Many people say that this is a semi-autobiographical work. Yes, Malick met a woman Michèle Morette in France in the 1980s, married her in 1985 and returned to Texas, and then divorced in 1998. At St. Stephen's School in Austin, Texas, he met his high school girlfriend, Alexandra "Ecky" Wallace. So it's not surprising that this is an overly personal film, especially since his old man is that way.
Affleck's Neil in this film seems to be a minimal supporting role. Everyone around him, Marina, Jane, and Father Quintana, had their own monologue, while he himself was taciturn. And as I said before, Malick is Neil, he looks at everything around him, so he is the protagonist, these trivial pieces of life are like his personal diary.
The main line seems to be very simple, that is, about the emotional entanglement between a man and two women, which was written into a poetic chapter by Malick. It is estimated that the most scenes in the whole film are women dancing and jumping. In fields, parks, yards, everywhere. This is also one of the things that I don't understand the most. These actions are intended to break free from the bondage of love and fly to freedom? Or just some natural behavior? The woman Marina met by chance, Anna, told her "Leave while you can" "Live and do what you like" "You need to fly". Marina is good at expressing emotions, while Neil is more introverted, and their unmatched lifestyles will eventually bring them on and off.
This film is not only about love, but also about another kind of love. In the line of Father Quintana, he visited those who were poor and frustrated in life, while silently reciting "Christ, be with me.". Teaching in the church: "There is a love, that is like a stream that goes dry, when rain no longer feeds it; But there is a love, that is like a spring coming up from the earth.". The first is Human Love and the second is Divine Love. This should also be an important view of Malick's religious beliefs.
After watching the film, I kept wondering what the hell is Wonderland? Is it referring to the French Mont Saint Michel that echoes from beginning to end? Or does it refer to the most balanced point between the aggregation and separation of two people's love? Everyone should have their own answer.
In addition, Malick's filming speed is getting faster and faster, and The Tree of Life was released less than two years after filming. The film's erratic shots, trivial lines, and panoramic descriptions of blockbuster landscapes seem to be a shadow of the previous film. I just hope Malick can calm down and make more philosophical films.
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