The absolute adoration of Terrence Mallick is something that has always been a mystery. Admittedly I was drawn to TM when he was releasing Thin Red Line and the word on the street was that the amazing genius of the 70s who up and vanished from the film making business for no reason -- isn't it because his family has huge oil money? -- was coming back with a movie about World War II. Get ready! Get ready! After all these years it's coming! And you wouldn't believe the cast!
Now, let's not forget that this was also the year of Saving Private Ryan and Life is Beautiful. We were on the brink of "Band of Brothers." This was SUPER World War II sentimentality season and this mystery man was returning with a dish we'd all been enjoying anyway? Well, right this way, Mr. Mallick.
And I was a fan or Thin Red Line. I hear stories of what's left on the cutting room floor for Adrien Brody and a few others would have made their careers years ago if it hadn't just been Mallick out there shooting a hundred hours worth of stuff and then trying to whittle it into some kind of three-ish hour mood story about the war. Hey -- I heard all sorts of things. But I was a fan. I thought he really pulled it off.
And I like Badlands. For some reason that movie really works for me.
But I'm not a Mallick crazy who sits down and admires the fact that he only filmed during certain times of the day to get the exact sunlight he wanted. To me that sounds like an absolute pain in the ass and frankly impossible. This may also be a rumor.
What I admire is that his films are stunningly beautiful when it comes to their photography. It's like nothing I've seen. The same is true for The Tree of Life.
Let's first go through the positive stuff.
Once again, as I was saying, Mallick has created a visual masterpiece. It is probably the most beautiful film of the summer in that regard. I will be stunned if something with better imagery comes down the pike between now and the full blown tirade of award season.
The problem is that the images are not backed up by a great deal.
Frankly, I'm incorrect in saying that -- if I were a studio executive I would have to say that there is plenty to back it up -- more needs to be cut.
We were all sold a movie where Brad Pitt was a tough love father and Sean Penn was the resultant adult son. Somewhere between these two great actors' lives was a male emotional history that was somehow going to unlock some family or personal secret that was probably going to make me cry my eyes out. Right? Isn't that what we were sold or is that just what I was sold?
Well, the movie sure starts like it's going down that road showing us the past, showing us Sean Penn, Brad Pitt -- locked away in their respective decades. Showing us the turmoil, a sour moment, the longing, the wondering -- initially, I was hooked. I've seen The Hours. I regularly listen to Phillip Glass. I thought to myself "I'm on the line, Mallick, start reeling in!"
And the truth is that the movie didn't need all that. Somehow the past is all that matters and there is absolutely no need for Sean Penn or the modern era to be in this film. It lends nothing. But the story that took place in Brad Pitt's household is excellent.
I was repeatedly awed by Mallick's ability to pick random moments of raw emotion. To jump from one side of the spectrum to another in such a real life way. He lets his characters make mistakes, he lets them hate for the wrong reason, he lets them knowingly choose the terrible option -- from this regard it was a remarkably brave movie that I deeply adored.
I worship at the altar of Brad Pitt, so let's all keep that in mind. But I thought it was another act of bravery for him -- of all Hollywood people -- to have taken the role of the despicable father -- who isn't actually that horrible. He is way worse than Hanks in Road to Perdition. But he's certainly not some psycho from the wrong side of town in To Kill A Mockingbird. Yet it's a hateful role -- and Brad played it well. The things this man has done with his career. Astounding.
Every single one of the children is excellent. Straight down the line. They're the best part of the film.
Jessica Chastain is a revelation. I would be surprised if folks remember this film -- let alone her stellar performance -- once we hit ballot season. I'm happy to see she is also in The Help and will get great reviews there and be seen by a wider audience.
So what's wrong with the film?
I don't know what the heck the point of it is. I don't know why it can't just be a family drama and then lead up to something. Somehow Mallick put this insane construct of the universe and creation and God and fate and all this nonsense -- that frankly does nothing more than get this film into a hole deeper than The Fountain. Hell, if I thought I knew how to pull Brad Pitt and Sean Penn into a movie together wherein they could be father and son -- well, I'd come up with something.
But nothing is there. There is no connection. And there needs to be one. I can't simply be ACTUALLY floating through space while I watch this movie. Then we are never given the absolutely essential information about how this film got from POINT A to POINT B (or was it POINT Z?). No.
After three hours of my time -- where I had to watch the earth cool and dinosaurs act out some kind of a morality play -- you owe your audience clear answers. I wonder if there was one. I wonder if it's on the cutting room floor or if it simply was never there.
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