The Tree of Life

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The Tree of Life

PG-13

Released May 27, 2011

2h 18m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

85%

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293 Reviews

60%

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50,000+ Ratings

In this highly philosophical film by acclaimed director Terrence Malick, young Jack (Hunter McCracken) is one of three brothers growing up as part of the O'Brien family in small-town Texas. Jack has a contentious relationship with his father (Brad Pitt), but gets along well with his beautiful mother (Jessica Chastain). As an adult, Jack (Sean Penn) struggles with his past and tries to make sense of his childhood, while also grappling with bigger existential issues.

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Critics Consensus

Terrence Malick's singularly deliberate style may prove unrewarding for some, but for patient viewers, Tree of Life is an emotional as well as visual treat.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

Malick's earnest pretentiousness surely invites derisive laughter. But it also withstands it, and like the ancient evergreen of its title, it towers benevolently over less ambitious movies...

Apr 6, 2020

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Amy Taubin

Film Comment Magazine

The Tree of Life in no way measured up.

Aug 27, 2019

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Ideally, you would bathe in a film like this without striving to decipher it. As it's a film about what we can't get our heads around, we are probably not meant to get our heads round it. But, even so, it is so audacious it will take your breath away.

Aug 31, 2018

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

There are two distinct films being made here and while the opening frames of The Tree of Life are some of the finest in memory, there’s little in the middle-to-late section of the film worth noting.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 10, 2023

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

You may not be able to pinpoint with words how it all comes together, but the beauty and power of Malick’s imagery and impressionistic approach to filmmaking convey another ponderous picture, the director’s most ambitious and lyrical work yet.

Rated: 4/4

Jun 7, 2023

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James Croot

The Post NZ

A film that blossoms into a compelling tale of nature versus nurture, which boasts one of Pitt's finest performances and imagery that will take root in your brain for days afterwards.

Rated: 4/5

May 24, 2023

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Stephen L

Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is an ambitious, sprawling meditation on memory, loss, and existence—but one that ultimately feels weighed down by its own self-importance. While visually breathtaking, thanks to Emmanuel Lubezki’s masterful cinematography, the film leans too heavily into abstraction, often prioritizing poetic imagery over emotional engagement. Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain provide strong performances, but the characters feel more like vessels for Malick’s philosophical musings than fully realized individuals. The film’s non-linear structure and grand cosmic sequences, though visually stunning, add to an overwhelming sense of detachment. For all its beauty, The Tree of Life struggles to connect on a human level. It’s a film that some will find deeply moving, but others—myself included—will see as an overly melancholic, meandering work that never quite earns its existential weight.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

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Audience Member

Possibly the worst film I've ever seen in the cinema. Aggressively dull human relationships story which tries to seem profound by throwing in some National Geographic clips from an origin of life documentary.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/13/25

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Leprechaun K

A visual masterpiece.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/28/25

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Brad S. R

The best film of the 21st century I've yet seen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

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rjohngm T

Well, that was an hour of my life I’ll never get back!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

Full Review

Terry S

Moving and impressive throughout--I found it totally rewarding.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/08/24

Full Review

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Terrence Malick

Director

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Mr. O'Brien

Sean Penn

Jack

Jessica Chastain

Mrs. O'Brien

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Synopsis

In this highly philosophical film by acclaimed director Terrence Malick, young Jack (Hunter McCracken) is one of three brothers growing up as part of the O'Brien family in small-town Texas. Jack has a contentious relationship with his father (Brad Pitt), but gets along well with his beautiful mother (Jessica Chastain). As an adult, Jack (Sean Penn) struggles with his past and tries to make sense of his childhood, while also grappling with bigger existential issues.

Director: Terrence Malick
Producer: Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Grant Hill
Screenwriter: Terrence Malick
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Cottonwood Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Thematic Material)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 27, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.3M
Runtime: 2h 18m

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