David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), loosely based on the short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was nominated for a miraculous thirteen Academy Awards, winning three - Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects. Released on Christmas Day 2008, the film was the talk of the town and was dubbed "Oscar bait" for everyone involved, especially Fincher (who had never won an Oscar) and Pitt.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button tells the story of the eponymous Benjamin Button, a man who ages in reverse (at birth, he was an exceptionally old man; at death, he was a newborn). His mother dies as a result of his birth and shortly thereafter, his father abandons him on the steps of a nursing home. Anyway, Button progresses through life backwards. And along the way, meeting various men and women alike, he comes across Daisy, with whom he falls in love (Daisy is also the narrator for the film). They have a daughter together but Benjamin -- who fears his reverse aging will have an adverse effect on the two -- leaves, leaving a hefty bank account to the two. The two meet up twice more, with Daisy moving into the nursing home and caring for Benjamin for the rest of his life. As hurricane Katrina approaches, Daisy dies and the film shortly ends.
Made on a $167 million budget, Button made $334 million. It received very positive reviews and as previously mentioned, was nominated for quite a few Oscars. It currently sits at a 72% critic approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Reads the same sites consensus: "Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an epic fantasy tale with rich storytelling backed by fantastic performances."
