The story of Jack O'Brien who as an adult recalls his life as a young boy and particularly his sometimes demanding and overly strict father. Jack childhood was not a happy one though he remembers his mother as an angel who would do anything for her children. His father was a hard working man and a loving father in many ways. He is frustrated however by his lack of success in life, something that he takes out on the rest of the family. Director Terrence Malick presents a highly visual mosaic to contrast the lives of his characters and the world in which they've evolved.—garykmcd