Nick Fang’s Say

Or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which made up my Sunday night amusement this week.

I thought I would check it out, given the 13-Oscar buzz surrounding this film, and to tell you the truth, I was a little disappointed.

Instead of Benji Button, it could have been Forrest Gump Part II.

Substitute “simpleton” with “ageing in reverse”, “Lieutenant Dan” with “Captain Mike”, “I luhve you Jen-neeeee” with “Good night Daisy”, and the Deep South with New Orleans and you pretty much have the same idea. Gump had absent Dad, Button had deceased Mum (and absent Dad). Button has an old folks’ home in place of Gump’s bed-and-breakfast. They both go to sea, seem to like roaming the world, and are unnervingly kind and trusting and yet never have anything bad happen to them. And their love affairs are tinged with sadness and a little bit of never-meant-to-be. They both have kids, sit with them by the side of the road, and the kids are cute and perfectly normal.

Well I liked both the films, but was hoping that we would get something new this time round in terms of storyline. Nice way to spend a Sunday evening though. And strangely enough, I’ve always felt that Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett were very similar in looks and acting style and it was a bit weird to see them in the same film. But that’s just me.

And can I say that I am in love with Ms Blanchett.

She is sooooooooooo beautiful in the movie. And luminous. I never really got what the reviews meant when they called her that, but she glows in this film. I was swooning quietly in the darkness of the theatre. A friend of mine says she’s a bit old to be hot but I thoroughly disagree.

On the whole, I don’t think TCCOBB is worth 13 Oscars, but it certainly is a pretty movie, nicely made, humorous at times, touching throughout, and Ms Blanchett for the win. Brad does a credible job as a method actor doing the born-as-a-prune-grow-into-a-beautiful-man-die-as-a-baby thing, but really I think the make-up is the big winner there. I was touched, though, the same way I was in Gump, by the message of true love, universal kindness and the underlying theme that the world isn’t such a bad place if we were all just nice and trusting and had faith in people.

And I couldn’t resist, just one more for the road. Have a great week ahead!

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