David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” seemed like it was in potential trouble a few short weeks ago.
Early reviews were mixed and some people were having problems with the technology pushing them out of the emotion of the story, and then an aborted digital screening on Thursday was fouled due to technical difficulties, which was not a good look.
But that’s all a thing of the past as now most of the major press outlets have seen the film over the weekend and they reviews are mostly full-on raves (with small caveats).
Anne Thompson: “When the movie reaches its climax, it is extraordinarily moving.” Interestingly enough, we were told it might skew to older audiences and not so much the younger ones and Thompson makes a nod to this assertion. “It may pack a more powerful punch the older you are and the more people you have lost. In that case it will score with the Academy, who will also recognize the skillful filmmaking on display.” So far the “negative” (relative) reviews come from the younger guard, Karina at Spoutblog, Eugene Hernandez at Indiewire and our anonymous tipster review.
Thompson does say the film is “not entirely satisfying,” however, the good certainly outweighs the bad, she predicts Oscars for Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett and ends with “the movie is sadly beautiful, of a piece, as impeccably wrought as its ornate clock that runs counterclockwise.”
Variety’s Todd McCarthy‘s calls it a “richly satisfying serving of deep-dish Hollywood storytelling,” that is “presented in an impeccable classical manner, every detail tended to with fastidious devotion.” However, McCarthy also cautions that “for what is designed as a rich tapestry, the picture maintains a slightly remote feel” and “it is possible that the picture might have been warmer and more emotionally accessible had it been shot on film.”
Hmm, sounds like everyone likes it so far, but the “cold and dispassionate” criticism is one that Spoutblog hinted at earlier.
Awards Daily: “This is a film that works on every level. It is an authentic bit of writing, straight from the heart of Eric Roth, who admitted during the q & a that he lost his parents while writing the script. That kind of sentiment and heartbreak cannot be faked. That kind of inspiration is rare. Unfortunately for him it came at a great cost. Perhaps this is why the truth here, bare as it is, cuts as deeply.”
InContention (25-years-old) slobbers: (a) “The verdict is a big thumbs-up“; (b) “I can’t imagine less than 10 nominations — Best Picture, Director, Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction, Original Score, Cinematography, Film Editing, Makeup and Visual Effects are virtually assured”; and (c) “Cate Blanchett is suddenly a threat to win the lead actress Oscar walking away…it might be her best work to date.”
If there was any doubt over its Oscar chances, consider them mostly quelled and this one officially back in the game. There’s an NY screening tomorrow and we still haven’t been invited yet. Grrr….
As for new images Rope Of Silicon has 44 new images (or 44 in total), the ones we’re showing are the ones we liked the best. BTW, Vulture is seeing these reviews as kind of negative or at least is focusing in on the “emotionally cold” criticisms of the film in their story, What’s Wrong With ‘Benjamin Button’?
Update: Karina Longworth at Spout, has unloaded her full fury on ‘Button’ and it’s not pretty. “Watching ‘Benjamin Button,’ occasionally I actively loathed it, but mostly I just felt genuinely disappointed that it seemed so lacking in genuine feeling.” She calls it this year’s “Forrest Gump” and qualifies that as a pejorative. “This film will likely make a lot of money and win a lot of awards, and yet is so phony and cloying and gimmicky that its success will some day be seen by some as a tragedy.” Youch. This is what we’re worried about frankly.