Overview
A profound exploration of life, loss, and the search for meaning unfolds through the eyes of a troubled son.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Glacial
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Mild
- contemplative
- melancholic
- transcendent
- quiet evening
- reflective viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Terrence Malick's film as a singularly ambitious, visually overwhelming, and emotionally profound work whose deliberate impressionism may alienate some viewers.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The O'Brien family's domestic life is intercut with sequences depicting cosmic origins, evolution, and vast natural forces.
Jack's memories and spiritual questions unfold through impressionistic fragments rather than straightforward exposition.
Mrs. O'Brien embodies warmth and grace while Mr. O'Brien advocates hardness and preparation for a cruel world.
Adult Jack's disillusionment revisits his 1950s childhood while turning personal loss into questions about faith and existence.
Films like The Tree of Life, and why
2001: A Space Odyssey
impressionistic spiritual inquiry, cosmic imagery, and metaphysical ambition
The Mirror
lyrical family drama shaped by memory, time, and existential reflection
The New World
meditative exploration of faith, mortality, and human place in the universe
The Fountain
visually monumental philosophical drama combining intimate lives with cosmic scale
Movie Details
- Director
- Terrence Malick
- Release Date
- 2011-05-17
- Runtime
- 139 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (3425)
Cast
- Brad Pitt
- Jessica Chastain
- Hunter McCracken
- Sean Penn
- Fiona Shaw
- Tye Sheridan
- Laramie Eppler
- Will Wallace
- Nicolas Gonda
- Jessica Fuselier
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Tree of Life about?
- An impressionistic Texas family drama expands childhood memory, parental conflict, and grief into a searching meditation on grace, faith, and the origins of life.
- What is The Tree of Life like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Tree of Life as glacial, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.
- Is The Tree of Life violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Tree of Life as mild.
- What did critics think of The Tree of Life?
- Critics broadly regard Terrence Malick's film as a singularly ambitious, visually overwhelming, and emotionally profound work whose deliberate impressionism may alienate some viewers.
- Which films are like The Tree of Life?
- Films with a similar feel include 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Mirror, The New World, and The Fountain.
- How long is The Tree of Life?
- The Tree of Life runs 139 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Tree of Life?
- In United States, The Tree of Life is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
