The Tree Of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)

The Tree Of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)

The recent release of "To The Wonder" has prompted me to revisit "The Tree Of Life". Distanced from all the praise amidst which it was released, the film holds up incredibly well. Still, it ought to be acknowledged that it's not an easy film to love or even get through. And for those who are not enamored with cinema as an art-form, it might not even be worth it.
              Answering to none other than his creative vision, Malick seems to construct his films in a shut-in vacuum, completely unaware of and refusing to pander to audience expectations. The film's structure may appears radical to the uninitiated viewer but it follows a blueprint that appears to be Malick's comfort zone : a plotless non-linear narrative sparse in dialogue where the characters take turns whispering pseudo-philosophical ruminations (as if they're the first ones to question the universe and unlock its mysteries). It' a method that easily grates and justly opens the films to derision (especially since said ruminations are usually overwrought, shallow, over simplistic and akin to religious proselytism). In the case of "The Tree Of Life" , the main saving grace comes via Emmanuel Lubeszki, the film's cinematographer who creates an unparalleled visual feast. It's easy to tune out Malick's dime store wisdom and take in the beauty of the images on screen. The scene of the earth's creation, scored by Zbigniew Preisner's Lacrimosa, is sure to go down in cinema's history as one of its most stunning moments.
                Thematically, the film examines, as the title would suggest, the origin of life, death, God, our reason for being here. Small feat, really! This exploration is done through Jack (Sean Penn) who as an adult is still haunted by memories of his dead brother. Jack reminisces about growing up in Texas, his fraught relationship with his father (Brad Pitt), the tender care of his mother (Jessica Chastain), playing in the woods with his brothers. Those memories are where the film truly shines. They constitute the most emotionally honest and moving evocation of childhood and early adolescence committed to film since Truffaut's The 400 Blows. Skillful editing packs further emotional punch by never allowing the film to get bogged down in precise details and by concerning itself with impressions and feelings, replicating the way evocation works in real life.
              Had the film narrowed its range itself with a man recalling his rites of boyhood (sexual awakening, initiation to violence, oedipal complex, ), I would have find it easy to accept the film's status as a masterpiece. But Terrence Malick is a grandiose filmmaker (some might say pretentious and egomaniac). He bit off more than one could reasonably chew within the length of a feature film. Hence, I will say that "The Tree of Life" is a complicated mess with a masterpiece hiding somewhere within.

PS In an era of small cinema , I ought to clarify that I don't hold Malick's expansive vision against him. We need more films like "The Tree of Life", "8 1/2", "Ugetsu", "The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover"......