Benjamin Button was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture (though it lost to Slumdog Millionaire), so it goes without saying that it was an impressive movie. What made it so great, though, and why might it not have won Best Picture? Read on to find out.

The movie opens with a short story of a blind clock maker whose son dies in the war. The clock maker is commissioned to build a large clock for a train station after his son’s death, and on the day of the unveiling the clock starts and spins backwards. The clock maker says that he made it spin backwards in hopes that it might bring back those lost in the war (including his son). This serves as a way of almost immediately immersing the viewer into the story, and setting the stage for the rest of the movie.

This movie is based upon F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story (available for free at Project Gutenberg or the University of Virginia as part of a book of 11 short stories), though upon reading his story it is clear that most of the movie’s content is original. If you have a bit of time, the story is really quite short, and I’d recommend you read it if only so you can appreciate how much the writers of the movie should be given credit for.

Caroline (Julia Ormond, right) tends to her dying mother Daisy (Cate Blanchett, left)

Benjamin Button is born under “unusual circumstances” – he’s born old, and grows younger as the year go by. The movie shows his life from start to finish, with the window to his life being opened by a young woman reading Benjamin’s diary to her dying grandmother. I can’t go into much more detail than that without potentially spoiling the movie for those of you who haven’t seen it (and really must do so as soon as possible). What makes the film award-worthy, though, aside from its story?

Taraji P. Henson (left) stars as Queenie and Brad Pitt (right) stars as Benjamin Button

First and foremost talked about is the use of special effects in this film – though not for monsters or anything that we usually hear talked about. As Ed Ulbrich explains in his video about creating a virtual Benjamin, the first hour or so of the movie sees a completely digital Benjamin from the neck up. I’d recommend watching the 18-minute video if you have some time, especially if you’re interested in behind-the-scenes of computer animation. Ulbrich’s team apparently accomplished its goal, as I honestly couldn’t tell how they had done the aging process – I assumed a combination of makeup and digital effects, but in reality it’s 100% digital (for the first hour). Needless to say it’s one of the best applications of computer animation I’ve ever seen, and really shows the capabilities of this sort of technology.

Of course, underneath around the animations are actors portraying characters at various stages of their life, and these actors too go through an amount of aging, though through the use of makeup or completely different actors instead of animation. Everyone does a beautiful job. The cast is full of big names – Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, and the list goes on – all of whom give stellar performances and fit their roles perfectly, though one of the lesser-known names – Taraji P. Henson – gives one of the best performances of the film. All of the actors essentially have to play several characters, in several different physical and psychological states, thus with every era that the movie progresses through, their performances must progress to match; and they do so seamlessly.

Cate Blanchett, one of the many talented actors in Benjamin Button

The sets and wardrobes were wonderful as well. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to match the scenes and fashions from several decades. This was of course recognized by and award and a nomination in these two categories.

Overall the technical aspects were wonderful, and I can’t think of any flaws present in them. I’ve heard that the nearly three-hour runtime was a bit much for some people, but I was riveted throughout its entirety. Once it comes to DVD & Blu-ray, though, it might be best to make a sort of intermission for yourself in case sitting for three hours bothers you.

Benjamin eventually sets out on his own, finding new people and new places

Many movies are perfect from a technical standpoint, but what sets Benjamin Button apart? For me, the amazement came not from the pretty effects, as you’ll often hear people say, but from the progression through life that we see Benjamin undergo psychologically. He’s brought into the world as an outcast, and is lucky enough to find some people who accept him for who he is. He’s brought up in a caring environment, and gains responsibilities once he can bear them. He goes off on his own, and goes where life takes him. He hits some bumps along the way, meets people, loves people, leaves people, but there’s always something that comes after; something (or someone) for him to move onto. We see this progression fairly quickly, making it seem like there’s always something next, always something to look forward to, and always something to move past. I saw it as a sort of story of hope, though I have no idea if that was the intended message. What did you get from the movie?

Benjamin meets many people throughout his travels

I’ve seen this movie compared to Slumdog quite often, and have heard that this movie is the sort that Hollywood likes – flashy effects, an enjoyable time, but otherwise bland with no deeper meaning. I feel that that is just not true, and that both films are of merit. Personally I enjoyed Benjamin Button far more than Slumdog, and so did many of the people I’ve talked to about this movie. Regardless, this is now my favorite movie, though I’ll have to see if it stands up to multiple viewings.

The Verdict:

Plot: 8/10

Special Effects: 10/10

Acting: 9/10

Overall: 9/10