Film Review -Tree of Life by Terrence Malick

Jessica Chastain in silhouette in 'Tree of Life'

Terrence Malick's latest film 'Tree of Life' won the Palme d'Or at the 64th Cannes Film Festival and like his other film work is considered to be a masterpiece by those whose taste is strong on visual aesthetics, the use of metaphor, allegorical meaning and a foundation in existentialist narrative. For this reason, this is not an easy film to view and the juxtaposition of various exploratory questions of life, the concepts of beginning and ending together with movement between present and past timeframes for the central characters can make the film seem choppy and disjointed.

With a quotation from the Book of Job, the film commences with "Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation...while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" A mysterious blueish wavering light that resembles a flame emerges and will reappear throughout the film and at the conclusion.

The central story revolves the relationships in a family consisting of two parents and their three adolescent sons with most focus placed on the eldest son and his authoritarian father (Brad Pitt). Commencing at a later point in time, Mrs. O'Brien (Jessica Chastain) receives a telegram informing her of her second son's death at age 19 with Mr. O'Brien being notified by telephone. There is palpable grief for the parents as the family struggles to cope with the news.

In adult life, the eldest son, Jack O'Brien (Sean Penn) is an architect but is increasingly lost in his work and when in contact with his father by phone, he admits to constantly remembering his deceased brother. On seeing a tree being planted in front of his tall building, the central reminiscences of family life commence - the vast majority of the film focusses on a very narrow timeframe of a couple of years of family life when the boys are adolescent so the father-son relationship is defined within a micro lense.

The film mixes the family drama with the formation of the universe. With galaxies expanding, planets forming within giant gas clouds, the voices of the family members are heard asking various existential questions.The development of life on earth is presented through the images of various dinosaur species and forest and concludes with the image of an asteroid heading to and striking the earth heralding the end of an era of evolution.

The O'Brien family appear again living in a different, much older home in tree-lined, wide expanse yards of a residential neighbourhood in Waco, Texas (the location is conveyed through a municipal labelled truck spraying DDT insecticide slowly driving down the local streets). Images of the happy young couple, besotted by baby Jack, with his two brothers quickly following dominate, as the family grows. With this context established the film settles on the family dynamics as the ledest son, Jack (Hunter McCracken) reaches adolescence. Mr. O'Brien is a stern, physical, authoritarian man caught in a struggle to balance a sense of paternal duty with the unambiguous love he has for his three sons. His boxing training for his eldest son contrasts with his shared love of playing music with his middle son. Yet he can be deeply affectionate and nurturing towards all of them. Mrs. O'Brien is portrayed as softer and empathetic, having a more permissive attitude towards her sons yet still commanding their respect.

Mr. O'Brien has regrets with his life, particularly for not pursuing his interest in becoming a  musician and while  he files patents for various enigineering inventions, nothing of substance comes from them and he remains disappointed. While he is away on an overseas trip his son Jack experiences, elements of rebelliousness, commiting acts of vandalism and animal cruelty while responding to urging from other boys.

With the closure of Mr. O'Brien's plant and his forced relocation to another job elsewhere with his family, he reconciles with Jack seeking forgiveness for his harsh treatment.

The film concludes with the adult Jack, walking on rocky terrain and through a wooden door frame,almost part of a ruin strangely erected on the rocks. On a wide expanse of beach leading to a sandbar, Jack is reunited with all the people lodged in his memory and his family in particular. The film ends with the same mysterious, wavering light seen at the opening.

This is not a film with much dialogue for its' characters but relies on an array of visual images and the conveyance of meaning, behaviour and moods through expressions and mannerisms. It can be frustrating, if not confusing at times and therefore it is a film for enthusiasts of this genre of almost abstract performance-art storytelling (some scenes are reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick) and the directorial style of Terrence Malick.