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The Tree

Name: The Tree
Director: Stephen Wallace Pruitt
Released: 2017
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

5.7/10

Fair

2017

Director

Stephen Wallace Pruitt

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Tree successfully challenges age-related stereotypes by placing an elderly woman at the center of a actively leading journey. This focus on female autonomy provides a fresh perspective on aging and friendship. However, the film lacks depth in representing diverse identities. The narrative follows a conventional, homogeneous demographic pattern, lacking racial diversity or engagement with systemic critiques.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Tree have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on a strong, lifelong bond between two women. It avoids typical romantic clichés by emphasizing a deep female connection.

How does The Tree portray gender?

Fair

The narrative centers around an 88-year-old widow who drives a solo road trip. This portrayal resists the cliché of elderly passivity and dependence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Tree?

Limited

The story follows a homogeneous demographic structure typical of localized Midwestern dramas. There is no evidence of a multi-ethnic or diverse cast within the narrative.

How does The Tree represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film celebrates individual connections and nostalgia in a sentimental manner. It does not actively seek to deconstruct Western institutions or promote specific systemic critiques.

Does The Tree include disability representation?

Limited

The plot explores the vulnerabilities of aging but lacks central themes related to neurodivergence or physical disabilities. It is unclear if disability is addressed with specific intentionality.

Present on Screen

Challenges age-related stereotypes by giving significant narrative autonomy to an elderly female protagonist.
Highlights deep, emotional female bonds that deviate from standard romantic structures.

Limited or Absent

Could benefit from more diverse representation to reflect a broader range of identities.
May improve by engaging with systemic critiques and providing a more diverse cultural framework.

Official Synopsis

Inspired by an actual friendship between the director's mother and his mother's best friend, 'The Tree' is a poignant, heart-warming story about an 88 year-old widow (Dorothy Thorp) who takes a road trip from Wamego, Kansas, back to Terre Haute, Indiana, to visit her oldest and dearest childhood friend.

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