In a scene that echoes 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Terrence Malick puts earthly concerns, sentiments, the infinitely small in a peer-to-peer relationship with the universe, the infinitely large. With this seemingly meaningless comparison, the film gives the respect it deserves to a simple human life, not a unique life, but no less important. In the presence of Zbigniew Presner's Lacrimosa, of the gorgeous VFX, this scene resonates in me as only an abstract piece of art can. It triggers in me feelings words can't express. And, that, even if I don't understand a word of Latin. In an almost obvious way, it is for creating such a scene and an uncategorizable film that Malick's cinema exists. The Tree of Life is the culmination of what he has been trying to do after his 20 years hiatus.
Whether they are abstract, like the forms separating each act of the film, or more realistic like the later scenes between Jack and his father. All The Tree of Life's pictures are imprinted with genius, both in substance and form. The whispering voice-overs as inner questioning of the characters or as dialogues with God, an idea borrowed from The Thin Red Line, are well dosed. They transcend mere words and delve into poetry. Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography also serves the purpose of infusing in every object, tree, flower, something somewhat mystical, wonderful, spiritual, at the image of Jack's childhood wonder. Not a shot is misused or unnecessary.
The story of a young boy and the contrasting education he received from his parents; Jessica Chastain as the loving mother turned towards the sacred, and Brad Pitt, in undoubtedly his best performance, as a pragmatic, strict "man-of-the-family"; becomes the semi-autobiographical journey of a man searching for his long-lost wonder at the sacred.
For all these reasons and others, The Tree of Life deserves multiple rewatches. I hadn't liked it on the first watch either, but it haunted me like no other film I had seen in the last decade. If you are in a similar position I recommend you rewatch it as I did. If you haven't seen it already, what are you waiting for!
Whether they are abstract, like the forms separating each act of the film, or more realistic like the later scenes between Jack and his father. All The Tree of Life's pictures are imprinted with genius, both in substance and form. The whispering voice-overs as inner questioning of the characters or as dialogues with God, an idea borrowed from The Thin Red Line, are well dosed. They transcend mere words and delve into poetry. Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography also serves the purpose of infusing in every object, tree, flower, something somewhat mystical, wonderful, spiritual, at the image of Jack's childhood wonder. Not a shot is misused or unnecessary.
The story of a young boy and the contrasting education he received from his parents; Jessica Chastain as the loving mother turned towards the sacred, and Brad Pitt, in undoubtedly his best performance, as a pragmatic, strict "man-of-the-family"; becomes the semi-autobiographical journey of a man searching for his long-lost wonder at the sacred.
For all these reasons and others, The Tree of Life deserves multiple rewatches. I hadn't liked it on the first watch either, but it haunted me like no other film I had seen in the last decade. If you are in a similar position I recommend you rewatch it as I did. If you haven't seen it already, what are you waiting for!