The Tree of Life

Name: The Tree of Life
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Released: May 27, 2011
Duration: 139 min
Rating: 85
Cast: Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn

2011

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 50 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 656 Ratings

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7.0

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 656 Ratings

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The Tree Of Life

Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: May 27, 2011

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn

Summary: The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick's signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

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Director: Terrence Malick

Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 139 min

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Awards & Rankings

19	#19 Best Movie of 2011
11	#11 Most Discussed Movie of 2011
28	#28 Most Shared Movie of 2011

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

The A.V. Club - Scott Tobias

May 26, 2011

In terms of scale, The Tree Of Life recalls the mammoth ambition of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," but it's also more intimate and personal than Malick's previous films, rooted in vivid memories of growing up in '50s Texas. Read full review

100

San Francisco Chronicle - Mick LaSalle

Jun 2, 2011

At times trying and perplexing, but it also contains some of the most psychologically insightful and ecstatic filmmaking imaginable. Read full review

100

The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw

Nov 22, 2016

This is visionary cinema on an unashamedly huge scale: cinema that's thinking big. Malick makes an awful lot of other film-makers look timid and negligible by comparison. Read full review

Miami Herald - Rene Rodriguez

Jun 15, 2011

The movie plays out as a series of memories, so exact and evocative that watching it becomes an immersive experience. Read full review

Entertainment Weekly - Lisa Schwarzbaum

May 25, 2011

Malick clings to the promise of grace: His vision of the afterlife is a dreamy beach, enhanced by an excellent playlist of fine classical music, and promising the peace that surpasses all understanding. Plus a beautiful sky. Read full review

The Playlist - Kevin Jagernauth

Nov 22, 2016

With The Tree Of Life the director has once again created a cinematic experience that is uniquely his own, often powerful and mesmerizing, at times overreaching and overbearing, but never forgettable. Read full review

Orlando Sentinel - Roger Moore

Jun 16, 2011

Glibly put, this challenging time-skipping rumination is the big screen equivalent of watching that "Tree" grow. Read full review

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User Reviews

Spangle

Jan 1, 2016

The Tree of Life is truly brilliant. Both visually stunning, thematically powerful, and emotionally moving, it really has everything. The storytelling can feel a bit distant and the plot both aimless and directionless, but it truly makes sense for a film about the meaning of life. As withThe Tree of Life is truly brilliant. Both visually stunning, thematically powerful, and emotionally moving, it really has everything. The storytelling can feel a bit distant and the plot both aimless and directionless, but it truly makes sense for a film about the meaning of life. As with all Terrence Malick directed films, the acting is not prominent, but Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain are both fantastic, as is Hunter McCracken. The film is one of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen in many ways, both visually and thematically. A rubix cube type of film that can be broken down in many ways, it ultimately means different things to different people. For me, it ultimately symbolized our lack of control in life and how we must make amends with this in order to truly experience the best life has to offer us. Regardless, The Tree of Life is a phenomenal film that is brilliant in every facet. I cannot recommend it enough.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

putney

Jun 18, 2011

I'm not the smartest movie goer in the world but I want a film to remove me from the moment, to provoke me, tittilate me, amuse me but absolutely not bore me. To this movie i say "so what". It's a 135 minute boring grind and all the giant positive reviews of the "legendary" TerrenceI'm not the smartest movie goer in the world but I want a film to remove me from the moment, to provoke me, tittilate me, amuse me but absolutely not bore me. To this movie i say "so what". It's a 135 minute boring grind and all the giant positive reviews of the "legendary" Terrence Malick's new movie make me want to shout "by golly, the emperor's not wearing any clothes so why are all these sycophants singing his praises ?" BFD I say. You can miss this one. I wouldn't even rent the dvd. Wait till you can get it for free at your library. Rating - negative 4 stars.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

grandpajoe6191

Oct 16, 2011

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I rarely hand out a perfect 10 for such movies due to my harsh criticism on movies. However, master director Terrence Malick just earned one for his new movie "The Tree of Life". Simply, this film isn't just a masterpiece. The pure graphics (not with the aid of foolish CGI) and the luxurious use of cinematography as well as the slow, linear story may look equivalent to Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey", but the film transcends Kubrick's masterpiece and redefines it with the a more personal topic; human. It presents us life, despair, and hope. Remember when we had troubled times, where we fought with our parents and rebelled against them, when we despised our brothers and sisters for their prominent talents, and when we felt God has abandoned us and left you in the abyss of sin, not lending you the escape rope? Such questions are asked in the film and despair floods within the tone. Director Malick determines to find the solution, starting from the primeval ages of life. Through the entire time, hate and collisions are only to be seen. The characters become blind of their surroundings and cannot see each other's feelings. Everything is lost; a dead son with a failed father is only to be found. It was then that the child, who has now reached to a point of experienced maturity, learns forgiveness of his father, joyful love of his family, and the true motive of God, smiles. "The Tree of Life" at this point ends as, with slow but vibrant colors, ascending into 'the universal solution', softly whispering to us that true honesty, forgiveness, and love brings back us, and...Life.… Expand

26 of 31 users found this helpful265

FrechetteEmile

Dec 29, 2011

The Tree of Life is not for everyone, close or narrow mind may not enjoy the movie. It redefines the roots of film-making. The storytelling is almost entirely made of beautiful pictures and metaphysical narration, only a few dialogues are included. I feel that this is great because it allowsThe Tree of Life is not for everyone, close or narrow mind may not enjoy the movie. It redefines the roots of film-making. The storytelling is almost entirely made of beautiful pictures and metaphysical narration, only a few dialogues are included. I feel that this is great because it allows the viewer to think while watching. Why would you want to think while watching a movie I bet you're asking yourself ? Well, the Tree of Life is more than a movie, it's a journey, a door on the existential questions of life. The viewer won't be able to stop himself on reflecting about these different questions. The movie is about love, and what are good and evil. Therefor, the "lack" of dialogues is a blessing for it allows the mind of the viewer to grow. The Tree of Life is an enriching experience by Terrence Malick.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

TVJerry

Jun 20, 2011

The latest from Terrence Mallick continues to solidify his rep as a pompous twit and/or brilliant filmmaker. There's no plot or dialogueâ

3 of 12 users found this helpful39

weisberger

Jun 26, 2011

Perhaps since this movie made me think "please god let it end" for an hour, it was a religious experience. Otherwise not so much. This was the Hubble space telescope meets pseudo profundity. There is nothing quite so trite as overwrought emotion, and this movie is really trite. With accessPerhaps since this movie made me think "please god let it end" for an hour, it was a religious experience. Otherwise not so much. This was the Hubble space telescope meets pseudo profundity. There is nothing quite so trite as overwrought emotion, and this movie is really trite. With access to the technology necessary it could have been made by a high school student - there wasn't an insight in it that most overwrought 17 yr olds haven't had. I wanted to see what the fuss was about so blew two hours; trust me and don't make that same mistake yourself.… Expand

16 of 34 users found this helpful1618

Schifferbrains

Dec 4, 2011

Shockingly self-serving drivel. As a scientist, I was appalled at the inane attempt to present a timeline of life (as pretty as it was). The movie "Adaptation " did it in one quick scene. This lunacy goes on for a period of time that truly made me shake. The awfulness is indescribable. TheShockingly self-serving drivel. As a scientist, I was appalled at the inane attempt to present a timeline of life (as pretty as it was). The movie "Adaptation " did it in one quick scene. This lunacy goes on for a period of time that truly made me shake. The awfulness is indescribable. The pain worse than an unanaesthetized tooth extraction. As a writer, I was incensed from the very first whisper (the whole slide show is in a whisper) with false spiritual music gnawing at you in the background.The narrative is accomplishable in 8x fast forward which is the only way I could watch this.These amazing actors were silenced by insane direction and muffled by a score better suited for a 700 Club infomercial.

If a reviewer likes this film then they didn't watch it or they're related to Maleck. I was asked to consider voting for this film. I am considering sending it to my enemies.

I wish I had a way to waste a Saturday night of Maleck's.… Expand

0 of 12 users found this helpful012

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