The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Kernel Score: 86% · 13,542 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Released: 2008-12-25
Runtime: 166 minutes
Is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button worth watching?
Worth watching. A man ages backwards across a lifetime in this long, sad and handsome fairy-tale romance. It's lovely to look at and moving in parts, but it's long and slow.
Watch it if you
- like sweeping romantic dramas
- enjoy a fantasy premise
- want a gentle, reflective watch
Skip it if you
- want a tight plot
- dislike slow, long films
Best for: Slow date night
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
Born under unusual circumstances, Benjamin Button springs into being as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing home and ages in reverse. Twelve years after his birth, he meets Daisy, a child who flits in and out of his life as she grows up to be a dancer. Though he has all sorts of unusual adventures over the course of his life, it is his relationship with Daisy, and the hope that they will come together at the right time, that drives Benjamin forward.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a reflective drama about an unusual life lived in reverse.
- Violence & scariness: A little — Includes brief wartime and hospital scenes typical of a PG-13 drama.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
If you liked The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Edward Scissorhands (1990) — 86%: Gentle fairy tale about an outsider
- About Time (2013) — 89%: Time-bending romance with warmth
- The Age of Adaline (2015) — 84%: Another ageless romance
- The Green Mile (1999) — 92%: Long fantasy-tinged drama
- The Shape of Water (2017) — 81%: Tender, strange romance
- Stranger Than Fiction (2006) — 81%: Warm, odd fantasy
Director
Cast
- Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button
- Cate Blanchett as Daisy Fuller
- Taraji P. Henson as Queenie
- Julia Ormond as Caroline Fuller
- Jason Flemyng as Thomas Button
- Tilda Swinton as Elizabeth Abbott
- Mahershala Ali as Tizzy Weathers
- Jared Harris as Captain Mike
- Elias Koteas as Monsieur Gateau
- Phyllis Somerville as Grandma Fuller
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button FAQ
Is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button worth watching?
Worth watching. A man ages backwards across a lifetime in this long, sad and handsome fairy-tale romance. It's lovely to look at and moving in parts, but it's long and slow.
Where can I watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla and YouTube Free and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button OK for kids?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a reflective drama about an unusual life lived in reverse.
What movies are like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?
If you liked The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, try Edward Scissorhands, About Time, The Age of Adaline and The Green Mile.