Brad Pitt (left) stars as Benjamin Button and Cate Blanchett (right) stars as Daisy in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures Present A Kennedy/Marshall Production A David Fincher Film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Tilda Swinton. The film was directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by Eric Roth. Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord from the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin.
Photo by Merrick Morton

We all hope and pray to find an unconditional love that lasts forever. IS this at all possible? “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a lovely, lyrical film that tackles and masterfully handles the universal themes of love, loss and the old adage that “time waits for no one.”

H and I had the blessing of catching the film’s premiere at the Gateway Cinemas the other night and two days later, I am still stewing thoughts of this beautiful film in my head. Many of the lessons and the scenes in this movie resonated with me on many, many levels.

The movie, written by Eric Roth (”Forrest Gump”) was based on a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in the 1920s as part of his Jazz Age series about a man born in his eighties and ages backwards. Whereas the original Benjamin Button was born and lived in Baltimore, Maryland; the film version has him “born under unusual circumstances” in vibrant New Orleans at the end of World War I and takes him all the way into the 21st century — the movie is narrated from the point of view of Benjamin (Pitt) as read from his diary by a woman at mid-life (Julia Ormond) to her mother (Blanchett) who is in the last days of her life in a hospital bed while Hurricane Katrina rages outside her hospital room window. Ben Button’s journey talks about the people and places he has met along the way, the loves he finds and loses, the joy, the pain of loss, and what lasts beyond time.

Through the telling of his story, we imbibe the value of learning to enjoy those brief wonderful periods when they come, and allowing them to disappear when they must. Benjamin Button knows from the earliest days of his life that regret is useless and that forgiveness is a virtue that must come naturally. In one beautiful scene with his father (who had abandoned him at birth) he says something to this effect — “When life lets us down and we are deeply disappointed and hurt, we can either complain about it and carry it with us forever, or we can just choose to let go.” My eyes teared at this heart-rending scene that was oh-so-beautifully shot by the famous Lake Ponchartrain in New Orleans as the sun was about to rise.

The movie is a wonderful lesson for anyone (myself included) who has ever lived with momentary regret, seemingly broken dreams and missed opportunities. In a letter addressed to the daughter he never saw grow up, Button admonishes her — “I hope you’re proud of who you’ve become, and if not, I hope you have the strength to start all over.” Bulls-eye.

Though the film is two hours and 45 minutes long, the time, pardon the pun, will just fly by. Makes sure to eat and go to the potty before you sit down and catch this visual feast so that you do not miss anything.

And of course there is Brad Pitt. Those who want to see this film to catch him in all his gorgeousness will have to wait for about an hour before he finally begins to resemble his to-die-for 44-year old self. Joe Morgenstern, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for the Wall Street Journal says this of Pitt — Not until he grows 15 years younger and she grows 15 years older, however, are they right for each other physically as well as spiritually. “My God,” Daisy (Blanchett) says at one point in their mid-40s, “look at you — you’re perfect.” It’s a charming laugh line, since he has finally emerged as a fully recognizable Brad Pitt. And what a remarkable presence the actor is, not just during that golden era but before and after, when he has only his voice and eyes with which to fashion Ben’s character while the wonders of digital technology and age-confounding makeup provide his body and face.

The entire movie is a visionary piece with sumptuous cinematography, art direction and production design that will have you in awe of all the details! They just don’t make movies like this anymore… thank God they finally did. Technically excellent, employing the wonders of digital effects with acting so subdued but powerful just the same. It was the type of movie that I did not want to end. The dialogue was just amazing, I wanted to scribble down every quotable quote that I could remember. Leave room for no regret, sieze the moment and love unconditionally — beautiful reminders to live by at the beginning of a new year that promises infinite possibilities.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” opens in Manila tomorrow, January 8, 2009