approaches.
Cast
- Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button, apparent adult.
- Robert Towers as Benjamin Button, apparent adult.
- Peter Donald Badalamenti II as Benjamin Button, apparent adult.
- Tom Everett as Benjamin Button, apparent adult.
- Spencer Daniels as Benjamin Button, apparent age 12.
- Chandler Canterbury as Benjamin Button, apparent age 8.
- Charles Henry Wyson as Benjamin Button, apparent age 6.
- Cate Blanchett as Daisy Fuller, adult.
- Elle Fanning as Daisy Fuller, age 6.
- Madisen Beaty as Daisy Fuller, age 11.
- Taraji P. Henson as Queenie
- Julia Ormond as Caroline Fuller
- Shiloh Jolie-Pitt as Caroline Fuller, age 2.
- Jason Flemyng as Thomas Button
- Mahershalalhashbaz Ali as Tizzy Weathers
- Jared Harris as Captain Mike Clark
- Elias Koteas as Monsieur Gateau
- Ed Metzger as Theodore Roosevelt
- Phyllis Somerville as Grandma Fuller
- Josh Stewart as Pleasant Curtis
- Tilda Swinton as Elizabeth Abbott
- Bianca Chiminello as Daisy's friend
- Rampai Mohadi as Ngunda Oti
Production
Development
Producer Ray Stark bought the film rights to do The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in the mid-1980s, and it was optioned by Universal Pictures. The first choice to direct it was Frank Oz, with Martin Short attached for the title role, but Oz could not work out how to make the story work. The film was optioned in 1991 by Steven Spielberg, with Tom Cruise attached for the lead role, but Spielberg left the project to direct Jurassic Park and Schindler's List. Other directors attached were Patrick Read Johnson and Agnieszka Holland. Stark eventually sold the rights to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who took the film to Paramount Pictures, with Universal Pictures still on as a co-production partner. By summer 1994, Maryland Film Office chief Jack Gerbes was approached with the possibility of making the film in Baltimore. In October 1998, screenwriter Robin Swicord wrote for director Ron Howard an adapted screenplay of the short story, a project which would potentially star actor John Travolta.[4] In May 2000, Paramount Pictures hired screenwriter Jim Taylor to adapt a screenplay from the short story. The studio also attached director Spike Jonze to helm the project.[5] Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman had also written a draft of the adapted screenplay at one point.[6] In June 2003, director Gary Ross entered final negotiations to helm the project based on a new draft penned by screenwriter Eric Roth.[7] In May 2004, director David Fincher entered negotiations to replace Ross in directing the film.[8] In July 2005, Fincher negotiated a deal with the studios to direct Benjamin Button and Zodiac back-to-back, with Zodiac being produced first.[citation needed]
Casting
In May 2005, actors Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett entered negotiations to star in the film.[9] In September 2006, actors Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, and Taraji P. Henson entered negotiations to be cast into the film.[10] The following October, with production yet to begin, actress Julia Ormond was cast as Daisy's daughter, to whom Blanchett's character tells the story of her love for Benjamin Button.[11]
Filming
For Benjamin Button, New Orleans, Louisiana and the surrounding area was chosen as the filming location for the story to take advantage of the state's production incentives, and shooting was slated to begin in October 2006.[12] Filming of Benjamin Button began on November 6, 2006 in New Orleans. In January 2007, Blanchett joined the shoot.[13] Fincher praised the ease of accessibility to rural and urban sets in New Orleans and said that the recovery from Hurricane Katrina did not serve as an atypical hindrance to production.[14] In March 2007, production moved to Los Angeles for two more months of filming. Principal photography was targeted to last a total of 150 days. Additional time was needed at visual effects house Digital Domain to make the visual effects for the metamorphosis of Brad Pitt's character to the infant stage.[15] The director used a camera system called Contour, developed by Steve Perlman, to capture facial deformation data from live-action performances.[16] Overall production was finished in September 2007.[17] The movie props were donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.[citation needed] The scenes set in wintertime Russia and some of the scenes set in Paris were shot in Montreal in July, necessitating tons of fake snow to be trucked in for the wintertime scenes.[citation needed]
Music
The score to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was written by French composer Alexandre Desplat, who recorded his score with an 87-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Sony Scoring Stage.[18]
Reception
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was originally slated for theatrical release in May 2008,[19] but it was pushed back to November 26, 2008.[20] The release date was moved again to December 25 in the United States, January 16, 2009 in Mexico, February 6 in the United Kingdom, February 13 in Italy[21] and February 27 in South Africa.
Box office performance
On its opening day, the film opened in the number two position behind Marley & Me, in North America with $11,871,831 in 2,988 theaters with a $3,973 average.[3] However, during its opening weekend, the film dropped to the third position behind Marley & Me and Bedtime Stories with $26,853,816 in 2,988 theaters with an $8,987 average. The film has come to gross $127.5 million domestically and $206.4 million in foreign markets, with a total gross of $333.9 million.[3]
Critical reception
The film has received positive reviews. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 73% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 230 reviews, with 74% of selected Top Critics giving the film positive reviews, based on 38 reviews.[22][23] According to Metacritic, the film received an average score of 70 out of 100, based on 37 reviews.[24] Yahoo! Movies reported the film received a B+ average score from critical consensus, based on 12 reviews.[25]
Todd McCarthy of Variety gave the film a positive review, calling it a "richly satisfying serving of deep-dish Hollywood storytelling."[26] Peter Howell of The Toronto Star says: "It's been said that the unexamined life is not worth living. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button suggests an addendum: a life lived backwards can be far more enriching" and describes the film as "a magical and moving account of a man living his life resoundingly in reverse" and "moviemaking at its best."[27] Rod Yates of Empire awarded it five out of a possible five stars.[28] Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter felt the film was "superbly made and winningly acted by Brad Pitt in his most impressive outing to date." Honeycutt praised Fincher's directing of the film and noted that the "cinematography wonderfully marries a palette of subdued earthern colors with the necessary CGI and other visual effects that place one in a magical past." Honeycutt states the bottom line about Benjamin Button is that it is "an intimate epic about love and loss that is pure cinema."[29]
A. O. Scott of The New York Times states, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, more than two and a half hours long, sighs with longing and simmers with intrigue while investigating the philosophical conundrums and emotional paradoxes of its protagonist’s condition in a spirit that owes more to Jorge Luis Borges than to Fitzgerald." Scott praised director David Fincher and writes "Building on the advances of pioneers like Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Robert Zemeckis, Mr. Fincher has added a dimension of delicacy and grace to digital filmmaking" and further states, "While it stands on the shoulders of breakthroughs like Minority Report, The Lord of the Rings and Forrest Gump, Benjamin Button may be the most dazzling such hybrid yet, precisely because it is the subtlest." He also stated: "At the same time, like any other love--like any movie--it is shadowed by disappointment and fated to end."[30]
On the other hand, Anne Hornaday of The Washington Post states, "There's no denying the sheer ambition and technical prowess of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. What's less clear is whether it entirely earns its own inflated sense of self-importance" and further says, "It plays too safe when it should be letting its freak flag fly."[31] Kimberley Jones of the Austin Chronicle panned the film and states, "Fincher's selling us cheekboned movie stars frolicking in bedsheets and calling it a great love. I didn't buy it for a second."[32]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying that it is "a splendidly made film based on a profoundly mistaken premise." He goes on to elaborate that "The movie's premise devalues any relationship, makes futile any friendship or romance, and spits, not into the face of destiny, but backward into the maw of time."[33]
Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian called it "166 minutes of twee tedium", giving it one star out of a possible five.[34]
Cosmo Landesman of the Sunday Times wrote: "The film’s premise serves no purpose. It's a gimmick that goes on for nearly three hours," concluding "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an anodyne Hollywood film that offers a safe and sanitised view of life and death. It's Forrest Gump goes backwards," while awarding the film two out of five stars.[35] James Christopher in The Times called it "a tedious marathon of smoke and mirrors. In terms of the basic requirements of three-reel drama the film lacks substance, credibility, a decent script and characters you might actually care for"[36] while Derek Malcolm of London's Evening Standard notes that "never at any point do you feel that there's anything more to it than a very strange story traversed by a film-maker who knows what he is doing but not always why he is doing it."[37]
The screenplay has also come under criticism for similarities between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Forrest Gump, both written by Eric Roth.[38]
Top ten lists
The film appeared on many critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2008.[39] According to Movie City News, the film has appeared on 79 different top ten lists out of 286 different critics lists surveyed, the 6th most mentioned on a top ten list of the films released in 2008.[40] According to CriticsTop10, the film appeared on over 136 film critics top ten lists, with 12 number one mentions, and was also ranked 6th of the year in terms of appearances on critics' top ten lists.[41]
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Home media
The film was released on DVD on May 5, 2009 by Paramount, and on Blu-ray and 2-Disc DVD by The Criterion Collection. The Criterion release includes over three hours of special features, and a documentary about the making of the film.[42]
As of November 1, 2009 the DVD has sold 2,515,722 DVD copies and has generated $41,196,515 in sales revenue.[43]
Accolades
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010) |
Notes
- ^ Eller, Claudia (January 23, 2009). "'Benjamin Button's' Oscar nominations may not pay off for Paramount". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
- ^ Barnes, Brooks; Carr, David (January 22, 2009). "'Button' and 'Slumdog' Lead Oscar Nods". The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
- ^ a b c "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- ^ "'Husband' vows renewed; doc on saint set". Variety. 1998-10-22. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ Claude Brodesser (2000-05-19). "Taylor sews up deal to adapt 'Button'". Variety. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ Steve Chagollan (2005-08-21). "F. Scott Fitzgerald Gets a Second Act After All". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
Those who preceded Mr. Roth in the attempt include Robin Swicord ("Practical Magic"), Charlie Kaufman ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") and Jim Taylor ("Sideways").
- ^ Cathy Dunkley (2003-06-02). "Par popping its 'Button'". Variety. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Dave McNary (2004-05-10). "WB snaps Par 'Button' coin". Variety. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ Liza Foreman (2005-05-04). "Blanchett, Pitt on 'Case' for Fincher". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ "Swinton Set to Push 'Benjamin Button'". ComingSoon.net. 2006-09-24. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ "Ormond Joins Fincher's 'Benjamin Button'". ComingSoon.net. 2006-10-18. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ Dave McNary (2005-07-04). "Par pinches Fincher". Variety. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
- ^ Michael O'Sullivan (2006-12-29). "Blanchett hits buzz in provocative roles". The Journal Gazette.
- ^ Doug MacCash (2007-03-07). "Camera ready". The Times-Picayune.
- ^ David M. Halbfinger (2007-02-18). "Lights, Bogeyman, Action". The New York Times.
- ^ Nick Wingfield (2006-07-31). "Digital Replicas May Change Face of Films". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ Kadee Krieger (2007-01-24). "Filmed in Mandeville". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
Chaffin said Pitt and Blanchett finished their scenes in Mandeville earlier Tuesday morning at the Lewisburg set. Monday, the pair and other cast members filmed scenes outside of Madisonville, she said.
- ^ Dan Goldwasser (2008-08-11). "Alexandre Desplat scores David Fincher's 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'". ScoringSessions.com. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ Julie E. Washington (2006-09-22). "Arts & Entertainment Weblog". The Plain Dealer.
- ^ "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
- ^ "Release dates for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'". UK.IMDb.com. 2009-05-01. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
- ^ "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixter. Retrieved 2011-09-08.
- ^ "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Cream of the Crop". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixter. Retrieved 2011-01-07.
- ^ "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Reviews, Ratings, Credits". Metacritic. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- ^ "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- ^ McCarthy, Todd (2008-11-23). "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Variety. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Peter Howell (2008-12-24). "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Moviemaking at its best". The Toronto Star.
- ^ Yates, Rod (February 2009). "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Empire. No. 236. Australia. p. 43.
- ^ Honeycutt, Kirk (2008-11-24). "Film Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2008-12-07. [dead link]
- ^ A.O. Scott (2008-12-25). "Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ Anne Hornaday. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ Kimberley Jones. "Film Listings - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ Roger Ebert. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ::rogerebert.com :: Reviews". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ Peter Bradshaw. "Film review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | Film". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
- ^ "Sunday Times Review".[dead link]
- ^ "The Times Review".[dead link]
- ^ "London Evening Standard review". ThisIsLondon.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
- ^ Talkshow with Spike Feresten. "The Curious Case of Forrest Gump". Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Metacritic: 2008 Film Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. Retrieved January 11, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ David Poland (2008). "The 2008 Movie City News Top Ten Awards". Retrieved 2009-01-25. [dead link]
- ^ "Best of 2008". CriticsTop10. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- ^ "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - The Criterion Collection". Criterion.com. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
- ^ "Top Selling DVDs of 2009". The-Numbers.com. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
- ^ "The 81st Academy Awards (2009) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
- ^ American Society of Cinematographers (2009-01-07). "ASC Names Feature Film Nominees". Retrieved 2009-01-07.
- ^ "2008 Austin Film Critics Association Awards". Alternative Film Guide. 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
- ^ a b Hayes, Dade (2008-12-09). "Broadcast critics favor 'Milk,' 'Button'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
{{cite journal}}: More than one of|work=and|journal=specified (help) - ^ Hayes, Dade (2008-04-12). "NBR names 'Slumdog' best of year". Variety.
- ^ "2008 St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards".
- ^ "Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards 2009 : Alternative Film Guide".
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