Review of film: “THE TREE OF LIFE”

2011, 06-14:

Review of film:  “THE TREE OF LIFE”

Director TERRENCE MALLICK has been highly-regarded as an artist, but he’s made comparatively FEW films over the years:  “BADLANDS” in 1973, “DAYS OF HEAVEN” in 1978, THE THIN RED LINE” in 1998, & “THE NEW WORLD” in 2005...

...  The basic setting of his latest film is Waco, Texas in the 1950’s.  Mr. O’Brien (BRAD PITT) is a comparatively well-off married man who’s a “manager” working in POWER plants...

...  He owns his own home, where he lives (& gardens) with his wife (JESSICA CHASTAIN), and their 3 sons:  Jack (HUNTER McCRACKEN) is the oldest, followed by R.L. (LARAMIE EPPLER) who’s around 2 years younger, and then Steve (TYE SHERIDAN)...

...  On the “surface”, Brad appears to be a “RELIGIOUS” man (seemingly Catholic), insisting on rigid prayers before eating, taking the kids to church, etc...

...  But, when you look “deeper”, he doesn’t ACT very “Christian”:  he’s overly strict, regularly “PUTS DOWN” others, & has a very negative outlook (urging the boys to NOT behave overly “kindly” towards others lest people take “advantage” of them, etc)...

...  In fact, if you investigate acutely, you’d see that Brad is often a BULLY, pushing around his sons, physically ATTACKING them (& Jessica) if they don’t promptly act as he WANTS, etc...  

...  At one point, Jessica talks about how life seems to be a sort of clash between “nature vs. GRACE”...  And that seems to be one of the central “themes” to the movie...

...  There are long stretches where the film works to tell a shorthand “history” of the UNIVERSE, represented by the “Tree of LIFE”...  We see scenes of the cosmos, plus vivid images of VOLCANOES and “clouds” (ostensibly on Earth)...

...  We even see some scenes of DINOSAURS roaming on the planet... 

...  That’s followed by more “land building” type images, trees, & we’re eventually returned to BRAD & his family & their “problems”...

...  Bit-by-bit, we see young Jack (= Hunter) is ADVERSELY affected by the treatment from his father (Brad), building up some violent tendencies wherein he threatens animals, purposely hurts his next younger brother (who warmly trusts him), etc...

...  In time, we learn that there’s some TRAGEDY that befalls one of the brothers, and we see images of the ADULT Jack (played by SEAN PENN)...  Sean is seen associated with various “sterile” looking modern skyscrapers (he walks around)...

...  And later, we see him traversing on foot among barren-looking ROCK areas...  He doesn’t SAY much of anything, but tends to look “TROUBLED” (exactly why, we’re not told)...

...  What happened to Brad & Jessica & their marriage?...  What happens to their BOYS?...  Is the film telling us that their travels thru existence is what “life” is all ABOUT?... 

...  This film won the highest prize at the recent CANNES Film Festival...  It’s got some WONDERFUL visual images (of space, volcanic & ocean areas, etc.), & a good “mood” re life in the 1950’s...  But I found the HUMAN drama quite “WEAK” & discouraging in comparison...

...  The acting itself is decent (especially by Brad & the boys), but it came across to me as a SAD & “INCOMPLETE” story with not much “purpose” or clear “point” (unless it’s designed to show a “desolate” / disheartened existence & how people can be HURT due to their treatment by others)...

...  Yes, I know it’s all very “DEEP” & suffused with “meaning”, what with “faith” & having the “Trees” represent things like GROWTH in living & the like... 

...  But, sorry, I just didn’t “BUY” much of it (maybe it was TOO “profound” for me?), & thus I found the film DISAPPOINTING overall...

...  Mainly for its VISUAL creativity & effective “mood”-setting, I’m rating this at 7.0 out of 10 stars...

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