Sean Penn On 'The Tree Of Life': 'I Didn't Find On The Screen The Emotion Of The Script'

Sean Penn is taking a page from Katherine Heigl's book and slamming his own film. He told French newspaper Le Figaro that "The Tree of Life" didn't measure up to his expectations, and offers some advice on how it could have. The following is a translation, courtesy of the New Yorker:

I didn't at all find on the screen the emotion of the script, which is the most magnificent one that I've ever read. A clearer and more conventional narrative would have helped the film without, in my opinion, lessening its beauty and its impact. Frankly, I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing there and what I was supposed to add in that context! What's more, Terry himself never managed to explain it to me clearly.

Someone sounds a little bitter that his role in "The Tree of Life" was chopped down mercilessly.

Penn does play a role, though. It's just more of a symbolic one that provides some context to the film and propels the plot forward... as opposed to a role that he could necessarily pull off better than another capable actor.

To be fair, it must be kind of off-putting to see yourself inserted into a film without really knowing what you're doing there. Penn's role felt incongruous at times (particularly toward the end, where things start to get awkward). Whenever his character shows up, we're supposed to draw something from his pained expressions, but the emotional impact of him merely being there isn't always as strong as it should be.

On the other hand, it sounds like Penn is basing the quality of the film on his role alone. Did he forget the overwhelmingly emotional scenes with Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain? And the dinosaurs?!

Penn wraps it up with something a little more diplomatic (based on our rough translation):

"It's a film I recommend on the condition that one go only without preconceptions. It's up to each to find a personal, emotional, or spiritual connection. Those that reach this generally leave very moved."

Nice save.

Comments

[orkt]

07:36 PM on 08/30/2011

You can hate on Sean Penn all you want, but he is absolutely correct. He did not belong in that movie; the entire part he played has no business in that movie. The film was like an elegant table of gourmet delights gathered up and put into a blender. A complete mess.

[Lindstr7]

12:38 PM on 08/25/2011

I find it hard to imagine that Penn will ever be better than he was in "Milk" a masterful, tour de force performance. Other than that, meh.

[rationalthought1]

04:42 PM on 09/02/2011

I thought Penn was better in "The Sweet Lowdown". "Milk" was decent but his performance wasn't on the level of Mickey Rourke's in "The Wrestler", and I think it was obvious that Sean Penn knew that - I appreciate his acknowledgment of Rourke's magnificent performance.

[Lindstr7]

08:57 PM on 09/02/2011

I suppose, although I saw The Wrestler and it didn't touch me the way it did many. I may have to have a second look. I had a feeling that the adulation for Rourke was based more on emotion for his comeback (and a script that was right for rourke on so many levels) than it was for his actual performance, which was good and raw but he seemed to be playing himself (some would argue that THAT is a sign of a seamless performance - that there is no acting there). Penn as Milk seemed so out of character for him but he pulled it off so flawlessly that I lost Sean Penn while watching Harvey Milk and I was mesmerized by him.

[OldSarg]

10:37 PM on 08/24/2011

The truth be known, he is better off with his mouth shut. The dude may be able to act but he fails in life. . .

[CharlesFarls]

02:40 PM on 08/25/2011

I am sure the hundreds of people he has helped would disagree. How many have you helped?

[OldSarg]

02:55 PM on 08/25/2011

Since you seem to be the one keeping count: What hundreds of people? The hundreds of people he has helped enslave by backing Chavez in venezuela as they stole the peoples property? The hundreds of people who go without food and medical care in Cuban as he backs the dictator Fidel? What hundreds of people has he helped? You mean all the wonderful work he does for the camera or how about the contruction workers he employes to build his Plantations? Maybe it's the housekeepers he pays minimum wages too? Which hundreds are we talking about?

[DCvote]

02:20 PM on 08/24/2011

Tree of Life is fantastic. While not Malick's best film (imo) it is one of the most thought provoking films in recent memory. I haven't seen a movie that created this much conversation after in a while.

[BurritoT]

05:49 AM on 08/23/2011

He loves Hugo though.

[luminavi]

11:11 PM on 08/22/2011

Hey, I may not agree all the time with Penn's politics, but I can't and won't argue with his command of his craft.

The movie was an unmitigated and pretentious stinker. It was a religious experience only by how godawful it was.

[Lindstr7]

12:39 PM on 08/25/2011

kicks over your anthill.....how's it feel!

[Cat9]

09:59 PM on 08/22/2011

Between his last two flops, Fair Game and Tree of Life, I'd say Penn's career is going the way of his polictics......circling the drain!

[Susan Casella]

05:56 PM on 08/22/2011

To me this movie was like a kaleidoscope, you can look at pretty and disjointed changing scenes for a short time but the lack of purpose, meaning or true narrative makes the painful 2+ hours hard to endure. I would much prefer a film about the meaning of life rather than the life of Conan the Barbarian any day, but if I can't even decipher the meaning of the movie, than it's a fail in my opinion.

[GovernorOdius]

04:52 PM on 08/22/2011

If there ever was a malcontent that had no clear idea why he was a malcontent, it would have to be Sean Penn. Is there any article where he has something nice/good to say about anything/anyone?

[KitchenCabinet]

05:00 PM on 08/22/2011

I think you are talking about yourself.

[The Smartest Monkees]

05:17 PM on 08/22/2011

He could do like most wealthy Republicans do, and sit at home counting his money while whining about taxes.
Instead, he tries to make a difference for the good in the world. And when one spends enough time working in a place like Haiti, I would imagine it would make one a bit of a malcontent.
After watching people who are happy just to receive any ration of the necessities of life they can get, whining millionaires crying about taxes must surely turn his stomach.

[Parade Keegan]

06:03 PM on 08/22/2011

Ya, I especially like his support of Chavez, that shows sensitivity and insight. It's a world changer alright! (sarcasm)

[GovernorOdius]

06:16 PM on 08/22/2011

Yet he could say something positive but does not. How do you spell curmudgeon? You can catch more flies with honey. I'm glad he follows his bliss...but he's not blissful.

[Lleah]

04:33 PM on 08/22/2011

"Tree of Life" was the most profound movie I have ever seen...funny, just speaking to an expert yesterday who , although is a huge Penn fan, found that he was not well suited for this role. Kind of a "hard" personna for such a reflective character. Brad Pitt was phenomenal. I urge anyone who is interested to see the film twice...there is much to see and many perspectives to comtemplate.
It has already disappeared from screens in my area....worry that the impact will not be the same on DVD.

[Paddy999]

04:32 PM on 08/22/2011

I have never walked out of a movie. I did want to but I was not on the end to get out easy, so I stayed. It was the worst movie. I made a vow to myself, if I cannot tell what the movie is about watching the trailer, I will not watch it. Each time I have watched a trailer that made no sense. I usually hate the movie.

[Jacobin1789]

04:16 PM on 08/22/2011

I think it was the most pretentious movie I've ever seen. Who hasn't reflected on the vastness of time and the universe and our small place in it? However, a film that attempts to present ALL CREATION very easily risks coming off as laughably dwarfish. The movie was a overly long cinematic analogy to Harding's monologue in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKW1lCkeGmg

[Daws]

03:51 PM on 08/22/2011

I don't have a problem with actors criticizing movies they've been in. I appreciate the honesty and to hear their take on it. It's a unique perspective.

[MikeDu]

03:35 PM on 08/22/2011

As a general rule, if there's a book involved with a film people who loved the book tend to be disappointed in the film. Its not that great a leap for actors who fell in love with a script to think the final product fell short. Films are very much made by committee.

[Vote2bfree]

03:34 PM on 08/22/2011

He never should have given up acting with Madonna. ...ahem.

[GovernorOdius]

04:57 PM on 08/22/2011

Two wrongs don't make it right.