Terrence Malick’s exploration of the meaning in The Treeof Life is personalized in 1950’s Texas in the relationships of the O’Brien family, butgrounded in Malick’s meditative visualization of the impermanence of life, forwhich he won the 2012 Palme d’Or .
Jack (Hunter McCraken), the eldest son and his two brothers, experience the ways of the world with itsstrictures from his authoritarian father (Brad Pitt) while encouraged to discover its joys by their loving religious mother (JessicaChastain). "There are two ways through life - the way of nature and the way ofgrace," says the voice of Jack's mother in the opening moments. The boys are drawn both ways.
With the death of a son, there is remorse and grief, the perspective of a bereaved Christianmother. Through their internal monologue we are privy to the thoughts: Why does misfortune befall the good? If there’s a higher power, who are we to it? In the opening sequence, Malick cites Job.
As an adult, the eldest son Jack( Sean Penn), an architect, still looks forpermanence in the modern world. Dreamsand memory collide in Jack's spiritual, emotional and intellectual journey ashe seeks to reconcile with the past, to reclaim his relationship with hisfather and to properly mourn the loss of his brother.
Malick (The Thin Red Line, Days of Heaven, Badlands) hasboldly visualized his ambient universal themes, using Donald Trumball (2001: A Space Odyssey) forthe beautifully evocative special effects photography, Alexandre Desplat'ssoaring music and Emmanuel Lubezki's glorious cinematography.
For his boldness, Malick haspolarized his audience. For many, the narrative is too labyrinthine, disconnectedfrom the visualizations, that in turn are considered pretentiousand unnecessary.
For Margaret Pomeranz, ABC, “thisis a most audacious, wonderful film. While it lacks a conventional narrativestructure, it has a poetic vision….I was incredibly moved by this beautifullymade film, I was also challenged by it. It doesn't get much better than that. Icannot wait to see it again.” Margaret gaveit five stars, David three stars. Leigh Paatsch, Herald Sun: Fivestars.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian: “TerrenceMalick's film is an unashamedly epic reflection on love and loss. .. this is visionary cinema on an unashamedly huge scale: cinema that's thinking big. Malick makes anawful lot of other film-makers look timid and negligible by comparison.” Five stars.
A. O. Scott, NY Times: “moviegoers eager forrapture can find consolation — to say nothing of awe, amazement and grist forendless argument — in “The Tree of Life,” Terrence Malick’s new film, which contemplates human existencefrom the standpoint of eternity. ..
There are very few films Ican think of that convey the changing interior weather of a child’s mind withsuch fidelity and sensitivity…
The sheer beauty of this film is almost overwhelming, but as with other works of religiously minded art,its aesthetic glories are tethered to a humble and exalted purpose, which is toshine the light of the sacred on secular reality.”
TheTree of Life is certainly avisionary, emotionally immersive film that must be seen on the big screen. It screensat 7.30pm this Friday 18 November, at the Reardon Theatre, Port Fairy for thePort Fairy Film Society. All Welcome.
Next Tuesday, 22nd November at 1.30pm at the Reardon Theatre,the PFFS screens a sing-a long ”Sound of Music” for the last Classic Matinee for2011. All welcome.
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