Benjamin (Brad Pitt) was born on Armistice Day to a New Orleans button maker and his wife. After a grueling delivery, Thomas Button arrives home to find a priest giving his wife her last rites and a monstrosity in the bassinet in the form of his child. In his haste to destroy this child who has taken his beloved wife from him, he tries to throw him into the river, but instead drops him on the doorstep of a nursing home, overseen by Queenie (Tariji P. Henson) and her man-friend Tizzy (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali). Queenie, unable to have children on her own, immediately takes the wrinkled, aged-looking infant in to care for him and loves him as her own, looking past his hideous appearance.
Years pass and Benjamin grows, yet he continues to look like a little old man and fits in almost perfectly at the nursing home. Only his occasional childish ways give him away. One day, a genteel lady comes to live at the nursing home and when her beautiful red-haired granddaughter, Daisy, comes to visit her, Benjamin is smitten. The child is intrigued by this strange little old man who behaves and thinks as a child would and the two become close friends. Daisy often comes back to the home to visit her grandmother and Benjamin and as the years pass, Benjamin's appearance starts to change. He seems to be getting younger.
Benjamin soon goes out into the world and finds himself having many adventures and meeting many interesting people. Throughout the years, however, Daisy is never far from his mind, and when tragedy strikes in her life, the two become reunited. For a time, they are blissfully happy. After all, they are finally about the same age. But then reality sets in when Daisy becomes pregnant and Benjamin realizes that in time, he will become a burden to her, giving her two children two raise instead of one. As the years pass, life continues to throw the ill-fated lovers in each others' path, although the disparity between their years has become far more evident. As Caroline reads Benjamin's history to her mother, she discovers a woman she thought she knew, but never truly did, and she learns just what an enduring and everlasting love the pair shared.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a truly epic and amazing movie. Clocking in at almost 3 hours, it's not a movie you pop in for a quick viewing. But it never drags and feels as though it needs every minute for the story to unfold. The acting and special effects are simply phenomenal. Watching as Brad Pitt ages backwards was really spectacular and it never gave you that creepy feel. It just worked. Cate Blanchett is stellar, be it 17 year old or 80 year old Daisy. Taking place in New Orleans and incorporating Hurricane Katrina into the film holds a special place in my heart because I had family members who experienced Katrina first-hand. It just made the movie's impact that much more intense. In watching the special features, I learned that this film had been in development for many years, first under Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy's hands, then under Kennedy and David Fincher. Apparently Katrina almost set the movie back, but seeing the city struggling to come back cemented their desire to complete the project there and even incorporate it into the film. In over three hours of special features, you'll learn about every aspect of making the film, from its inception to premiere, so this is something aspiring filmmakers will definitely want to check out.
I can't rave enough about this film. It is simply excellent. The high def presentation on Blu-ray only adds to the experience since the film goes throughout time along with Benjamin Button and unique camera and film techniques are used to great affect. Cap that off with surround sound and you will feel as if you are in Benjamin's world. Go buy this today.
