I just watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It was a superbly done film, and I really enjoyed it. One thing I kept thinking throughout the movie was…how lonely his life must have been. He went through life backwards. He spent his childhood with old people, and I think he never really felt at home with any other kind of people. Not that I’m about to go into a sad lament about his existence, but I think that his writing of postcards to Daisy, and later to his daughter Caroline, just made his life a lot less lonely.
Everyone just needs someone, I think.
I think everyone just needs to feel like their life matters to someone. Everyone has a story to tell and I think it’s less lonely knowing that someone cares enough to want to listen to your story. I think that the postcards and the diary just helped Benjamin’s life be less lonely, to know that to Daisy, he mattered–and later to Caroline, he would matter.
Despite the fact that the running theme of the movie was “Nothing ever lasts,” there was an underlying theme that at least ONE thing doesn’t end. Yes, it is slightly cheesy if you think of it in a real-world context. Love never ends. I’ve been a lifelong romantic and I really wish that were true. But like many things, it takes two. I think that both people have to believe that the love doesn’t end for it to really be kept alive.
Anyway, just wanted to spit into words some of the emotions and thoughts the movie evoked. I really, really loved the movie. It’s a very unique glimpse into life, love and loss. There is always loss in the movie (again, the theme is about letting go). The most poignant is when letting go isn’t a choice, but a reality that must occur. In the movie it was mainly death, but also that Benjamin walked away from Daisy and Caroline because it was what was best for them.
Sigh.
Love. Life. Loneliness. Loss. Stupid L-words.
I think the movie dealt with it as gracefully as they can be dealt with. I’m also very glad that they maintained the air of romanticism — otherwise, I would have been a very sad, depressed person.
Stop and Stare 