Complex film highlights Christian themes
A friend of mine once developed his own five-point scale to address the question of how serious, or artistic, a particular movie might be. On the low end of the scale was a flick, followed by a show, moving upward to a movie, then a film, and superceding all was a fil-um (same spelling, different pronunciation). Fil-ums have niche audiences, and their artistic vision comes from directors who are considered auteurs (original authors). Terence Mallick sports such a pedigree and his most recent project, The Tree of Life, might be considered his masterpiece. It captured the Palme D'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival and has earned the plaudits of most, if not all, serious film critics.
For me, the film's most compelling accomplishment is its Christian vision of the cosmos, achieved while using the full palette of artistic possibilities inherent in the medium of film. It is such a rare hybrid that its mere existence demands our attention.
The film's non-linear storyline is, at times, difficult to follow, though not impossible. The story unfolds from the perspective of an adult Jack O'Brien (Sean Penn), who is not immediately visible for much of the film. In the midst of a demanding architectural career, Jack is facing an existential crisis. Who is he? What is his place in the universe? These are questions we all face and so, vicariously, Jack's quest becomes our own.
In his search for meaning, Jack reflects on the formative values forged in his Texas childhood during the 1950s. Jack's parents (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain), have three sons, of which he is the eldest. Numerous montages of the boys at various ages emerge, but the lion's share of the retrospective centres around young Jack (Hunter McCracken) on the verge of adolescence, and as such, the film is also a coming-of-age story.
A voiceover by Jack's mother early on sets the parameters of choice, “There are two ways through life - the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow." The way of nature is not referencing the beauty of nature, though that is constantly on display, but rather the way of the jungle with its emphasis on survival and self-prioritizing.
This aspect of human nature is readily seen in Jack's father. He teaches Jack that he must be ready to fight and to pursue his goals ruthlessly. Those characteristics surface as Jack's father is revealed as a man with control issues, manifest, at times, in abusive ways.
In contrast, Jack's mother is the personification of grace. She absorbs the ugliness of strife and suffering, while still managing to exhibit love without conditions. Jessica Chastain is lyrical in her performance, light as gossamer and the source of spiritual wisdom, “Unless you love, your life will flash by."
Jack wrestles with both impulses, doubts himself and God's goodness, and at one point paraphrases the profundity of Romans 7 when he wonders aloud why he does the things he doesn't want to do. The wonder of creation and of life is set alongside the paradox of human behaviour. Extended sequences of natural wonders from waterfalls, to space, to rainforests, to molten lava and dinosaurs unfold onscreen. Though perhaps confusing to many, the nature imagery ties together the thematic implications of the title - like the Tree of Life in Genesis, creation, humanity and eternity are intricately bound together. The film also suggests that ultimately all these things will be reconciled.
The Tree of Life is not a cinematic experience that everyone will be willing to embrace, but I wish everyone could. The cinematography alone is worth the price of admission. Audiences will do well to anticipate visual metaphor and symbolism. There are, for instance, numerous shots of people in buildings surrounded by uncovered windows and flooded with light, suggestive ultimately that our lives are transparent before God. The camera is also frequently angled skywards, which reinforces Jack's mother's observation that “God lives up there."
Viewers will also be better prepared to appreciate this film if they assume a mindset akin to attending an art or photography exhibit rather than a plot-driven film.
If you're looking to stretch your artistic and cinematic sensibilities in a way that affirms faith, life and ultimately God, then The Tree of Life is a must-see. Rated four out of four stars. Rated PG for thematic elements.
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