Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Compelling drama takes on big life questions.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 19 parent reviews
Based on 44 kid reviews
Kids say this film presents a thought-provoking exploration of love and loss, combined with mature themes that may not be suitable for younger viewers. While praised for its original concept and emotional depth, the movie features significant adult content, including violence and suggestive scenes, prompting many reviewers to suggest it be watched by older teenagers or adults.
- thought-provoking
- emotional depth
- mature themes
- original concept
- not suitable for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Born 80 years old, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) ages backward over time. Weak and wrinkled as a toddler, unlined and unencumbered as a grandfather, his is a life that moves against everyone else's current -- including that of Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), the African-American servant who finds him abandoned on the steps of a New Orleans nursing home and mothers him, and Daisy (Cate Blanchett), the love of his life, who's a young girl when they first meet. As Benjamin hurtles toward the moment when he and Daisy can finally meet as equals in the middle of life, he makes friends, takes to the seas, and falls in love with a British expatriate (Tilda Swinton). But it's Daisy he ultimately seeks, despite the challenges that loom when they must continue their journey in preordained -- and sadly opposite -- directions.
Is It Any Good?
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has a compelling, haunting plot. Watching it is an emotional experience, despite it's meandering pace (it could have -- should have -- been made leaner to make it even stronger). Director David Fincher, collaborating with Pitt for the third time, takes advantage of technological wizardry to move the story forward without letting the tricks overwhelm the story. This isn't a film that stands on the shoulders of special-effects gimmickry.
Like the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump (which also broke ground with its techno wizardry), Benjamin Button has a living, beating heart. A wistful awareness of mortality, and of the clock ticking ceaselessly toward an inevitable end, looms over everything. Benjamin is a splendidly written character, and Pitt plays him tenderly, juggling melancholy and hope, sometimes all at once. And Blanchett is the perfect complement; a tempest who finds her way with grace. Their affair makes for an extraordinary love story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's messages. What is it attempting to say about life, love and death? Are these messages relatable, even though the basic premise is pure fantasy?
Do you think this movie could have been made without advanced special effects and computer techniques? How is this movie different from other Hollywood films, especially those that rely on more obvious effects?
What do you think it would be like to grow up with the zest of youth masked by an aged body?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 25, 2008
- On DVD or streaming : May 5, 2009
- Cast : Brad Pitt , Cate Blanchett , Tilda Swinton
- Director : David Fincher
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 167 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Winner
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate