Since seeing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the cinema when it was released I have had a soft spot for it ever since. A truly incredible film filled with so many emotions while managing to be thought provoking. I watched it again a couple of weeks ago now and have still been thinking about the meeting in the middle scene. Probably not a more satisfying scene in the whole film when Benjamin and Daisy can eventually be together.
Benjamin Button was somehow born as a very old man and physically ages backwards, getting younger as the years go by. Mentally though that is not the same and thus making his life so tragic. When Daisy is just a small girl and actually a similar age to Benjamin she is told not to talk to him and go near him. Yes, obviously it all looks very strange I mean he looks so old right?
Then we get a heartbreaking scene when Benjamin surprised Daisy at one of her performances but she already has a boyfriend and he is just quite frankly crushed. Still looking a lot older than her though. Something that is very clear though is that he is just the nicest of people! The scene in the dance studio when they are both in their 40s and round about the same age managing to then have a few special years together. It is so beautiful that is makes me want to cry!
On my most recent viewing this got me wondering if we can relate to this when we might only get a few years with someone and those will be the best years but it was never actually meant to last and be forever? While that could quite frankly be utterly heartbreaking I also find it reassuring that you will at least get a few happy years and it could well be perfect.
David Fincher directed the film and it is a little bit different compared to his fantastic range in the filmography. I guess the critical response around it is a little bit mixed just going off Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 71% and IMDb with 7.8 actually highlights that audience and critic values are round about the same score, which hardly ever happens!
I personally loved the film from the first viewing and actually feel even stronger about it each and every time. Not that I watched it constantly but I do revisit it every year or so. It has so many amazing life quotes that you can take away from it and that is something that had me gripped from the start. Then this meeting in the middle moment was something that I found even more powerful this time round.
Isn't that something that is just wonderful about films, that no matter how many times you watch the same one and even if you already love it you can find another part more powerful depending on what is happening within your own life.
Meeting in the middle for a short period of time can still be wonderful and one of the best experiences of your life.