Thursday, September 19, 2013

The impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son Jack through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

Review

Unlike a novel the stories in this movie do not unfold revelation following revelation culminating in a definable message or theme. There is no moral no hero no emotional epiphanies. What it presents is an extraordinarily haunting vision of childhood how the things we love the most are as fragile as morning dew yet immensely powerful. The things that connect us separate us and bewilder us again and again and again throughout our lives. The saddest most insightful most poignant portrayal of a family I have ever seen. Genius. How can this film achieve commercial success it seems impossible. How did a film so ambitious get made when everything that makes money today is everything this film isn't Bravo to the producers bravo to the early critics who are stepping up and speaking out for this deeply moving masterpiece.