Its no easy feat collecting one’s thoughts after
watching Terrence Malik’s latest confounding epic of a movie: it is truly
mind-blowing.
watching Terrence Malik’s latest confounding epic of a movie: it is truly
mind-blowing.
What little plot there is focuses on the O’Brien’s, a
rather ordinary middle-class family in small town America in the 1950’s. Mr. O’Brien struggles with conflicting
ideals: he is a strict disciplinarian of a father yet unnerves his frightened
sons by odd outbursts of affection when he demands that they love
him. He’s a disappointed musician and a
failed inventor so he appears constantly angry at his frustration with his
life.
rather ordinary middle-class family in small town America in the 1950’s. Mr. O’Brien struggles with conflicting
ideals: he is a strict disciplinarian of a father yet unnerves his frightened
sons by odd outbursts of affection when he demands that they love
him. He’s a disappointed musician and a
failed inventor so he appears constantly angry at his frustration with his
life.
The relationship with Obrien and is his eldest son is
the most prickly because the boy has evidently inherited his father’s fiery
temper but also his mother’s gentleness.
We see him the boy still struggling with the memory of this years later
when he is A disillusioned adult.
the most prickly because the boy has evidently inherited his father’s fiery
temper but also his mother’s gentleness.
We see him the boy still struggling with the memory of this years later
when he is A disillusioned adult.
When the middle son dies (1 think at age 19) the sense
of loss is overwhelming and makes the whole family take stock of what their
lives are really about.
of loss is overwhelming and makes the whole family take stock of what their
lives are really about.
I will not profess for one moment to really understand
much beyond that in this immensely confusing film that was at one point just a whole series of bizarre spectacular landscapes, oceans, arid deserts and prehistoric
jungles all overplayed with heavy symphonic music that seemed like something
one would watch on T.V’s Discovery Channel.
Totally beautiful but completely bewildering, and it was where I lost
the drift of the filmmaker’s thought-process. I avoided
saying ‘plot’ here cos there wasn’t any at all in these non-narrative passages.
much beyond that in this immensely confusing film that was at one point just a whole series of bizarre spectacular landscapes, oceans, arid deserts and prehistoric
jungles all overplayed with heavy symphonic music that seemed like something
one would watch on T.V’s Discovery Channel.
Totally beautiful but completely bewildering, and it was where I lost
the drift of the filmmaker’s thought-process. I avoided
saying ‘plot’ here cos there wasn’t any at all in these non-narrative passages.
Brad Pitt was excellent as Mr. O’Brien and dominated the whole film. His wife, with very lines to say, was the gifted Jessica Chastain who never seems to be off our screens these days ( and no complaints from me on that). Sean Penn made a very brief appearance as Jack as an adult … but the kid, Hunter McCraken who played Jack was the real mccoy and turned in a superb performance for a newbie.
This is Mr Malik’s 5th feature film in his 40 years of filmmaking, so it’s safe to say he really takes his time to thinks things through way beyond the norm. I think this highly personal vision of his on love and loss can only be described as magnificent, or mad. There is no gray area on this one. I for once am copping out of deciding in which camp I would vote with. I neither loved it nor hated. It was a challenge to watch … and I’m pleased that I did … the question is,
are you willing to take the challenge too?
are you willing to take the challenge too?
Labels: down right weird
