The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Hollywood never ceases to amaze me. Of all the bizarre stories that are out there, who would've thought that one about a man who ages backwards would be such a hit? Indeed, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett caught me by surprise- in many ways.

The story goes like this: Man is born. Man is old. Man ages backwards. Man meets girl. Girl ages forwards. Both meet and fall in love in the middle. While such a concept is so abstract and impossible, the audience is so entranced by both the performances and the style of the film itself that they fail to analyze the plausibility in this plot. With such advanced technology wound into the movie, we are convinced by the realism in what we see, and are captivated from start to finish.

The viewer is first caught off guard if not by the superior makeup artistry, then the special effects. The aging process of Brad Pitt's character is so realistic, it's almost impossible to believe that it is really him up there instead of his great grandfather. The cinematography and set design are fantastic as well- giving a dreamlike quality to the film which transports the audience to another world from the very beginning. If it's not for the overall presentation of the film, the performances between Pitt and Blanchett are equally as enthralling. Pitt plays a convincing old man, and Blanchett's subtle, willow-esque demeanor makes her an immediate hit with the audience.

Directed by David Fincher, the film has been nominated for thirteen Academy Awards, including Best Picture.  In my books however?  It's already won the Oscar gold.