It’s a conundrum that has even the biggest movie fans stumped. Few have contributed more to the profile of Hollywood than it’s favourite A-List son, Brad Pitt. However, the senior half of Brangelina has never received the ultimate industry recognition - the Oscar. Nominated once (for ’95’s 12 Monkeys, trivia fans), and oh-so-close with last year’s nomination for The Assassination of Jesse James…, will his latest epic (itself nominated 13 times for this year’s awards) do the trick?

The story is narrated (in a way) by Caroline (Julia Ormond), who reads to her dying mother from the journal of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). Benjamin has a strange affliction - he ages in reverse, born with the physical attributes of an 80-year-old man, but 'growing' younger. Raised by the manageress of a retirement home (Taraji P. Henson) when he is abandoned by his real father, Benjamin leaves in search of adventure, encountering a world war, a bored aristocrat (Tilda Swinton) and many others along the way who teach all him about life in one way or another. The one constant is Daisy (Cate Blanchett), his childhood friend with whom he shares a deep connection, and eventually falls in love with. Benjamin, like all of us, must come to terms with the fragility of his condition, and how nothing lasts forever, except love.

David Fincher disappointed many with the so-so Zodiac, so it will come as great news that this film (his third with Pitt) is an instant classic. The scope of the film demands a unique style of filmmaking, and Fincher has just that. The dark, murky feel of films like Panic Room and Fight Club is present here, but twisted in such a way as to make the smallest things beautiful. Indeed, early comparisons to Forest Gump are a little unfair, as while the protagonist is an innocent, the beauty of the story is much more in marvelling at the little moments life offers us through the eyes of someone like Button, a person eager to be a part of a world that can never accept him. A fantastic script, believable effects and gorgeous visuals make for a modern fairy tale, a fable about the fragility of life.

There are many strong performances - Ormond provides the perfect point of view for the audience, Swinton is her usual spiky self, and Henson is wonderfully maternal as the only normal family Benjamin could ever have. But it’s the two central performances that take your breath away. Blanchett is, as ever, near perfect as Daisy, who in her own way is an outcast and finds herself in just as difficult a predicament as her lover when the two ‘meet in the middle’ age-wise. The biggest applause, however, must go to Pitt. ‘Career-defining’ may be a difficult term to use, given his performances in the past, but his endearing child-like love of the world makes you love his character and really go along with him through all the ups and downs.

A heart-breaking ending caps off a brilliant, fantastic film, more than worthy of all the nominations bestowed on it and akin to sweeping epics such as The English Patient. It may have a fight on its hands given the competition, but awards or no awards, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is superb.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is out February 6.