Buttoned
I just watched David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”. Before I say anything else, I have to acknowledge that it is a beautiful movie. The cinematography is outstanding. The movie also stands out in my mind for how well light was used in the design of the scenes. After having recently seen “Milk”, which was very poorly shot despite being an excellent movie, “Button” clearly stands apart and makes me appreciate how much light and shadow play a part in the design of a movie.
I know reviews of this movie were somewhat mixed when it came out. While I think everyone agreed that the movie is a beauty to watch, there was less agreement about the quality of it’s substance. This is not a complicated movie. I suppose some might consider it thematically “heavy-handed”. I think I appreciate how challenging it must be to make a successful movie about dying. At least, that’s my first impression.
Maybe it’s not about death as much as it is about transience. This idea is repeated throughout. How is it that we deal with the mortality – not only of lives but also of moments and opportunities? The experiences of our lives are colored by how we accept, reject, ignore or embrace this reality.
These are not radical themes. Many stories have tackled this idea. What I love about this movie is not it’s novelty or originality. In stories we can escape into other worlds, but what we find in those places is only what we carry with us. What I find in this movie is a moment to reflect and appreciate the temporary joys of my own life and realize (again) that I’ve been very fortunate. For that I am, as always, grateful.