The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life centres on a family in 1950s Texas, seen largely through the eyes of Jack, the eldest of three brothers. His mother embodies love and grace, while his father, a stern and pragmatic man, insists that the world rewards those who put themselves first. Caught between these opposing outlooks, Jack's early sense of wonder gives way as he encounters hardship, suffering and loss, and the world that once seemed clear becomes difficult to read. The film moves between his childhood and his adult life, when he is a searching, unsettled man looking back on his upbringing.

Terrence Malick directed and wrote the film, the fifth in a directing career that began with Badlands in 1973 and continued through Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line and The New World. Brad Pitt, a producer here, plays Mr. O'Brien, with Jessica Chastain as Mrs. O'Brien, Hunter McCracken as the young Jack and Sean Penn as the adult Jack.

Made for about 32 million US dollars, it returned roughly 55 million worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6.8/10 from around 192,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.7/10 from some 3,420 votes, while the critics' rating stands at 8.3/10 from 293 reviews, a notably warmer response than that of the general audience.