Tree of Life Review

It was either really lucky or really wise that I decided to watch "Tree of Life" with an open mind. Nothing was quite what I expected, but then, what was I expecting?

Some other people didn't like the natural/Creation scenes in the beginning of the movie, but I did. Besides being stunningly beautiful, they told a story of how small we actually are in the great scheme of the universe, and the next "chapter" of the film with the family explained how colossal we are. The last half hour or so got me lost, though. What's with the desert? The people? I can't remember at which point the mother was floating around, but what's up with that, too?

I was brought up on classical music, so the entire soundtrack simply blew me away all by itself. The part with the father and son playing together was really sweet, and I liked the scene with the organ. On another day it might have been sensory overload, but time and place.

About suffering there were some interesting points. I liked how the point was not to get over suffering, but that suffering happens, how it happens, the question of why it happens, and how it affects everyone. The oldest child, when we see him as an architect later on in life (if that's who he is, you never really know) is still grieving over the death of his brother, but the story arc doesn't care about healing him or absolving him from his childhood. We follow his childhood point of view for a while, but I don't really think it matters what happens to him. We're just supposed to see how he looks at things and puts them together as he grows and makes discoveries and gets acquainted with suffering.

I think the thing I liked best about Tree of Life is how it faces reality even while tilting it on it's head. You're not sure whether you're watching a home movie or a documentary or a film on philosophy or even a lecture on religion. You get all of those things doused in real characters, characters that could be real, and I think this is really important and send every point Malick wants to give us right home. And even that Malick's not giving us something to believe in, or shoot us a specific point of view that he thinks everybody has/should have, but that he sort of presents the question and leaves you to figure it out on your own. I love that.