The Tree of Life is a movie to see
I saw the The Tree of Life today and enjoyed it very much. I went to the matinee showing and there were only six other people besides me in the little local theatre. They all were completely silent while watching the film; except in the last third of the movie the old man in front of me was sniffing and whipping his face, and a couple that left in the end credits quietly whispered to each other. I left the movie feeling calm, refreshed, happy and contemplative. I walked home in the sunshine and summer breeze without turning on my phone or checking the time.
What is this movie about? This was not an entertainment movie, more like an educational film or an inspirational film. In many ways it was like going to an art gallery or a museum or a symphony: with time to see and hear things and also time to think over each piece and form your own thoughts about it. It was beautiful. In one way it can be described in a line that the father says to his sons in the movie. “Subjective: it means it comes from your own head, your own idea, it can’t be proven.” It is also in the line said by the grandmother. “We all move on, everything changes, nothing stays the same.” And it can also be described in the mother’s words about “Nature versus Grace.” The idea of our duel impulses of hate and destruction or love and creation.
The movie is a contemplation on life, the natural world, and the divine in the setting of family life and growing up. We are given many chances to think during the film because there not a lot of dialog or distractions. All the music is classical, instrumental, hymns or opera. In between scenes of the characters in the family we see scenes of nature on our world or the wonder of outer space and the stars. In these we get a chance to feel and think what the family is thinking and feeling. We also get to have our own memories and connections come into our minds.
The movie uses lots of imagery as symbols. The sun and sky, trees and growing things, and water: rivers, lakes, and oceans. It made me think of the water cycle; clouds that rain, flowing water, then evaporation: constant change that also repeats; water that feeds plants, plants that reach for the sun. Water is the universal solvent, a force of erosion and change. Water also holds the life of oceans and of the cells in our bodies. This imagery is also like the stars in the galaxies; the creation of planets and suns in the ocean of the universe. Change in sudden and mighty ways or gradually like the growing of a tree. It made me think of God our Father in Heaven and Creator and also think of the idea of Mother Earth and Father Sky.
This movie is very personal and real. Less like watching a narrative and more like reading journal entries, hearing whispered prayers and reading thoughts while eating dinner or walking down the street. Not all of it is chronological, just like our memories and daydreams also pick and choose and jump around. We know these people; the disappointments in a career and life, learning about mortality and trust, losing your innocence, joyful play as a family and little rivalries and competitions. We know about chores, seeing our parents fight, our first crush, helping our mom, running down the street and seeing ourselves grow and seeing how we are and how we act. We know this family because we have also seen or done these same things. That is why the times of contemplation in the midst of the movie give you something to recall and to consider. No names for people are said until the middle of the movie so you can imagine the people as anyone, as yourself. I’m sure each of the other people in the theatre with me thought something different - yet something very the same.
I had thought about seeing this movie but had delayed. I went after a friend of mine saw it and liked it and said she’d like to see it again. I’d also like to see it again.
This movie is rated PG-13 but has no swearing or gore or sex, so young children would be alright seeing it. The only question is how much they would understand, enjoy and be able to sit still for.
I recommend this movie for all. It was a wonderful way to spend a quiet afternoon and inform my weekend.
Watch the official movie trailer