By: Keaton Marcus

Last night I finished Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life and it was nothing less than a mesmerizing experience for me. It crept into my top ten list of all-time and will definitely influence any possible filmmaking career that I may have. So, obviously, some sort of post about it would be necessary, but this won’t just be a run-of-the-mill review. The movie is simply too thematically deep to really express thoughts about it with simply an opinion. On the other hand, a full analysis would be a little confusing considering all of these themes I am referring to. In terms of a solution, I will solely be covering two highly important aspects of the film and how they relate to each other. These are Nature and Grace, and this will explain how they are compared and contrasted throughout.

The Tree of Life is principally a movie about humanity as it relates to nature and existence. The theme of loss is likely the most prevalent throughout, as the film frequently, and beautifully, I may add, juxtaposes scenes of beauty and creation against ones of anger, loss, and grief. It does this in such an effortless way that it’s difficult not to commend Malick for it. Not only him, but cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki also deserves credit for his breathtaking photography. Focused on the life and losses of a Texas family, the film weaves between the family’s past, present, and ultimately even the creation of the universe. It boldly and gorgeously illustrates the creation of the universe, from the exploding stars to the creation of life, dinosaurs, and the many progressions towards human existence. The loss actually kicks off the entire film. The middle son of Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain) is killed in Vietnam at the age of 19. The entire narrative sort of revolves around this one child. The characters commonly speak to him through voice-over, as if communicating with God or the entire universe as well. Yeah, not your common film, I suppose. On the other hand, the oldest son, Jack (played by Hunter McCracken as a child and Sean Penn as an adult) finds his childhood a severe challenge due to the conflicting parenting styles. Near the beginning and in one of the film’s first dialogues, the family’s matriarch tells us “there are two ways through life: the way of nature, and the way of grace. You have to choose which one to follow. Grace doesn’t try to please herself. It accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. It accepts insults and injuries.” There are visuals of Mrs. O’Brien throughout the narration, making it clear that Grace is represented through her.

“Nature only wants to please itself,” she continues as the camera pans to reveal Mrs. O’Brien for the first time. “And the others to please it too. It likes to have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it.” This brings me neatly along to Mr. O’Brien. He’s an artistic soul. He’s the church organist, and he obsesses over Brahms music during family meals. However, in contrast to that, he works in some sort of factory and has a very cynical outlook on life. He has a tendency to be cold and angry and is bitter and unfriendly to anyone with more money or higher status than him. He constantly explains to his kids that it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, teaches them how to fight, and tells them that the world will do nothing to help them. It becomes clear that his previously conceived artistic passions didn’t work out later in life, and he takes that out on the ones he loves. Their mother, however, preaches the opposite not through words, but through affection and love. As anyone would, Jack finds his constant tear between Grace and Nature to be a struggle to manage within himself. His younger brother (the one who dies at 19) is musically gifted and naturally artistic like his father, and Jack feels ousted and cast aside. His parentage, and eventually the death of his younger brother weigh emotionally on him long after his childhood, as we see in the scenes with Sean Penn playing the adult Jack.

Overall, nature and grace are contrasted together through poetic, beautiful juxtaposition, and the ultimate effect that it has on Jack’s life. His relationship with his father becomes reluctant and bursting at the seams, and he feels generally lost in this new, modern world. His childhood didn’t provide much of a comfort for him, and it certainly shows with the scenes featuring Sean Penn. He is in need of a guide to find some sort of a balance between the two, and when he finally does in the breathtaking conclusion of the movie, it’s cheer-worthy.

THE VERDICT:

Considering I didn’t have much room to explain my overall thoughts and opinion on the film, I guess that will have a place here. The Tree of Life is a true cinematic experience like no other. It plays both as an incredible nature documentary and a touching tale of birth, life, and loss all while smashing that together with the underlying themes of nature and grace. Terrence Malick’s clear commitment to his filmmaking craft is so damn commendable. Lubezki’s cinematography is the greatest achievement I’ve ever seen in cinema, and may even surpass Blade Runner 2049. It is flawed like every single movie that has ever been released, but that’s what makes it even more human and beautiful.