THE TREE OF LIFE
Written and Directed by: Terrence Malick
Starring: Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, and Sean Penn
THE TREE OF LIFE is the fifth film by Terrence Malick in his eccentric forty year career. Usually filmmakers of this stature have by now had more features under their belts; Malick is the exception. He crafts his films with such a detailed and delicate eye that every single frame deliberately means something. This film poses many philosophical questions religious scholars have tried to answer and frames them in the story of one man’s inner struggle to find the balance between “grace” and “nature.”
In THE TREE OF LIFE, Jack O’Brien (Penn, who is onscreen for a combined 10 minutes) reminisces about his childhood with his two brothers in Texas. His mother, played beautifully by Jessica Chastain, represents “grace” and compassion. Brad Pitt is the harsh, disciplinarian father, representing the “nature” aspect of Jack’s inner struggle. That’s just the smaller explanation of the film, but as indicated by opening with a Bible verse from the Book of Job, we know Malick is thinking of the “bigger picture” with this work.
Overlapping voice-overs touch on a number of subjects – loss, belief, desire – as we travel through time, uncovering details about the family (like the death of one of Jack’s brothers.) Then, faster than you can say “Big Bang Theory,” BOOM! The film goes massive in scale. Malick takes us back to the dawn of time.
Yes, it made me think of Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODDYSEY as well, contemplating the origins of life. The intent being if you don’t know where you come from, you don’t know where you are going. Though it may sound jarring and nonsensical, it’s actually quite amazing if you just let it wash over you. It showed how our tribulations are massive to us, but are just a speck to the cosmos.
The narration that runs (albeit scarcely) throughout the film is dreamlike and often confusing. Is it the voice of God, or is it the actual characters? You decide this existential quandary. Throughout the film, music is interwoven and it’s clear the feelings emoted by the pieces Malick chose are meant to play a stronger role than the sparse dialogue. Classical music is at the forefront here, just like in Kubrick’s works.
THE TREE OF LIFE can be maddening – mainly the scenes of the older Jack wandering rugged terrain in an Armani suit. I understand it’s showing the juxtaposition between the buttoned up man he was raised to be against the wilds of nature (nature vs. grace again), however it comes across as a too-obvious analogy. I wanted to know more about young Jack: Where exactly was his loss of innocence? Was it because his father’s nature turned him hard? Is there a chance to find his childlike spirit again? This is seemingly our hero’s journey, but those questions go unanswered.
Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki turns in his best work to date. The scenes of the O’Briens’ familial evolution are bathed in the warm glow of the sunlight. It’s breathtakingly luminous and pure poetry! I’ve also never seen a DDT cloud seem so appealing. Production design and costume design (by Jack Fisk and Jacqueline West, respectively) help to create an authentic look and mood, immersing us in the family’s world and helping us to connect to them.
It won’t be a movie for mass audiences, and even movie geeks will be widely split on its merits. But it will likely become more enjoyable upon repeat viewings, as its many hidden treasures and insights come to light.
4 out of 5
