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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

7.8
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Ratings: 7.8/10 from 289,357 users   Metascore: 70/100
Reviews: 776 user | 342 critic | 37 from Metacritic.com

Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences.

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(screenplay), (story), 2 more credits »
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Title: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

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Won 3 Oscars. Another 42 wins & 80 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Dorothy Baker (as Faune Chambers)
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Donna Duplantier ...
Blanche Devereux
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Martin Gateau (as Jacob Wood)
Earl Maddox ...
Man at Train Station
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Priest Giving Last Rites
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Doctor at Benjamin's Birth
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Tizzy (as Mahershalalhashbaz Ali)
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Storyline

On the day that Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, elderly Daisy Williams (nee Fuller) is on her deathbed in a New Orleans hospital. At her side is her adult daughter, Caroline. Daisy asks Caroline to read to her aloud the diary of Daisy's lifelong friend, Benjamin Button. Benjamin's diary recounts his entire extraordinary life, the primary unusual aspect of which was his aging backwards, being diagnosed with several aging diseases at birth and thus given little chance of survival, but who does survive and gets younger with time. Abandoned by his biological father, Thomas Button, after Benjamin's biological mother died in childbirth, Benjamin was raised by Queenie, a black woman and caregiver at a seniors home. Daisy's grandmother was a resident at that home, which is where she first met Benjamin. Although separated through the years, Daisy and Benjamin remain in contact throughout their lives, reconnecting in their forties when in age they finally match up. Some of the revelations ... Written by Huggo

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Time is passing, even backwards. See more »

Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

| |  »

Country:

Language:

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Release Date:

25 December 2008 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Benjamin Button  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$150,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£2,213,495 (UK) (6 February 2009)

Gross:

$127,490,802 (USA) (17 April 2009)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The short story based on a remark by author Mark Twain. Twain famously remarked that 'the best part of life was from the beginning and the worst part was the end'. See more »

Goofs

Benjamin is in Murmansk in late November/early December based on the radio report of the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, he sits with Elizabeth Abbott (Tilda Swinton) until dawn. Murmansk, presently the largest city above the Arctic Circle, would be in polar nights with 24 hours of darkness at that time of the year. There would be no sunshine. The same for when the tugboat crew left shortly after the 7th with sunlight streaming in the windows. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Daisy: What are you looking at, Caroline?
Caroline: The wind, mom.
[yawns]
Caroline: They say the hurricane is coming.
See more »

Crazy Credits

The Paramount and Warner Bros. logos are in the form of mosaics constructed from several buttons. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Californication: The Recused (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

"JUST AS I AM"
Traditional
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
It's a Wonderful Life
21 December 2008 | by (Massachusetts) – See all my reviews

Before seeing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button I wondered how I would react to the story of a man who is born old and gets younger as he grows up. Of all of the stories I have come across, this is by far the most bizarre and intriguing. If i had to pick someone to bring this story to the screen I do no think David Fincher would have been my first choice.

How wrong I would have been. This film is by far one of the best if not the best of 2008. Fincher's direction is flawless! The film from start to finish does not let up. There are moments of joy and ecstasy followed by sorrow and understanding. Brad Pitt stars as Benjamin, a boy born an old man who must live his life in reverse. His friend from childhood, Daisy, is played by Cate Blanchett. The story is narrated from Benjamin's point of view with some particular highlights from Daisy.

The cast does nothing wrong. Pitt leads with Blanchett and a strong performance from Taraji P. Henson as Benjamin's surrogate mother Queenie, the only person in the world who seems to understand and truly love him from the start. Other cameos along the way bring a large array of characters, including Tilda Swinton, one of Benjamin's early love interests.

The film spans from the end of World War I to the the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The transitions from life stage to life stage and decade to decade are seamless. Fincher does a tremendous job at maintaining a steady flow of action and dialogue. There is not a dull moment in the film. The cinematography is superb and couples nicely with Fincher's style of accentuating certain colors to enhance a mood or moment.

There really is nothing wrong with this film. Even with a runtime of about 160 minutes, time just flies by, much like it does for Benjamin, only we are going forward. This is a tender and meaningful film you do not want to wish.


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Is this your favourite movie? Moviefanatic333
The only 'curious' thing about Benjamin Button was... dyahrmarkt
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Cate Blanchett / Tilda Swinton harrison_1
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Why didn't scientists or doctors study him? yendreck

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