---
title: "The Tree of Life"
year: 2011
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-tree-of-life"
fi1m_id: "the-tree-of-life"
imdb_id: "tt0478304"
tmdb_id: 8967
wikidata_id: "Q244257"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 85
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:37.435281+00:00"
region: "MX"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Tree of Life (2011)

Directed by Terrence Malick · 2h 19m · RTC B · Drama, Fantasy

## Identity

The Tree of Life

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-tree-of-life
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-tree-of-life
- **IMDb ID:** tt0478304
- **TMDB ID:** 8967
- **Wikidata ID:** Q244257
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478304/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/8967, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q244257

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 85 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* The creation of the universe turns out to be the easy part of raising a family

> Terrence Malick’s family drama earns its cosmic scale through the force of its childhood scenes. We recommend it warmly, though some passages repeat themselves long after the point is clear.

## Synopsis

Jack looks back on a mid-century American childhood and his relationship with his parents, played by Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain. Hunter McCracken plays the young Jack, with Sean Penn as the adult whose memories draw him towards the past. Family life, a son’s rebellion and questions about suffering occupy a story that also moves beyond human lives to the origins of the universe. Terrence Malick writes and directs, linking recollections of growing up with images of the natural world and cosmic history. The film follows these connections rather than unfolding as a continuous sequence of events.

## Review

Terrence Malick’s *The Tree of Life* puts the origins of the universe alongside a boy’s troubles with his parents, and takes both seriously. We recommend it warmly, with fair warning that it sometimes keeps asking its large questions after we have understood them. Jack is played as a boy by Hunter McCracken and as an adult by Sean Penn. Malick keeps returning to the childhood that continues to occupy the grown man.

Brad Pitt’s Mr O’Brien gives the film something solid to push against. Pitt makes paternal authority feel formidable and fallible, and we can understand Jack’s resistance without reducing his father to a villain. We felt an uncomfortable shock of recognition in the boy’s rebellion. McCracken makes it seem possible to resent a parent and still want that parent’s approval, which is where this account of childhood becomes painfully convincing.

Jessica Chastain has the more difficult task as Mrs O’Brien, because the film’s idea of grace risks turning a mother into an example of goodness. Her performance is warm enough to keep that from happening altogether. Malick’s division between grace and nature is least persuasive when it seems to sort the family into opposing camps. Chastain makes us interested in the mother even when the writing seems chiefly interested in what she represents.

Emmanuel Lubezki gives the childhood passages the same visual weight as the cosmic images: the light and colour around a family command as much attention as the stars. We stay interested when the film comes back to people. Jack Fisk’s production design helps us accept the family’s surroundings as somewhere people live, even while Malick is asking us to think about eternity. The domestic scenes never feel like intervals between the larger displays.

The editing by Mark Yoshikawa, Billy Weber, Daniel Rezende, Jay Rabinowitz and Hank Corwin joins childhood vignettes to cosmic images without explaining every transition. One recollection leads towards another through an association or a feeling, and the shifts often make sense before we could explain them. Alexandre Desplat’s score gives the recollections a solemnity that suits Malick’s concern with suffering. The wider use of music also helps carry us across changes in scale that would be abrupt in a more conventionally told story.

Malick takes the family drama well beyond its usual domestic limits, even finding room for dinosaurs. There are stretches where successive images seem to repeat a point already made, and patience begins to feel like work. Yet the creation passages make the attempt to understand a childhood feel reasonable: what happens to us early can seem large enough to require an explanation of everything. We would lose something important if this were cut down to the O’Briens alone.

At 139 minutes, this is not a film to fit around other things. It needs an uninterrupted evening and a willingness to let a passage go by without deciding what it means. Anyone wanting a tightly plotted family drama should choose something else. We would leave time afterwards to talk about the parents.

*Fi1m score 84, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to The Tree of Life, praising Malick’s attempt to connect remembered family life with the origins of existence. The strongest agreement concerns the imagery and the evocation of childhood: small domestic encounters carry emotional weight even alongside the cosmic sequences. The reviews also praise the music and performances, with Brad Pitt singled out for his contribution to the family drama. For many, the film’s scale feels justified by how closely it observes ordinary lives.

Reservations centre on repetition, grandiosity and whether the cosmic passages deepen the family story. Time Out admires the images but finds the ideas simplistic, while Sight and Sound praises the boyhood scenes and objects to the self-importance elsewhere. Enthusiasm dominates, though there is a substantial gap between those who find the philosophical scope moving and those who find it ponderous. Even the more doubtful reviews acknowledge the visual achievement.

## Straight answers

**Is The Tree of Life worth watching?**

*The Tree of Life* is worth watching for anyone prepared to give an uninterrupted evening to a family drama that also takes in the origins of the universe, and we scored it 84. Brad Pitt and Hunter McCracken make the father and son painfully convincing, though some passages repeat a point long after it is made. Anyone wanting a tightly plotted story should look elsewhere.

**How long is The Tree of Life, and what is it rated?**

*The Tree of Life* runs 2h 19m and is rated B by the RTC in Mexico. It is a drama and fantasy film.

**Where can I watch The Tree of Life in Mexico?**

*The Tree of Life* is not on any streaming or rental service in Mexico at the moment. It is available in 21 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is The Tree of Life, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Tree of Life* is a UK 12A whose tensions are domestic rather than violent: a boy's rebellion against a formidable father, and questions about suffering asked at cosmic scale. Nothing in it should trouble a teenager, but younger children are more likely to be baffled than upset by 139 minutes that drift between a mid-century American family and the stars.

**How does The Tree of Life compare to Distant Voices, Still Lives?**

*The Tree of Life* and [*Distant Voices, Still Lives*](https://film.one/film/distant-voices-still-lives) both build a family from memory and music, but Terence Davies's Liverpool film is the tighter and more frightening of the two, and the one we would press on a stranger. Malick reaches further, setting a childhood against the origins of the universe, and repeats himself where Davies does not. Choose Davies for affection and fear at close quarters; choose Malick if you want the family opened out to everything.

**What should I watch after The Tree of Life?**

After *The Tree of Life*, try [*Distant Voices, Still Lives*](https://film.one/film/distant-voices-still-lives) (1988, Fi1m 90): Family memories shaped by music, with affection and fear living uncomfortably close together. Then [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) (1973, Fi1m 87): A child’s view of adult mysteries, told with patience and close attention to faces; and [*After Life*](https://film.one/film/after-life) (1998, Fi1m 85): Memory becomes something people must examine carefully, without losing the warmth of lived experience.

### Reviews we read (17)

- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The critic praises the film's vast ambition to encompass all of existence through personal lives and its deep humility. He singles out its uncanny evocation of mid-century American childhood, family dynamics, and cosmic wonder for particular praise. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-tree-of-life-2011)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (4/4): The film is an overwhelming, gorgeous kaleidoscope of light and color that can feel like a prison, but it is Malick’s most personal work revealing his philosophical outlook. It excels in its rapturously poetic imagery and personal vision of grace versus nature, though prone to redundancy. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-tree-of-life-5524/)
- **Film Comment**, Kent Jones (90/100, inferred): Malick crafts a transformative vision of one man's life that expands into a grand meditation on existence, origins, and the glory of life itself. The critic singles out the film's dynamic aesthetic intelligence and its evocation of childhood experience under the aspect of eternity. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/light-years-kent-jones-tree-of-life-review/)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the film's awe-inspiring contemplation of human existence from the standpoint of eternity and its blend of cosmic history with intimate family drama. He singles out its visual beauty, musical integration, and graceful performances for praise. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/movies/the-tree-of-life-from-terrence-malick-review.html)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (3/5): The critic finds the film a heartfelt but flawed grand folly full of brilliant imagery and big questions that ultimately deal in platitudes, praising its breathtaking visuals and ambition while noting it feels repetitive and simplistic. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-tree-of-life-2)
- **Empire**, Ian Nathan: The critic praises the film as a sublime, profound and magical evocation of family life and the universe, a confirmation that cinema can aspire to art. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/tree-life-review/)
- **Evening Standard**: The critic was initially unconvincing on first viewing but found it enrapturing on second viewing, describing it as film-making as prayer and a major event worth seeing more than once. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-tree-of-life-review-7425700.html)
- **Sight and Sound**, Michael Atkinson: The critic views the film as an ambitious but self-indulgent Rorschach test that divides viewers, praising its lyrical boyhood scenes and visuals while criticizing the pretentious cosmic sequences and grandiosity as narcissistic. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/6361)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: Bradshaw calls the film a magnificent, toweringly ambitious and visionary work, passionately felt and deeply serious. He singles out its colossal Kubrickian symphony of cosmic and stellar images that place human family trauma in a vast, indifferent natural and universal perspective. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jul/07/the-tree-of-life-review)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy: The film is a singular, beauteous metaphysical inquiry into mankind’s place in the universe that provokes expansive philosophical musings. It balances cosmic spectacle with intimate family drama through impressionistic style and strong performances, especially Brad Pitt's. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/tree-life-cannes-review-188564/)
- **The Independent**: The critic finds it absorbing, intriguing and visually delightful but ultimately not quite satisfying or finished due to loose ends and cosmic portentousness, though still vital and sensuous. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-tree-of-life-terrence-malick-138-mins-12a-2308464.html)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a stunning film and Malick's greatest work to date. She praises the performances of Chastain and Pitt, the masterful editing of childhood vignettes against cosmic imagery, the stunning visuals and music, and the film's rare ability to evoke awe. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-tree-of-life-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **The Wrap**, Sasha Stone (85/100, inferred): The critic finds 'The Tree of Life' mysteriously beautiful and compares it favorably to '2001: A Space Odyssey,' arguing that it makes mystery itself the explanation for life's meaning. She singles out the film's cosmic and subconscious sequences for their subtlety and saturation with beauty. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/cannes-review-tree-life-saturated-beauty-27431/)
- **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (4/5): The film is a philosophical exploration of birth, death and suffering that rewards the viewer's patience with moments of genuine beauty. The critic singles out its ambitious contrast between personal family drama and epic cosmic sequences, including dinosaurs. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-tree-of-life-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (4/5): Malick distils the essence of life and death in an epic yet intimate family portrait that conveys the human need to find meaning in the bigger picture. The critic singles out the strikingly beautiful imagery and the accessible structure provided by the son's teenage rebellion. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a328383/the-tree-of-life/)
- **The Skinny**, Philip Concannon (4/5): Simultaneously the most ambitious and intimate work of Malick's career, the film links scenes through memories and emotions rather than conventional narrative. The critic singles out Malick's ability to capture serendipitous moments and elicit flawless performances amid awe-inspiring cosmic sequences. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-tree-of-life)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B-): The critic finds the film slow, ponderous, and overreaching in its cosmic scope but credits its ambition and visual majesty, likening it to 2001: A Space Odyssey while faulting its failure to cohesively blend the family drama with grander themes. Malick's reach exceeds his grasp despite worthwhile ideas. [Read](https://collider.com/the-tree-of-life-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Terrence Malick
- **Director:** Terrence Malick
- **Writer:** Terrence Malick
- **Cinematography:** Emmanuel Lubezki
- **Editor:** Mark Yoshikawa, Jay Rabinowitz, Hank Corwin, Daniel Rezende, Billy Weber
- **Music:** Alexandre Desplat
- **Production design:** Jack Fisk
- **Costume design:** Jacqueline West
- **Producer:** Grant Hill, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner
- **Cast:** Brad Pitt as Mr. O'Brien; Jessica Chastain as Mrs. O'Brien; Hunter McCracken as Young Jack; Sean Penn as Jack; Fiona Shaw as Grandmother; Tye Sheridan as Steve; Laramie Eppler as R.L.; Will Wallace as Architect
- **Runtime:** 2h 19m
- **Certificate (RTC):** B
- **Release (Mexico):** 21 October 2011
- **Genres:** Drama, Fantasy
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2011); [Palme d'Or winners](https://film.one/collections/palme-dor.md) (Winner, 2011)
- **Budget:** $32 million
- **Box office:** $55 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrAz1YLh8nY

## Where to watch in Mexico

Not streaming, renting or buying in Mexico at the last check.

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, DE, DK, FI, FR, GB, HK, ID, IE, IT, NL, NO, NZ, SE, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2012: Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Picture (nominated)
- Cannes Film Festival 2011: Palme d'Or (won)
- FIPRESCI Grand Prix 2011: FIPRESCI Grand Prix (won)

## If you liked this

- *Mirror* (1975): Another childhood remembered in fragments, with family feeling carrying the difficult passages.
- *Distant Voices, Still Lives* (1988), Fi1m 90: Family memories shaped by music, with affection and fear living uncomfortably close together. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/distant-voices-still-lives.md)
- *The Spirit of the Beehive* (1973), Fi1m 87: A child’s view of adult mysteries, told with patience and close attention to faces. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive.md)
- *After Life* (1998), Fi1m 85: Memory becomes something people must examine carefully, without losing the warmth of lived experience. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/after-life.md)
- *Petite maman* (2021), Fi1m 88: A smaller, plainer encounter with childhood and parenthood, no less moving for its scale. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/petite-maman.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-tree-of-life