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The Tree

The Tree

Drama · 2010

The O'Neills lived happily in their house in the Australian countryside. That was until one day fate struck blindly, taking the life of Peter, the father, leaving his grief-stricken wife Dawn alone with their four children. Among them, eight-year-old Simone denies this reality. She is persuaded that her father still lives in the giant fig tree growing near their house and speaks to her through its leaves. But the tree becomes more and more invasive and threatens the house. It must be felled. Of course, Simone won't allow it.

Movie details

The Tree

“Life is a force of nature”

2010 Drama 1h 40m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

The O'Neills lived happily in their house in the Australian countryside. That was until one day fate struck blindly, taking the life of Peter, the father, leaving his grief-stricken wife Dawn alone with their four children. Among them, eight-year-old Simone denies this reality. She is persuaded that her father still lives in the giant fig tree growing near their house and speaks to her through its leaves. But the tree becomes more and more invasive and threatens the house. It must be felled. Of course, Simone won't allow it.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Tree?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Julie Bertuccelli

Written by

Julie Bertuccelli · Elizabeth J. Mars

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Dawn O'Neil

Morgan Davies

Morgan Davies

Simone O'Neil

Marton Csokas

Marton Csokas

George Elrick

Christian Byers

Christian Byers

Tim O'Neil

Tom Russell

Tom Russell

Lou O'Neil

G

Gabriel Gotting

Charlie O'Neil

Aden Young

Aden Young

Peter O'Neil

Court is in session

Put The Tree on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.