On DVD and Blu-ray, Lawyer here, Priest hereJack O'Brien (Sean Penn) is a success in the modern world but still haunted by the death of his little brother in the late 1960s and his tough upbringing even earlier in Waco, Texas. The majority of the film takes place when Jack is around 11 years old (and played by Hunter McCracken). His father (Brad Pitt) is a tough and critical, sometimes intentionally, as he tries to prepare his sons for a cruel world. His mother (Jessica Chastain) prefers her 3 boys to follow the Sunday morning teachings of grace, forgiveness, and love. Interspersed with the modern day scenes and the childhood memories are breathtaking visuals about the beginnings of the universe, earth, and man.
Combining the origin of the earth with the origin of a single man solidifies man's insignificance to nature as director Terrence Malick's central theme - prevalent in all of his films. His style is unmistakable - multiple narrators, often with a Southern accent; stunning cinematography in natural light; nature upstaging people; and striking use of music (less so here by Alexandre Desplat, but the classic musical choices are inspiring - especially this, this, and this). As in all of Malick's films, the plot is an afterthought - each film preferentially gets by on mood and tone.
Many will find the film confusing, pretentious, boring, or all of the above. There are flaws - including too many close-ups for my taste. And you get the feeling hundreds of alternative editing choices could have been made without much difference in the final product. Brief snippets are seemingly from Malick's childhood memories and serve little purpose other than to prompt evaluation our own memories - and why they're remembered. Pitt never really pulls of the piano enthusiast portion of his character but is otherwise brilliant. The beach scene is labelled "Eternity" on the Blu-ray, with the final chapter being labelled "Was it a Dream?". Both are possibilities and there doesn't have to be one answer. It recalls the doozy finale of 2001: A Space Odyssey as it goes off the deep end with symbolism, imagery, and challenging (often clandestine) themes. But it feels a bit anti-climactic after all the real world greatness that precedes it.
As someone who's tried to reconcile religion and science their entire adult life, the film couldn't have a better starting point. But it's the personal moments that hit the hardest and closest. Being excited when your overbearing, stern father leaves on a trip. The trauma of moving to a new town when you're young. The death of a childhood acquaintance - and your awkward response. How the outdoors feels when you're free to roam with friends. And on and on. I've gotten many things out of the film both times I've seen it and will be revisiting it often. It's a rare and mighty film that can help you come to terms with your past while encouraging you to become a better person (and father) in the present. A life-changer. A
