The Tree

The centerpiece of the Australian film The Tree actually is a massive fig tree, which at first observes the tumult that hits one family—and then becomes an active participant. Director Julie Bertuccelli wastes no time with pleasantries: A father of four is struck down in the film’s opening minutes, leaving his widow (Charlotte Gainsbourg) to care for the entire family. Her only daughter (Morgana Davies) believes that her father’s spirit lives in the tree, and eventually, the mother takes comfort there as well. Soon, the tree begins causing destruction—falling limbs, roots in the drainage system, etc.—and the metaphor is loud and clear: Feed the past long enough, and it will consume the present. Although Gainsbourg is typically fearless, The Tree is a little heavy-handed for its own good.