The Tree of Life Movie Review

The Tree of Life (2011)

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Written by: Terrence Malick 
Directed by: Terrence Malick
Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Tye Sheridan, Fiona Shaw
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
This sets the story of the universe's creation alongside the intimate story of one family in the 1950s.

Verdict
I like this movie. I like how it stretches the boundaries of what a movie can be and mean. It captures genuine moments of a kid growing up, reconciling how they see their parents versus who they actually are, and it's all shown on this train of thought assembly of images, memories, and fragments that contain good times, hurtful moments, and core memories. It's almost like flipping through a photo book. You could argue there's barely a coherent story or that this tells the story of the origin of the universe against the tribulations of youth. The first time through some sequences seem truly bizarre such as the dinosaurs. This has some authentic moments, some scenes maybe just to generate discussion but it's quite an assembly of ideas. I can't help but like a movie that refuses to conform to what's normal. A movie like this that's so counter to typical is so much easier to screw up, but this captures something that feels incredibly honest.
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Review
With almost any Malick movie you need a primer. His movies are free form thought exercises that don't always follow a logical progression. They're ruminations on feelings and thoughts, pieced together to take you on a visual journey that can be unclear or even frustrating as scenes occur asynchronously. Malick's movies twist the concept of a traditional movie, pushing boundaries. Instead of a coherent plot it's a series of images and ideas.

Sean Penn plays Jack

The first cut of this movie was over eight hours long. The filming style in part expressed Malick's dissatisfaction with how similar movies looked.

This starts with a family in the 50s. Something terrible has happened to this family, though we don't know what. We infer through the parents' grief. It's easy to guess some kind of death.

In the present day Jack (Sean Penn) seems unfulfilled at his job, distracted. Overhearing one phone call with his father indicates a tenuous relationship.

Brad Pitt plays Father

This entire movie feels like we're exploring Jack's mind, seeing various thoughts as they appear in his head, seeing past, present, and in between. We realize from these scenes that Jack's brother died. These memories are interspersed with images of the universe and galaxies. This is part movie and part nature documentary. After the initial scenes in the 50s, we see the origins of the universe and life, as well as dinosaurs. It's asking why we're here and where we fit in this grand timeline. What does it mean, tracing the origins of one man's life against the origins of our planet?

The core of the story is the relationship between a father (Brad Pitt) and his three sons. The father is stern, and there's often a coldness between him and the children. He doesn't engender their love, he demands it. It's the nature of the time, and he's raising his children likely in the same way he was raised using the only example he has. Even the harsher moments with the father are broken with moments of fun and play. Childhood is comprised of many moments both fond and not. We're exploring Jack's life, a series of images that capture his childhood. It's not in a neat, ordered theatrical presentation but a messy juxtaposition of images and sequences, memories pieced together, fragments of youth, and the childlike wonder of the universe and nature, wondering how things exist. These scenes are impactful. It's the highlights of life. The father is contrasted with the mother (Jessica Chastain), and he's also jealous. He thinks her gentle nature undermines him. He's trying to prepare them for life, and his outlook is that life is hard because it's been difficult for him. He's faced disappointment, and he wants to prepare them. While his desire to protect them is good, his methods can be harsh.

This shares more than a few similarities with Malick's life. There has to be some inspiration there.

The father is frustrated with his job, his life. He takes those frustrations out on his family. It's emotional and sad. While he has tender moments too, the harassment overshadows. The father's only response to his transgressions is to blame others, his wife. The accountability he wants his children to take, he doesn't. That leaves his children sad, doubtful. When the dad goes on a prolonged business trip, the house becomes carefree and fun. We see a tiny rebellion in his absence.

Brad Pitt, Sean Penn play Father, Jack

Jack becomes defiant, trying to make sense of the world and his family. He's trying to make sense of the rules his father creates but doesn't follow a well as how he treats his family versus people in public. Jack tries to reconcile these moments. While the movie doesn't directly link the past and present, it has to be an influence on Jack. Did Jack follow the male example he had, be it good or bad, just as his father likely imitated Jack's grandfather.

This concludes with adult Jack in a desert with child Jack, trying to reconcile past and present. Then he's on a beach with all the people from his memories in one spot. What does it mean? It's left up to the viewer, but it's everyone that has shaped and influenced him connected to the ebb and flow of the ocean. These people and the resulting memories shift. Jack doesn't think about these memories constantly, some are subconscious, drifting to the surface when triggered. It's a visual representation of Jack's psyche.