Richard Roeper's Reviews - The Tree of Life Review

[Madorem]

it hits and misses but should be watched

[pantzer1]

Visually, this was the most mesmerizing movie I've seen in years.

[clevelandphil]

Overrated cinematography. 

[Judo2333]

@clevelandphil shut your fucking mouth

[clevelandphil]

@Judo2333  Hugo

[halation777]

@clevelandphil BS!!

[adrummer85]

Shitty movie...major bummer for all the hype...

[taosalyte]

Great review!

[dkoolscorpionx]

@Proudfootzorz fuck off , motherfucker!

[YeagerbombandTim]

The soundtrack, cinematography, and imagery are brilliant, but its just not all that interesting to watch.

[crazyatrain]

I Love The Tree of LIfe because it was the only film that made me film something!

[jjay75]

If it was just Brad Pitt and the story of the brothers, without Sean Penn or dinosaurs, this film would have been film of the year easily.

[PumaSweat]

When I see Brad Pitt saying hit me...There's only one movie I can think of his best by far!!!

[masterbassist93]

@PumaSweat lol nice ;)

[clevelandphil]

@PumaSweat Cool World?

[vennylos]

Most who don't like this film have a mind that will not be still. I suggest they see it again, but,in order to appreciate it as the greatest film of all time, which it is, they should engage in extreme excercise and hard labor for twelve hours, then drop a major hit of pure LSD.

[hentai666hentai]

Excellent review....Short and informative...Good movie...m gonna watch it for sure...

[Proudfootzorz]

This movie had no meaning. It didn't force me to ask questions other than... WTF was the point of this? I'm the kind of person who is always accused of looking too deeply into movies. I'm a spirtual person as well, and while the movie does touch on spiritual issues I still don't get what the POINT was. The narritive was all over, huge sections of boring, I recommend avoiding this film.

[TheaterODaRediculous]

@Proudfootzorz xD Hahahahahaha I love you right now. Most people I know are so frikkin afraid to speak up against this movie because they don't wanna sound like they're dull or unenlightened, but I gotta tell you, I thought the EXACT same way as you do when I watched the film!!! It was basically just a stretched out jazz film, really.

[RiCoMa22]

This movie is appreciated by those who have gone through life without the awareness to figure things out on their own.

[InfamousCrimes]

Finally a critic that is honest about this movie. I thought it was terrible. Absolutely unworthy of anyone's time.

[killeraddiction]

@InfamousCrimes Yeah, he's honest, but he still gave it an A. It is not a terrible movie. It may not have been your kind of thing, which is fine, but it is not a terrible movie or "unworthy of anyone's time".

[swagilishus]

I thought that this was a pretty stupid and confusing movie.

[snowlight85]

@swagilishus Well it's your opinion, and it wasn't stupid, you just didn't understand it.

[3Axy10Est13]

@swagilishus Some people cant handle the way filmmakers such as Kubrick, or Malick convey life as sequences instead of experiences. Those people might not be emotionally involved in the film and dont follow the meaning of the movie as a whole.

[ThePhantom135]

I love deep films with abstract imagery like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lost in Translation, 8 1/2, etc. However, I felt no reason to care about anything that happened in The Tree of Life. It was just a bunch of unusual images mixed with shots of people staring pretentiously in the distance. It's not really a film made for normal audiences; it's just a series of shots made so that Mallick can show off to his cinematographer friends. Beautifully made, but emotionally distant.

[TheSololobo]

It is undoubtedly a beautiful movie, touching upon the common themes of our humanity without relying on cliche and predictable sentimentalism - a feat not easily acheived. But it is not pretentious and it strives for nothing more than the pure narrative of emotion.

[MrLostsource]

I havn't seen every film that has ever been made, so I won't claim that this is the greatest of all time. It is the greatest that I have ever seen and that by a mile. I've seen it about 10 times and every time I find something new to contemplate. If this is not an "epic masterpiece", show me one!

[lyriz465]

I think people are embarassed at the initial reviews of classic movies like 2001 from the likes of Pauline Kael. So, I suspect that the pseudo intellectuals see Terrence Malick or Lars Von Trier or Werner Herzog as gods among men. That's not saying these men are incredibly talented. But I believe that they are trying desperately to get in on the ground floor of the latest "masterpiece" and not looking like a buffoon later.

[lyriz465]

He just admitted that the movie is a test of your patience AND pretentious!

[inrwizards]

Some movies are pretentious, but those movies are the ones where the director thinks he's clever and he's just an idiot. Mallick is clever. I thought of 2001, too, though I actually thought this was better. I think it might have 2 do with what Roger Ebert wrote about Mallick understanding the human condition better or something to that effect.

[DignonTenenbaum]

Along with Beginners and Take Shelter this is one of the years best films.

[geezmaynard]

perfect review for this movie.

[plethoraofbullets]

what do you mean falls short of greatness know other movie will impact people like this one has.

[RockBottomRiser21]

Isn't it ironic that the people who constantly use the word "pretentious" come across as annoyingly pretentious themselves?

[tedcantu1]

Pure. Simple. Just like garbage.

[snillocgrom]

@tedcantu1 pearls before swine.

[tedcantu1]

@snillocgrom Complex, robust.... yet... still garbage

[snillocgrom]

@tedcantu1 what's so garbage about it? just cus it's long and boring?

[tedcantu1]

@snillocgrom Yeah that about covers it for me.... Im going to shut up now, with respect to you and the other people. I can respect that you guys dig on this film.

[nickandmikec]

Thanks, Richard. It is a grand film and one that will live on. I cannot imagine why anyone would not like it and still like Kubrick's 2001.

[Mrhaux]

@nickandmikec I loved The Tree Of Life but I think 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the most overrated films I've seen.

[plethoraofbullets]

@Mrhaux i could not agree more it just wasn't that great. Malik all day

[chancesareshewears]

It's extraordinary, if Spielberg had a brain he'd be good too...

[Cinand123]

It is horrible!!!! Do not waste your money. The acting was horrible. Lots of drugs were used. This was not a good film. Its big block buster trying not to be big block buster. At the end, people laughed at how bad this movie was. No enlightenment, just regretting wasting my time. This was a horrible attempt to be our Space Odessy and Planet of the Apes, only 10,000 times worse. Brad and Sean, this was not art, its junk!!!!

[carcariden]

@Cinand123 Can you make a better movie?

[akanathan]

Im sorry i couldnt finish listening to this...I must watch this.

Seems like the most honest movie ever made.

[akanathan]

Im sorry i couldnt finish listening to this...I must watch this.

Seems like the most honest movie ever made.

[akanathan]

Im sorry i couldnt finish listening to this...I must watch this.

Seems like the most honest movie ever made.

[olliephelan]

lacrimosa , is irritating ........makes me think of migraines

[professoressa99]

It's the BIBLE! Read the book and you will get the movie . . . .

[olliephelan]

@professoressa99 its much more than the bible !....the bible is very narrow. better off reading zen philosophy to understand the esoterics more.

[professoressa99]

@olliephelan You obviously know nothing about the Bible - it is far from narrow! Also, if Mallick thinks he made a movie about the Bible, where do you get the idea it is in fact about zen???????

[olliephelan]

@professoressa99 ...didnt say it was about zen . i said " better off reading about zen to understand the esoterics more". but anyway ,id say the thin red line focuses more on eastern philosophy like zen. when i say that the bible is "narrow" , i mean that esoterics or metaphysics is too large a subject for one book. id regard zen philosophy as the most straight forward way of understanding transcendence . ones you understand transcendence, the gospels become far clearer.

[olliephelan]

@professoressa99 i never said he wrote a movie about the bible . the esoterics in buddhism and christianity and other major practices (i dont like using word religion) is transcendence. what christians call "entering the kindom" or "heaven"/ seeing god, is what other buddists AND christians call "enlightenment". theres lots of different phrases for it but the easiest is "transcendence". The esoteric 1% of every religion/philosophy have that as their goal. Its the only truth. some call it god.

[robinall]

this movie was too long and too boring.

[SonofBrummieDarkness]

Call this film 'genius' or 'art as much as you want. To me it was just an unrelentingly pretentious, overblown, overlong, self-obsessed, plotless, dull, confused, incoherent meaningless mess. I have never seen such drivel and I honestly don't understand how people can enjoy it at all, let alone give it such high praise.

I think if you all looked hard enough you'd see that the Emperor is not wearing any clothes.

[HasBeenProductions01]

@SonofBrummieDarkness What movies do you like? Inception, bro?

[SonofBrummieDarkness]

@HasBeenProductions01 I like Inception. My favourite movies are Apocalypse Now and American History X.

[olliephelan]

@SonofBrummieDarkness who directed inception .........because hans zimmer did the music for both that and thin red line

[SonofBrummieDarkness]

@olliephelan Christopher Nolan.

Hans Zimmer is a fantastic composer. Unfortunately, I haven't seen The Thin Red Line yet.

[olliephelan]

@SonofBrummieDarkness well , the thin red line is a war film (guadal canal ) but war is the best arena for exploring the human condition (extreme vilence  hate versus extreme love and compassion ) . so mallick uses the thin red line to explore esoterics / mysticism . here its tending toward zen philosophy. the soliloquay or narrator is more important than the actual events. the music is the second biggest factor in the film

[olliephelan]

@SonofBrummieDarkness check patrick cassidy .......vide cor meum .......irish composer . wrote the dante opera in the last "hannibal" film (one set in florence ) .  it was played briefly in kingdom of heaven ...when baldwin dies.

fantastic piece. you can see it on my YT channel , or just search it .

[olliephelan]

@SonofBrummieDarkness .yeah apocalypse now is THE masterpiece. its a pity cupolla didnt like making it. Theres a lot of different levels to the film . especially religious or esoteric (philosophical) . the sacrificial calf ." do you know what it means to call fire from the sky " kurtz (but edited out ). to appreciate apocalypse now PROPERLY read "heart of darkness" joseph conrad(film was based on that, on YT also with john malcovitz) and maybe "lord of the flies (oliver goldsmith).

[olliephelan]

@SonofBrummieDarkness sometimes maybe "meaningless mess " communicates more . for example , do you know many people who arent , overblown , meaningless , self obsessed , plotless and dull ?

it communicates on a philosophical / religious level , using imagery not intended for the "average joe" . its deep , so someone who doesnt look at it with depth or in depth wobnt really get it . some people are immune to philosophy

[thebehtbeht]

I've seen this 3 times, and will go back for a fourth and maybe a fifth. One of the best movies I've ever seen.

[summerzzzzz55]

I saw Days of Heaven on NBC 1 night when I was 15, blew me away, I can't remember but did that movie have a voice over narrative , I don't think it did , that's the only thing that I don't like Terrance doing in his films , it's a distraction & can be redundant to the movie.

[FilippiliF91]

@summerzzzzz55 Yes, all of Malick's films, Days of Heaven included, feature voiceovers.

[tisbutafleshwound]

Great cinema is always entertaining. I've seen the film 4 times and it just gets better and better. Probably the best film of the last 25 years.

[xtremetvfan]

Great music, great cinematography, great acting. Boring as fuck.

[qubatuta]

@xtremetvfan

[alexxxdamasta187]

Ugh. Pretentious is such a kneejerk term now. It's almost a reflex for somebody to say when something strides for greatness or is just plain different. Ambitious is not pretentious. Get a dictionary.

[tedcantu1]

@alexxxdamasta187 I think you mean a thesaurus

[TastyMonsoon]

@alexxxdamasta187 Your comment is hilarious. Anyone would be stupid to think the film is unambitious. An adjective others use to describe a film isn't a synonym for what you'd describe it as? Shock horror!

[selbymoreland]

great review - great film

[portugesemelon]

It's Kubrick dumbass. As in Stanley Kubrick? Come on its pretty obvious

[3ISAMAGICNUMBR]

Clearly, those who walked out early had a small mind that allows little room for change. Most people aren't used to this kind of film making ( I wasn't either). If you watch through the whole thing you will come out confused and uncomfortable. But eventually it wares on you, and the beauty of it becomes clear. Keep in mind that I am a 16 years and still haven't experiences life yet. Also, the only person who walked out of my theatre was one of those dumb girls who started talking and texting li

[CuriousGeorgeMonkey9]

@3ISAMAGICNUMBR I had to put up with one of those dumb girls at my screening of "Drive". It really sucks.

[65g4]

i get where your coming from but you have to understand some people just don't like deliberate art films like this. Some people just want slam bang action and you can't belittle that, that's there choice. But film lovers like us like to see films I went to see something that challenges the mind The Thin Red Line when it came out in 1998 when i was 12 years old and it was the first time i had seen a Malick film and i was absolutely in awe the whole time i now have seen this and Days of Heaven

[65g4]

if your only 16 and appreciate this i congratulate you i saw Terry's The Thin Red Line when it was resealed at age 12 and was blown away it changed my way not wanting to see a standard narrative structured film anymore. I am 25 years old now and I went to see The Tree Of Life in September this year because I live in New Zealand that's when it was released here. I have already ordered it on DVD to come to me in January. I also rented Bandlands recently and Days Of Heaven

[tcullz760]

@65g4 I thought I was sold on Saving Private Ryan... and then I saw Thin Red Line. 

[coreythomas862009]

"Reducing to tears of enlightenment." Are you fucking kidding me?

[tobreakcustom]

I'd really love to know what is pretentious about this film. Pretension implies insincerity. Are you calling Terence Malick insincere?

Go away, Roeper.

[MikeMoldao]

It's a short film to which they added 2 hours of visually appealing images. Its content is non existing.

[MrSratticusFinch]

I'm really hoping that this as good if not better than The Thin Red Line (one of my all-time favorites). Terrence Malick is an absolute genius.

[mastermequon]

I loved it AND hated it at the same time. Weird, and that's coming from a film maker!

[4021971]

I am tired of people using the word pretentious. The ignorant are so boring.

[megaead69]

@4021971 wow.. Ditto... high five!!

[UnnamedAssaliant]

I hated this movie...

I shouldn't have to pay for a pretentious metaphor when I can get deeper meaning from watching a Youtube video FOR FREE!!!!

[Ashiman12]

"Pretention is just a nasty word for aspiration".

[TheStudyOfPedro]

a GOLDEN a

[upinflamezzz]

I walked out halfway through and 5 others walked out in front of me. The entire film was garbage. It reminded me of a Jackson Pollock painting. The same people who see his squiggly lines on a canvas as art will be the same people who will like this film. I was actually angered that I was tricked into seeing it. By far. This is the WORST movie of the year. Funny thing though, I saw the best movie of the year "Incendies" just last week in the same theater.

[Sifinland]

@upinflamezzz calling a movie the 'worst movie of the year', after only seeing half of it? shame on you. watch the whole thing and judge it, or discount your view altogether.

[sjkdec18]

'....reducing others to tears of enlightenment". You have got to be kidding me.

[pessimist94]

@sjkdec18 "enlightenment" might be a bit strong, but this film misted up my eyes a couple of times and I can't recall ever crying from a film before.

[onepiecefan74]

I saw Days of heaven when I was young and hated it.Then this movie looked good so I picked up the criterion blu rei of thin red line. OMG! One of the most beautifully poetic films I have ever seen. There were images that I really wanted to start dating. I'm getting the badlands and days of heaven again as soon as possible.

[DAmicoJohnny]

Richard, I was wondering. Do you believe in reviewing a movie for what it is? Like, you also gave Thor an A. Does that me it's as good as this? Or does that just mean that it's an A for that kind of movie?

[teahouse100]

Tree of life is art. Pure and simple.

It makes other movies feel like chewing gum.

[malows1234]

@teahouse100 lol dont even use Terrance malick and other movies in the same senetence. But seriously guys if you look at his box office for his movies, they are all financial failures, and personally i dont give a fuck about money, but i just feel bad for poor terrance, EVERYONE GO SEE THIS MOVIE, support an artist please, before hollywood weeds him out. Guys i really, really think he can't afford another flop. PLEASE SUPPORT HIM, so we can see more greatness.

[517057]

A++++



[malucao255]

Best review ever!! You get an "A"!

[SmashingTheIE2011]

Is this playing in Cali

[lenbenhear]

Terrence Malick is a genius who is interested in art AND MAKING PEOPLE THINK, ... rather than just "entertaining them" for a couple hours. This and THE THIN RED LINE are just about my most favorite movies of all time.

[Bartolomeus002]

@lenbenhear I TOTALLY agree with U man!

[lenbenhear]

@Bartolomeus002 Well, sometimes "thought-provoking" and "reality" can actually trump "entertainment" and comic-book mentalities. ... :^) ... I'm sure we agree.

[Bartolomeus002]

@lenbenhear And U are again RIGHT sir.

[Baparis]

@lenbenhear So you don't like to be entertained by watching movies?

[HanzSygnal]

@lenbenhear + "The New World", his most overlooked work

[rrsrichard]

This is one of the best movies of all time. One has to obviously open their intellect and take in all that is presented. This not only gratifying to the eyes, but the ears and mind as well. I see an Oscar for best picture. When I arrived and saw that it was 138 minutes, I was leery. That said, I was happy to sit and take in all that it offered. I give it an A+. Brilliant art making for lack of a better word. Oh, may I mention, this isn't your every day movie, but do take this adventure.

[rashad123us]

This movie will put you to sleep, it is very long, and boring. There isn't much dialogue, and it is pretty uneventful.

[lpr5269]

@rashad123us I agree 100% with your assessment. I kept waiting for something to happen which, of couse, never did. The whole film was like having a bizarre dream, waking up and going what the hell did that mean?

The answer, nothing. I just wasted 2 hours of my life that I will never get back.

[TheBSxperience]

What is the song at 1:03? its really good

[ScienceWinsEveryTime]

@TheBSxperience Not sure. I just saw this film last night and it is overflowing with chorale and classical music. The music listed in the end credits looked like +/- 40 selections, not counting the score by the film's composer. Brad Pitt's character plays piano in the film, so music is a big part of the background. In one scene he plays Tocatta and Fugue by Bach on a pipe organ, and it looks as if he's really doing it. That said, the only other piece I knew was The Moldau by Bedrich Smetana.

[TheBSxperience]

@ScienceWinsEveryTime Was the film as beautiful and good as I hope it is. Please say yes

[ScienceWinsEveryTime]

@TheBSxperience It's incredibly beautiful. The photography alone would be enough reason to see it, let alone the fact that Malick has an incredibly perceptive way of showing us ourselves through another's life. Not all of the details are the same, but the humanity is. That being said, be ready for a pretty art-house picture. It's like '2001', and not so much a linear plot-driven film as it is like, well, a painting, a poem, a meditation about not only our lives, but our place in the universe.

[VitaCreations]

HORRIBLE MOVIE

[DAmicoJohnny]

@VitaCreations Why?

[THEREALSLIMFISHY]

just saw it in the movietheater...well it was kinda boring i mean 30 min of evolution Really?!?

[MMKursch]

MUST SEE

[twojewsonfilm]

The Two Jews On Film were split on this. I absolutely thought it was a masterpiece. My husband...not so much. I think it's one of the most original films in cinematic history.

[footballgeorgiebest]

what, no 3D?

[Soundstage8]

Jesus he makes it sounds amazing

[RullyisJRM]

Great review, Richard. One of my favorites.

[FestArc]

This is the first I've heard of this film. But it does look and sound interesting. however, I think I may want to wait for DVD.

[3Axy10Est13]

Fight Club all over Again Brad Pitt-Hit Me! Come on Hit ME!!

[EdsCollegeLife]

Hmmmm could this be brad pit's first oscar?

[grindhouse141]

@EdsCollegeLife Never going to happen, no movie that comes out this early in the year has a shot a bagging a major Oscar.

[Pipatrueimmigrant]

@grindhouse141 ahem last year's inception came out n the summer and bagged several oscars as did toy story 3 winning best animated picture

[grindhouse141]

@Pipatrueimmigrant Like I said, MAJOR Oscar. By that I mean, Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay. Inception received none of those. And animation is a whole different thing. The usual rules do not apply.

[Pipatrueimmigrant]

@grindhouse141 i see your point. to be honest, i dont see much in this particular film. this isnt the type of movie for the summer and in all honesty im not a big fan of the artsy type films. while it might be a critical success, the audiences will be VERY divided

[damianson]

@EdsCollegeLife probably not, bearly any buzz about this ovie b4 it cae out, and too early in the year usually to be noticed for an oscar. ost oscar contenders coe out last 2 quarters of the year

[FOOZ3R]

looks amazing, cant wait to experience it.

[DAmicoJohnny]

Looks great.

[diegorossello]

Is there an A+ or it just gpes till A?

[DAmicoJohnny]

@diegorossello There's an A+

[IconMatthew1]

@diegorossello Remember he said it gets a little too long and pretentious to be truly epic.

[00Pablo01]

The trailer was beautiful, so im not surprised it got the A

[badtwoface]

first

[scarabseer]

@badtwoface fag