The Sea of Trees
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGus Van Sant
Written byChris Sparling
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKasper Tuxen
Edited byPietro Scalia
Music byMason Bates
Production
companies
  • Bloom
  • Gil Netter Productions
  • Waypoint Entertainment
Distributed byA24
Release dates
  • May 16, 2015 (2015-05-16) (Cannes)
  • August 26, 2016 (2016-08-26) (United States)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
Japanese
Budget$25 million[1]
Box office$850,985[2]

The Sea of Trees is a 2015 American drama mystery film directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Chris Sparling. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Ken Watanabe, Naomi Watts, Katie Aselton and Jordan Gavaris.

The film is about an American man who attempts suicide in Aokigahara, an infamous suicide hotspot in Japan, where he meets a Japanese man who is there for the same reason. Principal photography began on July 28, 2014, in Foxborough, Massachusetts; the production moved to Japan in September of the same year. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[3][4]

The film was released on August 26, 2016, by A24.[5] It received negative reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing mere $825,577 on a $25 million budget.

Plot

Arthur Brennan, an adjunct physics professor, travels to Aokigahara ("The Suicide Forest") with a sealed package. Once there, he attempts to end his life via drug overdose but encounters a Japanese man named Takumi Nakamura. Takumi entered the forest two days prior and slit his wrists because he was demoted at work, but soon realized he would miss his wife and daughter. Since then, he has tried to escape the dense sea of trees but cannot find the trail back. Arthur decides to help but the two end up disoriented and lost. To keep their minds occupied, they share details about their lives, including the names of Takumi's wife and daughter: "Kiiro" and "Fuyu."

Through flashbacks, it is revealed that Arthur lived in a crumbling marriage alongside his wife Joan, a real estate agent. Joan resented Arthur for his affair with Gabriella, his coworker, and always putting his own needs before their needs as a couple. Arthur despised Joan's alcoholism and constant need to demean him for earning less money than her. One night, Joan suffers a heavy nosebleed after a vicious argument. They go to the hospital, where she is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Joan and Arthur slowly rekindle their love for each other. After her surgery, they reminisce about trips to their lake house where Joan would spend hours walking amongst the orchids. He says he will take her there when she is fully recovered.

Joan is transported to a recovery hospital. Arthur follows behind the ambulance in his car while talking to her on the phone. He jokes about not knowing what her favorite color or season is. Before Joan can respond, a truck plows into the ambulance, killing her. At her funeral, Arthur tells the funeral director he did not really know her even after being married for years. The director replies he overheard one of Joan's sisters saying she mailed a copy of Joan's favorite book to Arthur's house.

Back in the present, Arthur and Takumi struggle to escape the forest. They survive falls, a flash flood, dehydration, and hypothermia over the course of a single night. Along the way, they encounter the bodies of others who succeeded in ending their lives. They take refuge in a tent with a corpse who brought emergency supplies with him. Sitting by a campfire, Arthur tells Takumi he is in the forest because of his guilt over how he and Joan treated each other.

The next morning, Arthur leaves an ill Takumi by the tent to try and find help. He promises Takumi he will come back for him. Arthur uses the walkie-talkie from the deceased camper and makes contact with the park rangers. He tries to help but is too weak to inform them that Takumi is still in the forest.

12 days later, Arthur is being evaluated by a hospital psychiatrist before his release. His plans are to return to the forest and find Takumi; the psychiatrist informs him that the rangers found the tent he spoke of but did not find anyone there. She also claims that there is no one by the name of Takumi Nakamura who has a wife and daughter with the names Takumi mentioned, and that the camera at the entrance to the park only shows Arthur entering the forest.

Arthur returns to the forest and finds the unopened package he left behind when he first found Takumi. Arthur locates the tent and coat he used to cover Takumi for warmth but finds a beautiful orchid in Takumi's place. He remembers Takumi describing the forest as a form of purgatory, where the spirits of your loved ones are closest during your darkest moments. He opens the package containing Joan's favorite book: a copy of Hansel and Gretel. Arthur realizes that Takumi was Joan's spirit and is helping him heal his guilt.

Arthur returns to the United States and brings the orchid with him. During office hours, Arthur's student Eric reveals that the names of Takumi's wife and daughter are not names but words that mean "yellow" and "winter." Arthur remembers the last conversation he had with his wife about her favorite color and season. He travels to the lake house and plants the orchid in Joan's garden.

Cast

Production

The project was first announced in December 2013.[7] Matthew McConaughey joined the cast in February 2014[6] with Naomi Watts joining in May of that year [1] The film's international distribution was sold to different companies at 2014 Cannes Film Festival, which includes Entertainment One to handle the rights for UK, Australia and New Zealand, and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions to handle for Eastern Europe, Pan-Latin America and Scandinavia.[10] On August 15, Katie Aselton joined the cast to play a woman who has an affair with McConaughey's character.[8]

Filming

On May 15, 2014, McConaughey and director Van Sant talked about the upcoming film which was officially slated to start on July 15, Van Sant said, "My latest feelings is to try to shoot in Japan, if it's too difficult, we would probably go to the northwest in the States, where the land is very similar."[11] The film's budget was set at $25 million with McConaughey receiving a $3.5 million salary.[12]

The principal photography of the film began on July 28, 2014, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.[13] The crews were filming deep in the woods in the Purgatory Chasm, Sutton, Massachusetts, where they were also using the recreation hall and chapel at Cocasset River Recreation Area, which they scheduled to rent again on August 14.[14] Publicist Gregg Brilliant said, "The film makers looked at about half a dozen places around the country. The story takes place in Japan and the Northeast United States, and we chose Massachusetts. It's a beautiful location."[15]

Shooting began in Massachusetts through September, after which filming moved to Japan.[15] The filming wrapped-up on September 30, 2014, in Massachusetts and Japan, with post-production beginning in Los Angeles.[16]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2015.[17] Prior to, Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate acquired U.S distribution rights to the film.[18] A24 later acquired distribution rights, after Roadside and Lionsgate dropped the film for unknown reasons.[19] The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on August 26, 2016.[20]

Reception

The Sea of Trees was panned by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 17%, based on 52 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10. The consensus states, "Dull, maudlin, and fundamentally empty, The Sea of Trees extinguishes the contributions of a talented cast and marks a depressing low point in director Gus Van Sant's career."[21] On Metacritic the film has a score of 23 out of 100 score, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[22]

At its May 2015 debut at the Cannes Film Festival, the film was met with harsh critical reception; it was loudly booed and laughed at by an audience of critics,[23][24] with critic Scott Foundas calling it a film "for nobody."[25] Some critics were more impressed by the film; Pete Hammond wrote "Their film deserves a better fate" and he praised its "pared sentimentality." While Hammond was also impressed with the "beautiful lush score",[26] others found it "cloying" and "ever-present."[27]

Critic Richard Mowe stated this audience reaction should "give the film’s creative team pause for reflection about exactly where they went so badly awry."[28] Justin Chang, chief film critic for Variety, deemed the film "dramatically stillborn, commercially unpromising", though Chang did single out the film's aesthetic as noteworthy, stating "Cinematographer Kasper Tuxen works wonders with the forest's softly diffused light by day, and makes exquisite use of a campfire to illuminate McConaughey's and Watanabe's faces at night." He also described co-star Naomi Watts as "solidly moving and sometimes awesomely passive-aggressive." Nonetheless, he concludes that the film is, "Almost impressive in the way it shifts from dreary two-hander to so-so survival thriller to terminal-illness weepie to M. Night Shyamalan/Nicholas Sparks-level spiritual hokum, this risibly long-winded drama is perhaps above all a profound cultural insult, milking the lush green scenery of Japan's famous Aokigahara forest for all it's worth, while giving co-lead Ken Watanabe little to do other than moan in agony, mutter cryptically, and generally try to act as though McConaughey's every word isn't boring him (pardon the expression) to death."[29]

Further critical dissatisfaction with the film has been attributed to the fact that "the twists and turns of this narrative fail to ring true with too many implausibilities in the plotting to give any credibility"[28] and with its "complete lack of narrative momentum, it all adds up to a film that's easily Van Sant's worst, and is a sad black mark on McConaughey's mostly excellent recent run. Ultimately, "Sea of Trees" feels like an entirely appropriate title: it makes you feel like you're drowning, and it's full of sap."[27]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pamela, McClintock; Ford, Rebecca (May 15, 2014). "Cannes: Naomi Watts in Talks to Join Matthew McConaughey in Sea of Trees". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  2. ↑ "The Sea of Trees". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  3. ↑ "2015 Official Selection". Cannes. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Screenings Guide". Festival de Cannes. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  5. ↑ Raup, Jordan (August 8, 2016). "Matthew McConaughey Enters 'The Sea of Trees' in U.S. Trailer For Gus Van Sant's Drama". The Film Stage. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Borys, Kit (February 4, 2014). "Matthew McConaughey to Star in Gus Van Sant's Sea of Trees". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  7. 1 2 James, Silverwolfe (December 5, 2013). "Gus Van Sant & Ken Watanabe Journey to The Sea of Trees". The Tracking Board. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  8. 1 2 Kit, Borys; Siegel, Tatiana (August 15, 2014). "'League' Star Katie Aselton Joins Matthew McConaughey in 'Sea of Trees'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (September 30, 2014). "'Orphan Black' Actor Jordan Gavaris Joins Matthew McConaughey in 'The Sea of Trees'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ Ramin, Setoodeh (May 21, 2014). "Matthew McConaughey Drama Lands Worldwide Distribution Deals". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  11. ↑ Ramin, Setoodeh (May 15, 2014). "Cannes: Matthew McConaughey Talks Sea of Trees with Gus Van Sant". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  12. ↑ Bord, Christine (July 29, 2014). "Matthew McConaughey salary". On Location Vacations. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  13. ↑ Bord, Christine (July 29, 2014). "Matthew McConaughey filming The Sea of Trees in Foxboro, MA". On Location Vacations. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  14. ↑ Allen, Paige (July 28, 2014). "Matthew McConaughey making movie in Foxboro". The Sun Chronicle. United Communications Corporation. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Matthew McConaughey filming The Sea of Trees in Foxborough". WHDH. Foxborough, Massachusetts: WorldNow. July 30, 2014. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  16. ↑ McNary, Dave (September 30, 2014). "'Orphan Black' Actor Jordan Gavaris Joins Matthew McConaughey in 'Sea of Trees'". Variety.com. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  17. ↑ Towers, Andrea (May 13, 2015). "See Matthew McConaughey in the first clip for Sea of Trees". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  18. ↑ McClintock, Pamela; Ford, Rebecca (May 13, 2015). "Cannes: Matthew McConaughey's 'Sea of Trees' Sells to Roadside, Lionsgate in U.S." The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  19. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (June 24, 2016). "Matthew McConaughey Drama 'The Sea of Trees' Moves to A24 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  20. ↑ Sharf, Zach (August 8, 2016). "'The Sea Of Trees' Trailer: Matthew McConaughey Has A Crisis Of Faith In Notorious Gus Van Sant Drama". Indiewire. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  21. ↑ "The Sea of Trees". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  22. ↑ "The Sea of Trees". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Gus Van Sant's 'Sea of Trees' Booed at Cannes Premiere". Variety. May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  24. ↑ Reinstein, Mara (May 15, 2015). "Matthew McConaughey's Film The Sea of Trees Booed, Laughed at During Cannes Film Festival". usmagazine.com. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Scott Foundas on Twitter". Twitter.
  26. ↑ Pete Hammond (15 May 2015). "Cannes Critics Boo Gus Van Sant, Matthew McConaughey Competition Film 'The Sea Of Trees' - Deadline". Deadline.
  27. 1 2 Lyttelton, Oliver (May 15, 2015). "Cannes Review: Gus Van Sant's 'The Sea of Trees' Starring Matthew McConaughey, Ken Watanabe & Naomi Watts". IndieWire. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  28. 1 2 Mowe, Richard (May 15, 2015). "The Sea of Trees (2015) Review". Eye for Film. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  29. ↑ Chang, Justin (May 15, 2015). "Cannes Film Review: 'The Sea of Trees'". Variety. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
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