"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - B

A time-traveling delight (of sorts) with enough in the tank to keep nearly anyone happy, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is easily a "good buy" for your viewing dollar.

Brad Pitt re-teams with director David Fincher, who as already more than proved his skills with such outings as "Zodiac" and "Fight Club." "Benjamin Button" is decidedly lighter material, but it still bears out the fine craftsmanship of someone who knows how to pull together a good production.

The special effects fantastically bring along a love story spanning the decades of a man aging in reverse, a condition sure to strain his future with lifelong love Cate Blanchett. And there's even a pretty good supporting cast, including a fine performance from Tilda Swinton (who is, for once, not an evildoer).

And while the premise is intriguing, supporters good and effects solid, a sometimes-touching plot gets a little hampered with stutter-step pacing. I had the sense that co-writer Eric Roth brushed off his own "Forrest Gump" notes. I know I saw some of this before when the lead was again developmentally challenged.

And while I do buy Pitt's "Button," this is not the famous lead's best moment. We've seen him make a much larger splash in another film. In other words, standard-issue Pitt awaits you here.

Don't get me wrong - I liked this picture; it's good, entertaining and worth the first-run dollar. But it won't necessarily change your mind about any of those appearing on-screen, and it surely isn't a landmark effort. It's just somewhat better than most of the stuff out there.

Grade: B (a great story even with the flaws)