“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is full of reversals, and this moment is a perfect example of that. In the same way that Benjamin’s aging process is reversed, his entire relational dynamic with his son has now been flipped on its head. Roscoe no longer treats him with the respect people usually show their parents—instead, he treats him like a son (or, worse, like a pesky, unwanted burden). And this, it seems, is because Roscoe is worried about his own reputation. As a result, Benjamin is forced to make do without the emotional support he needs as he grows younger.