The Tree of Life

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
The Tree of Life Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Unique, difficult, poetic masterpiece about life and death.

PG-13 2011 138 minutes
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 9 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 8 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that, even more so than his previous movies, this drama from legendary and elusive director Terrence Malick is a work of poetic images rather than a cohesive, solid story. The main theme seems to be family relationships, but it all takes place within a huge universal context of infinite time, space, and even dreamscapes. There's the suggestion of simmering violence on the part of the father, but while he often yells, he very rarely lashes out physically. Language is minimal; a flashback sequence contains passing visual references to sexual reproduction. But even though there's not a huge amount of age-inappropriate content for teens, younger viewers are likely to be bored; this movie requires a great deal of patience and the ability to embrace new and unique cinematic encounters.

Community Reviews

camchicago
camchicago Adult
July 30, 2018
age 15+

A visual feast with a philsophical message

The director of this movie (and his dir of photography) took pains to set up many visually stunning (or at least intriguing) scenes. Some scenes have been described as being Kubrickian. Furthermore, he dips into classical music quite a bit, which gives it more depth. There are two themes (at least): One referring to the quote from Job that asks: "what is my life compared to the wonders of the universe?" as it applies to a mother's anguish regarding the loss of her son (not shown on camera). The other is an illustration (through the parents' actions) of a life lived by "nature" (i.e., dog-eat-dog) and one lived with grace (empathy). The father is tough on his sons (following "nature'), but this rings true to my own experience of WWII-era dads and their stunted ability to live emotionally. One captivating aspect is that many of the "growing up" scenes are written and shot from the perspective of the kids, not often seen in movies. Perhaps the dad (who teaches his boys that it is a tough world met only by rule-following and looking after oneself) might be tough for younger children that simply are too naive to know a lot about the "real world", but for high-schoolers and inquisitive kids, I'd say it is fine. Kids by that age have seen plenty and the opportunity for parents to discuss it with the "controlled environment" of a movie is good. Some aspects are hard to grasp right off; for example, the whispered lines early on are hard to discern and the symbolic "afterlife" is just that. It is not a particularly religious film, but a thoughtful and philosophical one; one needed for our modern times. To see illustrated the results of two different life philosophies (nature vs grace) seems to me an important movie. No consumerism, relatively low violence, little swearing or addictive habits.

This title has:

Great messages
mr jag
mr jag Adult
December 28, 2012
age 15+

Beautiful and moving, but sad and difficult to get through

Incredibly well-filmed, beautiful cinematography, and quite moving. But also very sad. Even with the positive resolution at the end, I found this difficult to watch - the family dynamics, and the foreknowledge of the tragedy during the flashbacks made this emotionally difficult for me to watch. I'm glad I finished watching the film, but it's a very different experience. In order to enjoy and get something from this film, young adults will need to be able to grasp both abstract concepts, as well as to be able to handle a child's death.
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In the 1950s in Waco, Texas, a man (Brad Pitt) tries to provide for his pretty wife (Jessica Chastain) and three boys, but bad luck gets the better of him. He begins to take out his failures and frustrations on his family. Years later, the oldest boy, Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn), contemplates his life and a terrible tragedy that continues to haunt him. He enters into a kind of dream state where he revisits the figures of his past. In between these time periods, images of the universe and the origins of life offer a new perspective on these small, earthly events.

Is It Any Good?

This may be director Terrence Malick's darkest and most difficult movie to date, focusing on an angry, troubled father and the way he takes out his frustrations on his children. At the same time, hope comes in the most abstract of ways, which may leave viewers unsatisfied. But Malick's astoundingly potent physical poetry makes all this spring to life; it's a movie to be felt and experienced deeply.

Malick is one of the most mysterious and powerful filmmaking talents in the world today, and the infrequent release of his movies (only five in 40 years) creates a tremendous sense of anticipation. At the same time, his movies are a hard sell, focusing mainly on powerful, poetic imagery instead of clear, linear storytelling; most viewers simply aren't used to watching movies like this. But at the same time, Malick delivers, making the same kinds of movies today as he made in the 1970s, as impossible as that sounds.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's underlying violence. Why is the father so angry and frustrated? How does he express it, and why?

  • What does the grown son actually learn during his quest? Does the movie have a happy, or hopeful, ending?

  • Who do you think this movie is intended to appeal to? What message is it trying to convey to its audience?

Movie Details

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