A top film of 2011By John DeSando, WCBE's "It's Movie Time," "Cinema Classics," and "On the Marquee"
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth?" The Book of Job
In the spirit of Terrence Malick's other four feature films, The Tree of Life is a visual poem about the big issues of life such as creation, innocence, and death. The cinematography is sublime, from big bang images to sunsets and dooryards, all meticulously crafted to support the epic impression of a 1950's family living out life amid hope and despair.
Mr. O'Brien (Brad Pitt) and Mrs. Obrien (Jessica Chastain) have three sons. One is most normal, Jack (Hunter McCracken), who gets into the usual trouble; and one is artistic,who dies at 19. Mr. O'Brien is a stern father with edges of refinement such as the classical music he shares with the family; Mrs. mostly looks ethereal and endures her husband's control. As she says, "There are two ways through life: the way of nature, and the way of Grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow." Hers is grace.
Cut to Jack in middle age (Sean Penn) struggling with the father's stern legacy and his brother's death. And that's all there is, folks; the rest of the film is comprised of stunning images to serve the poetic background of the narrative, such as it is. Among the memorable moments is a toddler inspecting his recently-born baby brother and its parallel shot of a dinosaur stepping on the head of a reclining animal as the dino inspects and considers.
The final scene on the beach in the afterlife with everyone happy and interacting is a tour de force of sentiment and existentialism, but not a big help in the narrative category. The abstractions rule for Malick, not the story, and I love the metaphysics and the art work.
Malick was probably influenced by this thought from Walt Whitman:
"In the faces of men and women I see God, and in my own face in the glass, I find letters from God dropped in the street, and every one is signed by God's name. And I leave them where they are, for I know that wherever I go, others will punctually come for ever and ever." "Song of Myself"
If you want a linear tale, go see Thor; otherwise enjoy film at its visual and philosophical best. It is one of the best films of 2011.
John DeSando co-hosts WCBE 90.5's It's Movie Time, Cinema Classics, and On the Marquee, which can be heard streaming at http://publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/ppr/index.shtml and on demand at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/arts.artsmain Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.RR.com