Well, the thing about Brad Pitt is that once he walks into a camera frame, it is almost impossible to not have one’s focus entirely locked onto his face, with a total disregard for the backdrop and rest of the players. With his effortless magnetism that seems to suction every light molecule toward his direction, Pitt has made a career that defies his superficial beauty and leans into his creative and artistic exploits.
David Fincher, being one of the oldest and long-time collaborators of Pitt knows all of this, having directed him in 3 movies since their Oscar-nominated 1995 film, Seven. However, it is neither Seven nor Fight Club (for which they reunited again in 1998) that Fincher considers Pitt’s ultimate cinematic pinnacle. That unique credit goes to another movie entirely.
Brad Pitt Impresses David Fincher With Third Film
The 1990s were the epitome of Hollywood dreams and showbusiness glory. From the rise of Brad Pitt with Thelma & Louise (1991) to Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, and The Shawshank Redemption – going head to head at the Oscars to the biggest recorded snub in Academy history (Shakespeare in Love over Saving Private Ryan), there was plenty to be mesmerized by in the decade that gave us It couples, Steven Spielberg’s best run of his filmography, and the reinvention of cinema with the arrival of Quentin Tarantino.
However, it wasn’t until Tom Cruise walked onto the sets of his first Mission: Impossible film in 1995 that a movie star would truly be born. And it wasn’t until Brad Pitt met the auteur David Fincher that he would truly become one of the greats.
Starting off on the right foot with the crime mystery thriller based on the Seven Deadly Sins, Seven (stylized as Se7en) gave us one of Hollywood’s most fashionable iconic couples and one of cinema’s most iconic lines that would be used and reused in pop culture reality. Fight Club, which aroused some controversial commentary on capitalism and the degradation of Man was a healthy second effort that granted Brad Pitt A-list status immediately.
A decade later, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button brought the two masters of their respective crafts together for the third and final (to date) collaboration. It was this fantasy romance that ultimately proved the brevity and quality of the actor’s talent to the acclaimed director.
Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Adapted from a short story penned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Oscar-nominated David Fincher may have masterfully crafted The Curious Case of Benjamin Button into live-action cinema. But it was Brad Pitt who, alongside some of Hollywood’s most decorated stars like Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton, dominated every frame of the film, from his old and wrinkled beginning to his death as a newborn infant.
Speaking to Film Comment about his performance in the movie, Fincher said about his lead actor:
I love him so much in this movie. His most effortless performance ever and it’s the most difficult stuff to do. The cameras were on him like from the top of his chest to the top of his head, and he had room on the sides to move around. Remember, all of the movement he makes in the facial capture is cancelled out, so the movement doesn’t have to synchronize.
Rightfully then, Brad Pitt was nominated for his first Best Actor Oscar and BAFTA for his role in the film. Despite not securing the award, Pitt went on to deliver an impressive career throughout his tenure in Hollywood, ultimately nabbing one as a producer on 12 Years a Slave and Best Supporting Actor for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is available for streaming on Hulu, Paramount+, and Prime Video.
