The final act has Benjamin returning home, reuniting with Daisy, if only temporarily. It is here where the overarching romance has its biggest impact because when he and Daisy are able to spend time with each other, there is no time to truly enjoy it.
Brad Pitt is the heart and soul of the film, delivering one of his finer performances. It is not a showy acting job, but one of subtlety and nuance. He succeeds in creating a character that feels genuine, but also feels just a little bit off. There is a profound sadness to the character. He has an understanding of what is happening to him, he also knows that there is no one else like him. How can he live a completely fulfilling life like that? He becomes enamored with Daisy at a young age as she showed a kindness to him not shown by anyone else outside of his adoptive mother. He latches onto the dream of being with her to help him get through his own life. All through his worldwide adventures, his interactions with the woman in Russia, his thoughts remain with Daisy. It is achingly romantic, terribly poetic, and surprisingly less sentimental than you would think. It all comes down to the quiet performance delivered by Brad Pitt.
David Fincher is an interesting choice for this material. Fincher is a fantastic director known for taking on darker material. This definitely has its dark side, so that is not where the change lies. However, this material could have taken a highly sentimental route, a la Forrest Gump (also written by Button's screenwriter, Eric Roth), and this is not something seen very often in Fincher's work. It is true there is sentimentality in the film, but it is kept at a minimum; it plays a part in the story, but never overtakes it. Fincher does a fine job at keeping this lengthy film focused on its central character and the exploration of self through this odd aging process. I am still at a loss as to what it all means, but that does not diminish the journey.
Article comments
1 - kate washintogon
i loved the story and the movie it was relly cool how the made him look rellay old
2 - robert blass
i loved the story i read it to my kids you reads it to them seles now it was relley cool, and i loved to read over and over again.ilove to listin to my kids read it because i know they can enjoy something i enjoy.
3 - Amy Will
If you ever contemplate life, you should see this movie. It was very well done. The story sticks with you for the rest of the day. It is never too late to change who you are.