Brad Pitt is currently starring in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a film about a man whose life is lived in reverse, becoming younger while the rest of the world gets old.
Had Pitt not been available for the role, the producers could have called on Ryan Giggs to step in, for the Manchester United midfielder has defied the ageing process and continues to do so with remarkable results.
It was fitting that in the week he was awarded a new contract, Giggs provided compelling proof of his enduring value to United with an effortlessly sophisticated display to guide Sir Alex Ferguson's side into the quarter-finals.
Giggs may be 35 but still plays with the zeal of someone a decade younger.
He has had to reinvent himself as a central midfielder now his days as a rampaging winger are over, but he is just as majestic in his new-found role, as Derby found to their cost.
He oozed class as Nigel Clough's limited but spirited County side were ultimately overwhelmed by the superior class of United, whose reshuffled personnel proved the impressive depth in Ferguson's squad.
Fergie felt sufficiently confident to leave three of his big hitters - Edwin Van der Sar, Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov - out of his squad and assembled his familiar assortment of first-team and fringe players.
The template was set straight away as United put Derby under relentless pressure, never taking their foot off their throat.
Were it not for the heroics of Stephen Bywater in the Derby goal, United would have buried their opponents under an avalanche of goals. As it was, Fergie's men were content with four.
But Bywater produced a succession of impressive saves to keep the scoreline at a respectable level, even allowing for a bizarre disallowed goal in the first-half when Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled offside. After saving from Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park, there was little Bywater could do to keep out Nani's opener for United in the 28th minute.
With effortless fluency, United's midfield swept the ball across the edge of the Derby area until it fell to the United midfielder. Nani has not had the best seasons, but he has a fearsome shot as Bywater found out, the ball flashing past him and into the net.
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United restricted Derby to a smattering of half-chances, Rob Hulse hooking a shot over the bar while Kris Commons thudded a free-kick straight at Ben Foster, a bystander for much of the first half.
Controversy erupted in the 37th minute with Ronaldo's disallowed goal. Foster threw the ball forward to Giggs, who flicked it on for
Ronaldo, who had only Bywater to beat. Ronaldo looked across at referee's assistant Paul Tierney, whose flag was not raised, before applying an assured finish into the net and turning to celebrate with his United team-mates.
But the celebrations were cut short when ref Alan Wiley disallowed the goal. The explanation given was that Tierney had not seen Giggs touch the ball and, once Wiley had confirmed the United midfielder had, raised his flag for offside.
None of this served to placate United's players or Fergie, whose face turned puce as he raged at fourth official Rob Styles in the technical area, protesting at the perceived injustice.
Had United not gone on to win by such a convincing margin, the decision would have proved even more contentious. As it was, United regrouped before reasserting their authority with three more goals.
Darron Gibson put them 2-0 up a minute before half-time.
A free-kick from Ronaldo rebounded off Derby's wall of players and Gibson was first to react, scoring with a volleyed finish.
United made it 3-0 two minutes after the restart, Ronaldo scoring with a powerful header from a Giggs corner to provide some comfort following his disallowed effort in the first-half.
Although Derby's fate was already sealed, Bywater continued to excel, saving twice in a matter of seconds, first from Ronaldo then from Fletcher, who had seized on the rebound. Derby managed to maintain their record of scoring every time they have played United this season, something Premier League sides have found impossible, with a Miles Addison header in the 56th minute.
United added a fourth with 10 minutes to go, substitute Danny Welbeck curling a fine shot beyond the reach of Bywater to cement victory for Fergie's men, who remain on course for an unprecedented haul of five trophies.
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