Exactly what you make of Terrence Malick’s new film “The Tree of Life” is likely to depend on your own beliefs. The film’s expansive canvas covers (literally) everything from the big bang theory to the end of times all filtered through the experiences of a grieving family in small town Texas in the 1950s. But your interaction with the film will rely on more than simply your religious beliefs. I will depend on your belief in the power of cinema.
We are all weaned from an early age, whether consciously or subconsciously, on three-act structure. All our stories have a beginning, middle, and an end with various causes and effects laced in between. This is true from our early bedtime stories to the latest blockbuster. Does Terrence Malick believe in that? Well, not so much.
The enigmatic director behind just five films in the last 38 years has his own set of beliefs. He believes in cinema’s powers of observation. Sure his films have specific characters. And yes, they go through trials and tribulations. But his films never really seem to be about those trials and tribulations. Instead, they are a study of behavior. They are a study of environment, which allow us to draw our own conclusions.
The sheer enjoyment of a film like “The Tree of Life” is not in the wondering of what will happen next. Instead, the film’s power relies on what’s happening right now. The subtle look in a father’s eyes when he realizes his own dreams may go unrealized. The excitement of a young boy allowed his first up-close glance and a woman’s undergarment. A loving wife’s private torment when caught between her children and her husband. In a Malick picture, even the gentle way the tall grass floats from side-to-side is a reason for excitement.
Undoubtedly this picture will split opinions among theologians as to the meaning or validity of its events. But the sheer filmmaking brilliance cannot be denied. A director at the top of his game. A cast that strikes all the right notes. And an imaginary world fully formed. This is a great work of art, and one that should keep you thinking for years to come.
