The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life
Directed By: Terrence Malick
Written By: Terrence Malick

Plot:
The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.


Review:
The Tree of Life, winner of the Cannes Film Festival, follows the story of a family struggling to accept and understand each other. While the eldest son Jack, tries to figure out whether the choices he is making are right or wrong. The movie begins very linearly when Mrs. O'Brien (Jessica Chastain) and Mr. O'Brien (Brad Pitt) find out that one of their three sons is dead. After this, the story becomes non-linear and you have to start thinking about what you are seeing and hearing. The movie focuses on this family before the tragic event in the 1950s and how it is growing just like a tree. They are both constantly growing but sometimes growing apart.

This was one of the best movies I have ever seen. Not because it is your normal Brad Pitt/Sean Penn summer blockbuster but because it is the exact opposite of that. I have read a lot of reviews saying that this movie had no beginning, middle, and end, but that is not true. I think this film does have those characteristics but this movie has no exact meaning to it. When I walked out of this movie with my roommate we both came out with completely different meanings to this film. He thought that this film was a take on what happens to your consciousness after death while I thought the movie was showing us that every single organism in this universe is so insignificant in contrast to the universe but every organism was placed in this universe at one point or another for a specific purpose. It is about the choices that we as individuals make, that make the universe what it is, better or for worse.

I don't want to say to much more about this film so i will end with saying that this was one of the most spectacular looking films I have ever seen. The shots were creatively filmed and beautifully created. After watching The Tree of Life the only movie I can compare it to is 2001: A Space Odyssey and in all likelihood the two films alike will be remembered and talked about forever.

Rating: 9.5/10

I don't give 10/10 because who the hell knows what a perfect movie looks like.