Two-Polar Opposite 'Benjamin Button' Reviews

When we read yesterdays mixed bag of mostly-positive, but cautioning ‘Benjamin Button’ reviews we suggested the film was out of the woods, but we had a nagging feeling this wasn’t the end of it. Late day yesterday we noted that Spoutblog ripped into David Fincher’s film (she called it hokey and “Forrest Gump”-like) and today, two new polarizing reviews have been delivered. A glowing review from the Hollywood Reporter and a pretty damning one from Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere which confirms a lot of the worries we have about this film based on reading the script. Or at least, sort of.

THR writes: “Fitzgerald’s story is little more than a plot gimmick. Yet the film transforms this gimmick into an epic tale that contemplates the wonders of life — of birth and death and, most of all, love.” They add that the film is Brad Pitt’s “most impressive outing to date” and that “strong boxoffice should ensue.” They also note, “Fincher ‘s direction is sure handed over the entire 166 minutes, which never feels long or pretentious.”

Hollywood Elsewhere worries us. Wells praises some of the lush technically achievements, but when he gets to the drama he’s not impressed. “The story tension is nil (no “what’s gonna happen next?” intrigue), the rooting interest is zip (which isn’t to say you don’t care for Brad Pitt’s Button character but he’s nothing if not a fundamentally passive character — an absorber rather than a decisive doer with a primal goal or need) and that schmaltzy emotional compost that Robert Zemeckis knows how to shovel and which a film like this could use is barely exploited.”

That back-ups the “cold” argument, but hell, at least he’s not saying its corny and cheesy (which it easily could of been, the ghost of “Forrest Gump” scares us).

Wells directly addresses the “dispassionate” argument. “It’s not a cold film, as some have alleged, but (and I hate saying this) it needs to be a little bit sappier and schmuckier and schtickier to win over the Academy squares and popcorn munchers in the plexes.”

Wells writes in another piece, “I can’t say that David Fincher’s sublime and poignant new film really reached inside and stirred the depths of my soul.” It’s interesting the praise he gives it at the same time how he says it’s ultimately not touching him like he had hoped (or the film hopes to?)

Hmm, we are still dying to see the film. Hint, hint.