MovieChat Forums > The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) Discussion > Meaning? Message?

Meaning? Message?

posted 12 years ago by elijahyael_08
11 replies | jump to latest

It was so extremely creepy, and then it was so extremely long, and there were so many times I just wanted to turn it off, but couldn't, and eventually it all became so extremely sad and after it finally ended, I just felt so extremely weird... I hated it so much, but loved it at the same time, and yet, I certainly wouldn't want to watch it again.

I'm sorry, I just had to get this off my chest.

Anyway, one thing that bothered me is I don't know what I gained, if there was anything to gain. It seemed to me like the movie/story was trying to bring across some important message or deep meaning, and though I actually DID get affected by certain scenes, I can't figure what the meaning or message of the whole thing was supposed to be. A little help please?

[–] steffeeric 12 years ago

It is all about life and death. I will sum up what I got from the film in a quote or two.

For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one. -Khalil Gibran

Without one you can't have the other. Everyone sees life as a great thing and death as terrible but they are closer on the spectrum than people realize. There is no more interesting subject to me than life and death. It is the greatest question facing humanity. I could post quotes and thoughts on this subject all night but will leave you with this.

“Death gives meaning to our lives. It gives importance and value to time. Time would become meaningless if there were too much of it.” -Ray Kurzweil

[–] kieran-ward 12 years ago

I thought the ending monologue summed it all up nicely. Living your life and doing the things you do is one thing, but it's the people you meet that make your life special.

Everyone you meet will have some kind of influence on your life. Maybe even you, some unknown person on this forum, could change my life.

[–] wolf_enchantress 11 years ago

I agree with the other comments, but one thing I get out of it also is just the brevity of life and love. There is such a short time in which we can all be young and in love before it passes. It makes me cherish my relationships all the more.

In fact, I just re-watched this movie again last night and couldn't hardly sleep because I kept feeling all sad about how everyone's going to die someday and I cuddled the crap out of my boyfriend and told him he's not allowed to die ever.

[–] elijahyael_08 11 years ago

Thanks to everyone who replied. Sorry if it took me a while to get back to this thread. Your comments made me appreciate the movie more.

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[–] Suntory_Times 10 years ago

I also fell there is an underlying cynicism presented by the film, and the film certainly is more about death then life then we are use to seeing in stories. Just wondering did you notice how all but one character (the captain) die alone (or with people they don't know).

Benjamins mother dies without her husband who has ran off, Daisy dies alone, Benjamin more or less dies when his memory is gone (a shell of a person is left, but you could hardly call him Benjamin anymore). Likewise look at the two births, in both cases the father is not in the room. Moments such as "anything is possible" seem to act as more red hearings, though I do fell it also is emphasizing that whilst anything is possible in life, death is a certainty and in your moment of death you are alone. The interesting part of this to me is that this isn't presented as sad as one would expect.

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[–] Aquamarine2015 11 years ago

For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

Benjamin's letter to his daughter is probably the most profound scene in the movie.

[–] Mr_Nin 11 years ago

If you take away the ageing backwards, Benjamin lives the same life as everyone else.
You're born weak and reliant on the people who love you
You get stronger
You fall in love
You get your heart broken
You leave for adventures
The people you love die
You build your own family
You get ill
You die, weak and reliant on the people who love you.

It's just that Fincher uses the idea of a man ageing backwards to really put focus what are the universal moments in anyone's life.

[–] coolbrett 11 years ago

I don't think there was a message. I think it was just a fantasy story designed for entertainment. But it had a few good points about 'living your life' thrown in, just to give people an extra reason to 'appreciate' this movie. Like life is precious, and love is important, and to accept people for who they are. And to follow your dreams (point of Swinton's character).

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TVippy 11 years ago

Very-very true.

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[–] armensog 10 years ago

a message or meaning in a fincher or nolan movie? You must be joking.. (Fight club won't count, the plot is taken from the book)