Bereavement happening to a young family is double-edged. In one way is particularly sad. However, the strength of recovery is stronger. This movie takes an intimate unpretentious look at such a family during the year following the tragedy.
The opening scene, almost like a prologue, shows a not-quite-forty-ish couple Dawn and Peter sharing a few intimate moments in a serene evening on a hammock in the front yard of their somewhat Spartan house in the Australian Outback. The next scene, after the title display, shows Peter on his regular job, a short trip hauling a prefab house to whatever destination. Job done, Peter a short way from home is met by 8-year-old Simone (who later in the movie claims to be his favourite child). Upon reaching home, Peter stumbles onto the steering wheel, Simone frantically calls for help and everybody rushes out from the house, to find their loved one beyond revival from a sudden heart attack. All of the above take place within the first dew minutes of the movie.
During the funeral, we find out more about the family of 4 children. Teenage Tim suddenly finds that he becomes the man of the family. Lou is about Simone's age, the natural sibling rival. They accuse each other of trying to gain attention (pretty mature psychology from these two kids) – Lou's cutting his hair short and Simone's climbing up a gigantic Moreton Bay fig tree just in front of their house. Charles is only a little more than a toddler.
Dawn's initial depression is understandable, as is her recovery. While the movie is largely character driven, there are two main plot elements. One is Dawn finding a job as a clerk-of-all-trade in a plumbing store owned by a man named George. Although it is only 8 months after the bereavement, Dawn is after all relatively young. The development of a romantic relationship is understandable, as George is really a nice guy. He I also an ideal father substitute, but there are two problems: it's too soon, and he is NOT Peter. (This somehow reminds me of a recent re-watch of Indiana Jones 4 on TV, when he told the rediscovered Marion that he has had several romantic encounters after her but the women all had the same problem, "They're not you, honey"). While the other kids accept George, Simone is the one that feels so strongly about this that there simply can be no compromise.
The other, titular, plot element is the aforementioned tree that Simone takes to climbing up, talking to, and even sleeping on. She even seems to have convinced Dawn that Peter's spirit dwells in the tree. And it's up to the audiences' interpretation – whether mother and daughter's communication with the tree is a supernatural or simply a psychological phenomenon.
The climatic dramatic conflict expectedly comes from these two plot lines. Mother and daughter's confrontation about George comes to a head. In parallel, the over-growth of the tree has lead to threats on the underground drainage system of the complaining neighbourhood. Its obvious fate seems inevitable.
As mentioned, this movie is after all mainly character driven. The general texture is quietly contemplative. For example, when Dawn asks Tim who is about to leave home to seek his own life if he think that their family is a happy one, the answer from this teenager is typically non-committal, something to the effect that like every other family, theirs is "a bore". There is no negative connotation, but just a motherhood statement that while there would of course be joys and woes, when you live day and day out with your family, life would usually tend to be rather flat. Throughout the movie after their initial bereavement, we share with this family their daily life, sometimes tender, sometimes whimsical, sometimes irritating, always realistic.
Cannes (2009) Best Actress winner, bilingual Charlotte Gainsbourg, as always, is wonderful, and completely convincing as Dawn going through a rather tremulous emotional roller-coaster. Equally marvellous, as Simone, is Morgana Davies, little heard of to-date but does not suffer in any way in comparison with the best of them such as Abigail Breslin or Elle Fanning. Supporting them is a solid, capable cast. Photography and background score are appropriately excellent.
The opening scene, almost like a prologue, shows a not-quite-forty-ish couple Dawn and Peter sharing a few intimate moments in a serene evening on a hammock in the front yard of their somewhat Spartan house in the Australian Outback. The next scene, after the title display, shows Peter on his regular job, a short trip hauling a prefab house to whatever destination. Job done, Peter a short way from home is met by 8-year-old Simone (who later in the movie claims to be his favourite child). Upon reaching home, Peter stumbles onto the steering wheel, Simone frantically calls for help and everybody rushes out from the house, to find their loved one beyond revival from a sudden heart attack. All of the above take place within the first dew minutes of the movie.
During the funeral, we find out more about the family of 4 children. Teenage Tim suddenly finds that he becomes the man of the family. Lou is about Simone's age, the natural sibling rival. They accuse each other of trying to gain attention (pretty mature psychology from these two kids) – Lou's cutting his hair short and Simone's climbing up a gigantic Moreton Bay fig tree just in front of their house. Charles is only a little more than a toddler.
Dawn's initial depression is understandable, as is her recovery. While the movie is largely character driven, there are two main plot elements. One is Dawn finding a job as a clerk-of-all-trade in a plumbing store owned by a man named George. Although it is only 8 months after the bereavement, Dawn is after all relatively young. The development of a romantic relationship is understandable, as George is really a nice guy. He I also an ideal father substitute, but there are two problems: it's too soon, and he is NOT Peter. (This somehow reminds me of a recent re-watch of Indiana Jones 4 on TV, when he told the rediscovered Marion that he has had several romantic encounters after her but the women all had the same problem, "They're not you, honey"). While the other kids accept George, Simone is the one that feels so strongly about this that there simply can be no compromise.
The other, titular, plot element is the aforementioned tree that Simone takes to climbing up, talking to, and even sleeping on. She even seems to have convinced Dawn that Peter's spirit dwells in the tree. And it's up to the audiences' interpretation – whether mother and daughter's communication with the tree is a supernatural or simply a psychological phenomenon.
The climatic dramatic conflict expectedly comes from these two plot lines. Mother and daughter's confrontation about George comes to a head. In parallel, the over-growth of the tree has lead to threats on the underground drainage system of the complaining neighbourhood. Its obvious fate seems inevitable.
As mentioned, this movie is after all mainly character driven. The general texture is quietly contemplative. For example, when Dawn asks Tim who is about to leave home to seek his own life if he think that their family is a happy one, the answer from this teenager is typically non-committal, something to the effect that like every other family, theirs is "a bore". There is no negative connotation, but just a motherhood statement that while there would of course be joys and woes, when you live day and day out with your family, life would usually tend to be rather flat. Throughout the movie after their initial bereavement, we share with this family their daily life, sometimes tender, sometimes whimsical, sometimes irritating, always realistic.
Cannes (2009) Best Actress winner, bilingual Charlotte Gainsbourg, as always, is wonderful, and completely convincing as Dawn going through a rather tremulous emotional roller-coaster. Equally marvellous, as Simone, is Morgana Davies, little heard of to-date but does not suffer in any way in comparison with the best of them such as Abigail Breslin or Elle Fanning. Supporting them is a solid, capable cast. Photography and background score are appropriately excellent.