Terrence Malick's spiritual epic The Tree of Life is one of the most ambitious films of all time. The film explores the deepest questions about the origins of life and the creation of the universe, but also focuses on an intimate coming-of-age story of the influences that define a boy's childhood. In the decade since its release, The Tree of Life has been graced as a future classic; received three Academy Award nominations, won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, appeared on the Sight & Sound list of the greatest films of all time, and appeared on the celebrity's personal list of ten favorite films. Critic Roger Ebert. With all these accolades, let's break down the ambiguous ending to this impressive film.
The film begins by showing the birth of the universe and goes on to tell the origins of the natural environments on Earth. The Formation of Early Life shows the evolution of sea creatures, plants, and later dinosaurs, but the story then cuts to a small Texas town in the 1960s. The couple, Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain), raise three children: Jack (Hunter McCracken), R.L. (Laramie Eppler) and Steve (Tye Sheridan), and the three children fight with the war. influences of his father's aggression and his mother's compassion. Later scenes show an older Jack (Sean Penn) reflecting on his adolescence.
Director: Trish Adlesic
Writers: Trish Adlesic, Eric Schuman
Stars: Anthony Fienberg, Audrey Glickman, Diane Rosenthal
The film's ending may leave some viewers scratching their heads, as Malick often opts for ambiguous endings within his diverse filmography. The older Jack is haunted by a tragic series of incidents in his childhood. He sees a vulnerability within his father for the first time, who admits that he is disappointed in his life's direction and his inability to follow his true passions. Jack is startled to see his usually austere father break into tears, and that initial shock comes back to him as he recognizes that his own life is heading in a similar direction.
It is also during these pivotal youthful flashbacks that Jack experiences death for the first time; two of his close childhood friends are killed in accidents, and Jack feels more mature as a result. He becomes spiteful towards his father, who had just opened up to him, and begins to track his brutal behavior and becomes more cynical. Jack also lashes out at his mother; Instead of empathizing with how she managed to raise her children in the midst of a difficult marriage, he criticizes her for allegedly tolerating her abuse.
Jack's guilt over his cruel words comes back to him as he rides the elevator during the ending. He also recalls a youthful abandonment incident when he took advantage of his mother's passivity. When his father goes on a business trip, Jack breaks into his crush's house and steals her nightgown. His new criminality and sexuality frighten him, and his guilt intensifies when his father returns and reveals that he has lost his job. Not only does Jack never go through the aftermath of his crime, but the painful move remains forever tied to the end of his childhood.
This residual guilt is an important part of Jack's character, as he seeks to atone for his mother. During the final scene, he has a vision of a teenage girl leading him across a tundra in the midst of a cosmic event. Within his vision, he meets the young version of himself along with many of the dead who have come back to life, including his family.
Jack is able to hug his family one last time, but hugging his mother when he enters the afterlife gives Jack closure to his youthful misdeeds. Mrs. O'Brien sends Jack off to the next stage as she is accompanied by two angelic figures who carry him away. Mrs. O'Brien says, "I give it to you. I give you my son." Jack smiles before returning to his normal office job and concludes his dream. It can be implied that at this point, Jack has come to terms with both his past and his ultimate destiny.
There are many ways to interpret this ending, but it is hinted that Malick is simply completing his metaphor about the cyclical process of renewal and rebirth by moving further down the timeline. As Jack is guided, the sun can be seen expanding into a red giant and then shrinking into a white dwarf, hinting at the final end of Earth. It seems that Jack is seeing his own journey to the afterlife, which explains why figures from his past are reappearing.
Malick movies often incorporate voice-overs and Jack's voice can be heard throughout the film, so it's entirely possible that the entire story is based on Jack's perception of events and his interpretations of his feelings. own memories.