Peculiar, but fun and inventive.
If you’ve seen the previews you probably recall the unusual tale of Benjamin Button, a person who ages "backwards." He was born old and wrinkled, and "grew" younger each day of his life.
The film was truly remarkable. It started with a very
Forest Gump feel (the screenplay was penned by the same Eli Roth), with plenty of humor and heart. Unique creative storytelling... like nothing I've ever seen. Then it transitioned into a romance much like
The Notebook.
I really enjoyed the film, and I can see why it's getting so much Oscar buzz. Pitt was amazing... but Pitt is always amazing. Don't discount his talent because of his pretty boy appearance or his reputation in the tabloids. Pitt has proven himself over the years with a range of roles and accents (think of the range from
Kalifornia to 12 Monkeys, Meet Joe Black, Snatch, etc.).
Blanchett was equally good. It took me over half an hour to recognize her under the makeup of an elderly woman- the makeup and special effects in this film were mesmerizing.
(You've seen films where you could tell that someone young was playing someone old. Not in this film.)
So, was it one of my favorites of 2008? No. It was a little long, and slow at parts. And I have nothing against long films. Several of my favorite films of all time are over three hours long
(I share my favorites in our special 2008 Movie Review Podcast). This film was 2 hours and forty five minutes. In its defense, I didn't look at my watch once until an hour and forty minutes. After a 10 minute lull, it had my interest back for another 35 minutes and I looked at my watch again.
I'll admit that it was good... just not the best of 2008.
Should Kids See It?
It's not for kids. Sensual at times (like
The Notebook), and very much reflecting the world's values and philosophies.
Side Note:
As said above, we don't recommend your kids see this film. But on the occasion that they actually have already seen it, you may want to dialogue about the film with them. These questions below may be a help to you.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth
Ministry, is the author of numerous books including the new
Should I Just Smash My Kid's Phone?, and youth ministry books like
Ministry By Teenagers,
Connect: Real Relationships in a
World of Isolation, and the award winning book
Do They Run When They See You Coming? Jonathan
speaks and trains at conferences, churches and events across North
America, all while providing free resources for youth workers and parents on his
websites,
TheSource4YM.com and
TheSource4Parents.com. You can follow Jonathan on
his blog, getting a regular dose of youth culture and parenting help.
Jonathan and his wife Lori, and their three teenagers Alec, Alyssa and Ashley live
in California.
