Tree of Life

It’s impossible to describe this contemplative, meditative chronicle of family life in Texas in the 1950’s. It’s non-linear, abstract, but also a strongly-themed montage about the significance of life and death on Earth. People expecting a traditional plot will hate it. It’s like a nature film, except instead of frogs or cheetahs as the subject, it’s humans. “Watch the young, male humans compete for dominance in the pride. Now watch them play. See them frolic with their mother as their father is away on a hunt.” It’s extremely ambitious, and unlike a lot of movies, never underestimates the intelligence or the emotional capacity of its audience. It’s beautifully made and gloriously filmed. It’s also way too long and frustratingly oblique. But however you slice it, Tree of Life definitely provokes a lot of juicy, after-the-movie conversation, which makes it worth seeing, but riskily divisive.