State whether the film The Tree of Life is a realistic or formalistic narrative and briefly explain why

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: The ideal answer should include:
1. The Tree of Life is a formalistic narrative for several reasons including its theme (which is very personal), its style (which is avant-garde and often lyrical) and its narrative (which is complex).
2. It is formalistic because it is an avant-garde film that dispenses with a narrative story line in favor of a highly personal, impressionistic approach. The movie embodies autobiographical elements from Terrence Malick’s childhood in Waco, Texas, during the 1950s, as well as philosophical and religious concerns.
3. There is also very little dialogue, and what little there is seems “overheard” rather than dramatically declaimed.
4. It has often been compared to Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey because Malick’s movie is cosmic in scope, exploring ideas not explicitly set forth but poetically evoked, though Malick’s movie is also much warmer and more humanistically grounded.
5. The movie does not necessarily appeal to those who prefer a clear-cut story line. But as critic Roger Ebert pointed out, the film’s enormous ambition and complexity make most conventional movies look trivial in comparison.