The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opens Christmas day and as Brad Pitt recently told Oprah, New Orleans is another character in the film. The epic tale of a man who is born old and ages backward is being panned by some critics. But no one will disagree that no matter what you think of the movie’s special effects or lack of emotional depth, the real life setting is exquisite.
New Orleans has an aura of mystery and exoticism that fits the movie’s story in a way that no other city could. This film acts as a love letter to the city, a city still struggling years after Hurricane Katrina. My hope is that even if people don’t connect with the film’s characters, they will connect with the film’s location and be inspired to visit the Big East once again.
While filming in New Orleans, Pitt began working on Make It Right, a project working to rebuild neighborhoods hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. You can donate money or needed household items at the Make It Right website and you can begin planning your own trip to New Orleans at Experience New Orleans.
New Orleans added wonderful character to the movie and I was going to go to Gatlinburg TN but I think I will take the family to New Orleans for a vacation in the near future.