The 31 Best Films I Saw in 2011 continue with what may be one of the most heady films of last year. Not since Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey has a film brought as much dramatic depth accompanied by striking imagery. With an impressive cast and cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, Terrence Malik's Tree of Life gives an ancient notion contemporary relevance.
The Best I Saw in 2011: Terrence Malik's The Tree of Life
My impression of the notion of the Tree of Life is that all that happens in society or civilization is reflected by that which occurs in nature. When there is harmony within humanity, there is stability in nature. When there is strife in civilization, there is strife in nature.
Jack (Sean Penn), an architect, sees a tree being planted, thus causing him to recall a summer in his youth. During that summer, his strict father (Brad Pitt) goes to travel in order to commercialize his inventions. This allows him and his brother to spend more time with their mother (The Debt's Jessica Chastain). It is also during this time, he begins to go through youth rebellion.
Interwoven between flashbacks, there are scenes of natural occurrences. Volcanoes erupt. Sea life congregates. Celestial bodies are formed. All this activity of a macrocosm is happening in the midst of a microcosm, as depicted by Jack's family, The O'Brians.
Lubezki's work with the camera in addition to the nature is a sight to behold. However, the footage can be distracting. Like a sudden pause in the midst of a riveting or compelling story, this wondrous footage brings the dramatic momentum to a halt. Which is the one flaw to be had with Tree of Life. Just when you're getting caught up with the scenes of Jack's family, there's another clip of nature footage.
The cast gives solid performances. Brad Pitt makes his presence felt throughout the O'Brian family scenes, even when he's not on-screen. Jessica Chastain brings a fragility to her role as Jack's mother. Sean Penn does as much as possible with the little screen time he's given.
I must apologize for I feel I'm ignoring young Hunter McKracken, who is given the uneviable role as what is essentially the lead. His performance is the focus of the film. His growth as a character is what keeps the movie grounded in drama. He owns the camera in the absence of Brad Pitt and works well with Chastain.
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