Posted by Helen on: 01.05.2009 /
We went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Saturday.
I enjoyed it. It’s basically a love story. The decency and kindness of people is brought out in the movie. Some people make selfish decisions out of fear but they later make amends. Those decisions and ‘fate’ cause unhappiness rather than people who are evil through and through. I don’t think there was even one evil person portrayed in this movie. I like how Benjamin accepts his unusual de-aging process and life in general and has a very positive attitude about life. He’s curious and loves to try new things. Maybe being raised by someone who loved him and valued him helped him accept the things about him which were unusual.
It’s quite a long movie - 2:47. Once or twice early on I felt it was going a bit slowly, but after that I was fully engaged in it. I enjoyed the period filming and use of Scott Jopin music. I didn’t really see the point of it being set during Hurricane Katrina (the ‘current day’ reference point). Maybe it was supposed to pick up on a storm/sea/fate is out of our control/nothing lasts theme but if so I think it was overdone and unnecessary - I don’t think that part worked. Otherwise, though, I enjoyed it a lot.
The lack of villain was a big contrast to No Country for Old Men which I watched on DVD on Christmas Eve. A psychopathic serial killer features highly in that movie. It was very well done; it was suspenseful and the psychopath was extremely creepy. He had weird principles which caused him to kill even more people than if he simply didn’t care. He wasn’t violent and out of control. He was very purposeful and often civil, although easily irritated. It’s not my kind of movie - I watched it because my husband wanted to and I wanted to hang out with him on New Year’s Eve - but I did think it was effective and well-done.
Comment by: Bruce
1Helen,
I enjoyed the movie too. Slow moving at times and certainly not a “shoot em up action film” but a great drama with an intricate story line. Our whole family watched it and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Bruce
Comment by: Helen
2I’m glad you enjoyed it too, Bruce. We went as a family and we all enjoyed it.
Comment by: David H
3I haven’t seen BB yet, but I was absolutely fascinated by “No Country for Old Men.” The book is quite interesting as well even though there is very little divergence between it and the movie. (When I say little I mean almost none in any way, yet reading the book gives a slightly different vibe than the movie.)
I have heard many describe Chigurh as the ultimate personification of evil. I didn’t see him as such. Chigurrh seems to represent a moral absolute rather than personify evil. His weird principles were standards to which he seemed totally committed. He was so bound by them that when the coin toss went against him he didn’t kill the old man even though he obviously wished to.
What’s more, Chigurrh seems to be the only person in the movie who does not waver in his adherence to some code of conduct. Even the sheriff, Chigurh’s apparent opposite — on a surface level the law & order to the other’s chaos — is somewhat relativistic (the movie seems largely about Ed Tom’s developing realization that his convictions aren’t nearly as strong as those of his opponent). In the end everyone else is willing to equivocate for some reason; their life if nothing else. Chigurrh seems to have no concern for his own life and isn’t motivated by material gain. He does what he does because it is right — to him.
To those sitting outside his moral paradigm, Chigurh seems a sociopathic serial killer. But according to his standards he doesn’t kill anyone who doesn’t deserve that fate, even if the only reason is that they showed him weakness. Were one to accept his moral sense then he might seem a perfect man.
The way Chigurh appears (seemingly from nowhere) and disappears at the end of the movie (and the book), he takes on almost divine attributes. Given his absolute morality (his sense of right and wrong is more important to than more human or selfish definitions of good or bad) and his implacable pursuit of its end regardless of what it costs anyone (including himself), one might argue Chigurh is the archetypal religious adherent or, perhaps, even a metaphor for God.
Comment by: David H
4Nice little essay on the characters of “No Country for Old Men.”
Another fascinating discussion here (http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2008/03/no_god_for_anton_chigurh.html) that touches on one viewers belief that Chigurrh is some sort of atheistic ideal.
Comment by: Helen
5David, thanks for your comments about No Country for Old Men. My husband has read the book too and was pleased the movie followed it quite closely. As you said Chigurh’s unwavering following of his principles is quite striking and although he seems to kill without compassion, that can prevent him killing, as when the coin toss in favor of his victim.
Hopefully God’s principles involve some compassion unlike Chigurh’s!