Sean Penn on The Tree of Life:

"The screenplay is the most magnificent one that I've ever read but I couldn't find that same emotion on screen," he said. "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." Link

I don't think the structure was too convoluted, but I agree that Sean Penn's character was completely unnecessary.

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