The Tree of Life has divided film critics and it certainly has been polarizing in my household. My roommates thought it was heavy-handed, boring, pretentious, and I’m pretty sure they wanted to gouge their eyes out. I, on the other hand, thought it was a lovely, impressionistic film about ordinary moments in the context of all existence. I left the movie feeling better about how our “nothingness” compares to the grandiosity of the universe. Other than the BBC television series Planet Earth, I don’t think a movie has ever made me feel that way before.
The story ultimately follows the universe from its creation to its destruction. The central plot focuses on a man, Sean Penn, who reflects upon his upbringing. In regards to this upbringing his father, Brad Pitt, represents nature and his mother, Jessica Chastain (who I love), represents grace. The flow of the story is vague, dark, and at times confusing, but you’re never totally lost. Cinematographically, this movie is very beautiful. It feels like “stock photography” sometimes, but it is still lovely.
Now I totally understand how this movie rubs people the wrong way, and on a different day it might have done the same to me. But the more I was able to remove myself from a typical moviegoing experience, the more I was able to feel like I was watching a work of art unfold. A lot of this movie didn’t make much sense. One doesn’t see all of the details or hear all of the words of the story. In many ways it is like watching a Renoir on screen, faces disappearing, voices whispering, colors blending into the landscape, and all that you’re really left with is an impression of what happened. When I think of The Tree of Life in that sense, then I think it is a beautiful and successful film.
I imagine there will come a time to watch and appreciate this movie. It may not be today, but one day when you really feel like it, check it out.
We watched this last month. At first I felt like it was something I would only watch in a film class (or at the temple). It did seem somewhat heavy handed and boring – though beautiful. But I ended up really liking it, as did Tyson. I think he saw a lot of parallels to his upbringing, and recommended to his mother who, like me, found herself crying over the scenes of the boys’ childhood, especially the toddler misbehaving after the arrival of the new baby. That scene, like so many others in the film, was so true and real. I think I’ll watch it again someday.
When I saw this there was a point near the end (the beach scene) when I realized every middle aged woman in my vicinity was crying. I found this surprising given how abstract the film was. I believe they understood the film on a level I couldn’t because they were likely mothers who had experienced giving life to another human being. Their reaction was a response to the film’s portrayal of how truly fragile life is.
I didn’t quite know what to expect when going into this film. Or, rather, I had misguided expectations about this movie. Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, directed by the guy who directed The Thin Red Line: this is gonna be a really great indie flick! I think it I had read your post before going to see it, I may have opted not to see it. But I’m glad I did, and I’m glad I saw it in my misguided state, because it made the experience all that much more arresting. My logical mind had a LOT of trouble getting into the lack of story until about halfway through the movie, when I finally gave into the ride, just taking it all in. A friend of mine called the movie a “visual poem,” and I think that’s a fantastic description of it.
I’ll want to see this movie again sometime in the distant future, I think, after my son has gone off to college and I’m once again trying to figure out how to live life.
we watched this a few weeks ago with my brother who has seen it atleast 8 times no joke. it will probably be the only time i watch it. i left feeling a bit sad really. i don’t remember the oldest boys name but i thought it was interesting that even though he had terrible thoughts about his father and they had a rough relationship when his dad did show him a little love and affection he ate it up. in those small moments it was all that mattered and he was able to forget everything else. it made me think of my own kids and how thats really all they need sometimes is to know they are loved. i think thats what i took from the movie was to be a better parent and remember who my children are even if they aren’t like me or make different choice in life than i would like. i’m really just here to love them, protect them, and help them be the best at who they are.