The Tree of Life

Only once in a blue moon does a film as mysterious as The Tree of Life come around. Judging by the trailer alone is enough to make one's head hurt. Apparently the movie is about the creation of the world and a family who we follow through their lives. There are also dinosaurs in it (I'm not kidding). The director behind the film is just as mysterious. Anyways, scoring the film came the highly thematic and melodic composer Alexandre Desplat, who's primary work seems to be foreign and artsy projects.

The score for The Tree of Life is as eclectic and powerful as one could expect. It brings to mind Philip Glass's artsy styled scores for various films, including The Truman Show and Koyaanisqatsi. The primary instrument for the music is a piano, with occasional appearances by an orchestra. A word of caution, anyone looking for a straightforward film score will be disappointed. The music is very stand alone, much like works for documentary films.

Fortunately that's not a bad thing. Whenever the orchestra steps in, expect some powerful and gripping melodies to flow in and out of your ears. The combination violin and piano work is expert here as well. As the score progresses along, the music takes different eclectic turns, ranging from broad strokes to soft themes playing off each other. My one complaint about the album, though, is that it is too eclectic for it's own good. In the context of the film, Desplat's score is amazing. Outside of it, though, the music is a tad too slow. Each track flows into each other but unfortunately, you can't really go back and pick your favorite cue.

Alexandre Desplat is a composer who has a true ear for music. The Tree of Life does exhibit some of his best music, but unfortunately it really doesn't feel like a true film score. More like something in a documentary or a nature video. On the album the music flows very well (both a good thing and a bad thing). Whoo will enjoy this score the most? Anyone willing to play it while; painting a picture, having a picnic by the lake, fishing at a quiet location, or sitting in a hammock. It's a wonderful selection of music in that context.