‘Tár’ (2022)
Dir.: Todd Field
Wow, so much to unpack. It may take me days to process this film. Firstly - Cate Blanchett - what a performance, it is absolutely stellar. Blanchett plays Lydia Tár, a successful classical conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This is possible career best territory. The control Blanchett has whether speaking English or German is utterly spellbinding. The audience is given absolute plausibility that we are witnessing a world leading, uber intellectual, driven, workaholic composer conductor. I bought it.
Next - the direction. It is meticulously crafted, so well researched, from everything like the classical music, scoring, orchestral arrangements, music conservatories to the modern facets of life as a high profile professional in Berlin. There are minute details placed in this film, both in dialogue and in plot drivers that are there to symbolize the character arc that Tár goes through – right up until the very last scene, in which little devices and props are used to convey the situation Tár finds herself in. Director Todd Field has pulled off a master work here. At it’s heart it’s a character study, but it’s also an extremely complex look at cancel culture, modernity, the high brow versus the low brow, institutionalised behaviour, abuse of power, separating art versus the artist, politicising art, personal morals regarding art and so much more. Much of the first half of the film feels like a European film, (perhaps to keep in tune with the location), as there are long scenes that are dialogue heavy and static cameras with barely any action to speak of; but the film is teaching the viewer about the lead character all the time and it demands heavy concentration. Fans of directors like Darren Aronofsky, Ruben Ostlund and Pablo Larrain may well love this film.
There is one long take scene that is so well directed and acted that the tension and angst is almost uncomfortable to watch. Other scenes are straying into psychological horror territory as the viewer is almost put inside the mind of the lead character and perhaps living a realisation of her actions. Blanchett is absolutely magnetic, intense, captivating and steals every scene.
Incredible film.
9/10
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