You know, we haven’t really been up on Terrence Malick’s “Tree Of Life.” We’d heard about the project years ago and knew it was going to star Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain, but we didn’t realize to be honest that the film had actually been shot since talk about the film has been so quiet.
Shooting on the picture apparently began in spring of this year and the film is currently in post-production and Summit Entertainment will distribute it with a fall/winter 2009 release date (Oscar season). Summit has a page for it on their website that includes a still of Pitt and Chastain.
It’s interesting to note that Heath Ledger was originally attached to star in the film, but he dropped out and Pitt took over.
Malick hasn’t made a film since, 2005’s “The New World,” which is finally receiving its long-rumored extended DVD cut on October 14, 2008 (frankly, it was a little long-winded to being with. There’s also a long synopsis for the “Tree Of Life” film on the Summit site.
Our picture is a cosmic epic, a hymn to life.
We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, Jack, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvelous to the child. He sees as his mother does, with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world’s way, of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth.
Framing this story is that of adult Jack, a lost soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme of which we are a part. When he sees all that has gone into our world’s preparation, each thing appears a miracle — precious, incomparable. Jack, with his new understanding, is able to forgive his father and take his first steps on the path of life.
The story ends in hope, acknowledging the beauty and joy in all things, in the everyday and above all in the family — our first school — the only place that most of us learn the truth about the world and ourselves, or discover life’s single most important lesson, of unselfish love.
We love Malick, but as we said, “The New World,” was a bit overcooked. Hopefully, he can find the right mix of sprawling epic and poetry like he did expertly in, “The Thin Red Line.”