The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
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A man is born with the physical appearance of an elderly man and ages in reverse throughout his life.
The story
In a world where time moves forward for everyone else, Benjamin Button is born with the physical appearance and ailments of an elderly man. As he grows older, he paradoxically ages in reverse, transitioning from a man in a wheelchair to a man who can walk and eventually becoming physically younger. He meets Daisy, a woman who becomes his primary companion and love interest. The story follows their intertwined lives across several decades as they navigate the complexities of his unique condition and the changing world around them, from the aftermath of World War I to the modern era.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The story begins in 1918 with the birth of Benjamin Button, who is born with the body of an old man. He is raised by a caretaker named Queenie. In 1930, he meets Daisy, and they form a deep bond. Over the decades, Benjamin's body becomes younger while his mind matures. He experiences various life stages: working on a tugboat, having a brief affair in Murmansk, and eventually becoming a wealthy man. He and Daisy eventually marry and have a daughter, Caroline. As Benjamin becomes physically younger, he eventually becomes a pre-teen and then a child. In 1990, a now-physically-young Benjamin is found in a dilapidated building. Daisy, now older, cares for him as he regresses into infancy. In 2003, Benjamin dies in Daisy's arms as a newborn, while Daisy passes away shortly after in 2005. The film concludes with a reference to a clock that ticks backward, a memorial for those lost in World War I.
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 166
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Fincher
- Writers
- Eric Roth · screenplay; Robin Swicord · story
- Cast and characters
- Brad Pitt · Benjamin Button; Cate Blanchett · Daisy; Taraji P. Henson; Julia Ormond · Daisy's daughter; Jason Flemyng; Elias Koteas; Tilda Swinton
- Genres
- fantasy; drama
- Themes
- aging; love; loss; time
- Tone and mood
- magical; moving; epic
- Setting
- Various locations including New Orleans, New York City, Paris, and Murmansk from 1918 to 2005.
- Premise and plot tags
- reverse aging; historical fiction; magical realism
- Source material / true-story basis
- F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1922 short story
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews, with praise for the performances of the cast. It was a box office success.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 7.50 · scale: 10 · review count: 254; Metacritic · score: 70 · scale: 100 · review count: 37; Yahoo! Movies · score: B+ · scale: letter grade · review count: 12
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Director · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Actor · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Art Direction · Win; Academy Award · Best Makeup · Win; Academy Award · Best Visual Effects · Win; BET Award · Best Actress · Win
- Production trivia
- The production received $27 million in incentives for filming in Louisiana.; The film's visual effects were handled by Digital Domain.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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