Life, Curious: Movie Ramblings

You probably won't ever forget The Tree of Life; or rather, cinema probably won't ever forget The Tree of Life.

Such is the impact it leaves on viewers who have watched this lyrical film of giddy proportions by writer-director Terrence Malick (Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line). Winner of this year's Palme d'Or at Cannes, not everyone who comes across this film will remember it for the same reason.

I recall shifting uncomfortably at scenes from the first-half, but still in jaw-dropping awe of the visuals that are playing out in front of my eyes. As evident by the puzzling trailers, the shots of grandeur ranging from the opulent details of inner workings of an organism to the breathtaking colours and movement of the creation of our universe all intersect with the storyline of a family drama in 1950s Texas.

'Ambitious' is an absolute understatement when it comes to describing this film. Striking comparisons can be made with Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, another visual and intellectual masterpiece. But what Malick has done here is to ground the story right on Earth, with a very human, very affecting storyline about coming-of-age and looking to the cosmos for answers on love and faith.

ARTICLE: Douglas Trumbull's non-CGI visual effects on The Tree of Life

Brad Pitt (in a role originally meant for the late Heath Ledger) stars as the father of 3 young boys, his "survival of the fittest" morals greatly affecting the oldest of his sons, Jack (the chilling Hunter McCracken). In fits of rage we see that his father's tough parenting stance has a negative influence on Jack, while his mother's (Jessica Chastain) kindness and vulnerability frustrates and stokes the rebel in him.

In the non-linear plot, Jack's adult self (a vexed and troubled Sean Penn) is trapped in a landscape of towering glass towers, reminiscing his past and exploring the grief of a deceased family member, only to find solace in a final surreal sequence on a wide, windy beach.

The answers to the existentialist questions voiced by the various protagonists are meant to be discovered by the audience themselves, as the film is laden with rich metaphors and symbols, some which probably can never be deciphered.

Some critics have observed that this film might be an exercise in a director's over-indulgence, but for its boldness and inspiring beauty, a heavenly score and sound editing, its determination to not follow a format, its heartbreaking drama and everything in between, I applaud The Tree of Life as possibly the year's best film.