A Reel Review: TÁR

In 2001, director Todd Fields delivered his first feature film, IN THE BEDROOM, which earned him critical acclaim and several Oscar nominations. His follow-up, LITTLE CHILDREN in 2006 was also highly praised. He then took a long hiatus from the big screen, and finally returns in 2022 the with psychological drama TÁR. 

 

Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett), is a celebrated composer and the first female conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. As she prepares for an upcoming live recording, she faces professional and domestic issues including her family life and accusations from an ex-lover. 

 

Written and directed by Field, TÁR immediately feels like a real-world biopic, as it sets up a very realistic character living in today’s world. Lydia is considered one of the best composers and conductors of our time, having been one of the few to join the EGOT club (winning an Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar, and Tony Awards), and now preparing to finish a grand, life-long recording. But unlike the standard biopic of rise, fall, and rise again, TÁR focuses on just the fall. Lydia’s troubles range from a confrontational student, a dismissal of her long-time assistant conductor, showing favoritism towards a female celloist (whom she starts an affair with), and accusations from a past lover. This strains her personal life; her marriage to Sharon (Nina Hoss), and her career as social media picks up on her troubles.

 

Field is working on themes of how we judge artists when they are in and out of the spotlight, and the lengths those artists will take to preserve their art and their careers. Lydia does a lot of lying and sneaking around, but the work done to show her commitment to music makes it nearly understandable. The avalanche of problems Lydia faces seems overkill in places, but by mid-movie we get the feeling that either something bad will befall her, or that she may do something bad on her own. 

 

Field works with a non-traditional structure that gives TÁR a very unique identity. Things unspool in a linear fashion, but major events do not show the immediate after-effect, and instead jump way ahead to long-term consequences. Hints of character backgrounds are given and leaned into, and not given their final reveal until much later. This makes the viewer have to work hard to keep up and fill in the blanks on their own. Many scenes go on for a very long time and it often feels like an isolated stage-play. There is also a sub-plot of Lydia hearing strange noises while alone that is never clearly fleshed out. 

 

While TÁR may be frustrating in places, it shines in others. The conducting scenes are tremendous and truly give us the weight and power of a full orchestra. Some scenes are done in impressive and hard-to-believe long takes. 

 

Also impressive is the acting. Cate Blanchett is a powerhouse; strong at first and gradually fragile as she unravels; proving that she is the best working actress today. The rest of the cast is also excellent; Nina Hoss, Mark Strong, Sophie Kauer, and Julian Glover. 

 

TÁR, for most of its 157 minutes, feels like it’s going to end on an unhappy note for Lydia. While she does wind up in a personal hell, it feels proper and certainly earned. TÁR is worth a viewing due to Blanchett’s amazing performance, but don’t be surprised if the non-traditional structure leaves a sour note or two. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it