Tree of Life Re-Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Tree of Life
Year: 2011
Director: Terrence Malick
Country: US
Language: English

Born November 30, 1943 Terrence Malick is a beloved American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Over the last four decades he has directed six feature films which mostly received praise from critics and cinephiles alike. In time he has been regarded as one of the greatest living filmmakers. His most polarizing picture by far has been Tree of Life. I remember seeing it in a theater in 2011, and most of the audience walked out within the first 30 minutes. I personally hated it, but after watching the film many times since then I have changed my opinion entirely.

The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

 Often compared to Stanley Kubrick's 1968 Science Fiction epic 2001: A Space Odyssey, Tree of Life is a visionary emanation full of extraordinary visual poetry and metaphysical yearning. Although it doesn't embrace the media's usual Leave it to Beaver re-vision of history, Malick's portrayal of that era is remarkably accurate; at least according to those who actually lived through the 50's. Malick’s philosophy pines for the salve of love and spirit, his picture is an inquiry into the nature of the Universe and the very existence of God. It is brooding, reflecting and spiritual.

Winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2011, Tree of Life is a rarity; it's a picture that has been adored and scorned in equal measure. I mentioned early that at the screening I went to most of the audience walked out, but this was not a rare occasion; all across North America film-goers would either leave their seats in disgust or stay glued to their seat in amazement. At Cannes it recieved a chorus of boos, yet left with its grand prize.

Malick conducts his five editors the way great composers conjure art from thin air, creating an unforgettable symphony of beauty, introspection, and wells of unabashed feeling. He encompasses the entire Universe in one sequence; showing the full beauty of life and allowing us to be engulfed in breathtaking visuals while listening to opera. At times Tree of Life can be too remote to grasp and the incredibly slow pace may disturb some viewers, but I let myself enjoy it and found myself entrenched in emotion.

In conclusion, Tree of Life is a movie that one must watch more than once because it deserves your time and full attention. You may hate it the first time like I did, but after a while you will get to understand its poetic nature and it will be easy to connect with. Certainly this is a very personal film for Malick to make; it is quite ambitious.
Praise it! 5/5