The IMDB Project - #242 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

On her deathbed in a hospital a mother asks her daughter to read a diary to her, the diary is Benjamin Button's. We soon find out Benjamin is a baby born an old man, his mother died in childbirth and his dad disowned him as a freak of nature. He is taken in by a couple who run an old people's home as one of god's children and is looked after there. He's in the perfect place for the first few years of his life as he is the same age as most of the residents! It is here that Benjamin meets Daisy, a girl who will change his life forever. Benjamin realises that he is not actually getting older each year but younger and the film takes us on the journey that is his life lived backwards.

The film is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and is retold brilliantly in a modern way. As you can imagine Benjamin's life is not straightforward but surrounded by the best of friends and family he has all the support to live life exactly as he want to. Death is never far away from Benjamin, living in an old people's home you have to get used to people passing and learn how to deal with the emotions that come with it. This is a good start for him as getting younger when others are getting older he has to deal with a lot of people leaving his life. The main story is the love story between Benjamin and Daisy that teaches us that life is a series of tiny coincidences that all come together to build our lives. Timing is a huge part of this film and it is directed superbly with that theme running throughout. Brad Pitt is awesome as the curious Button showing real humility and building a character that the viewers will warm to. However I think that the show is stolen by Cate Blanchett as she plays Daisy perfectly, from young innocent girl with her whole life ahead of her to the end of the movie where she is a lot older and shows the experience she has learned in her life. A great performance. The film reminded me a lot of Forrest Gump but in reverse, it never lets up and moves at a great pace as we are taken on the journey of Benjamin's life. It's packed with heartbreak and tough times but also joy and amazing times.

An epic film that really explores relationships, love, family and living life for experiences and moments rather than time. Thoroughly worth the 3 nearly 3 hours and don't forget the tissues, a few tears will be shed.

Favourite Scene: The sunset and sunrise scenes are beautifully shot and poignant for the film.

Triva: Brad Pitt stated it took 5 hours each day to complete the make-up required for the role.