Film Review: TÁR (2022): Cate Blanchett Delivers a Tour de Force Performance in a Masterfully Woven Dramatic Film

Tár Review

Tár (2022) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett, Noémie Merlant, Nina Hoss, Sophie Kauer, Sylvia Flote, Sydney Lemmon, Mark Strong, Adam Gopnik, Allan Corduner and Artjom Gilz.

In the riveting and powerful new drama, Tár, Cate Blanchett has the role of a lifetime in a picture that is forceful, disturbing and undeniably fascinating from beginning to end. In some of the earlier scenes where her character, Lydia Tár, is reveling in her own appreciation for classical music at Juilliard, one can clearly see that Blanchett has become Lydia in such a way that the mannerisms and movements of the character are nothing even close to those of the real Blanchett. This performance by Blanchett is a work of art in a masterful film directed by Todd Field with precision, accuracy and unparalleled intensity especially in the brief but memorable dream sequences showcased in the movie. This picture is, quite simply, one of the year’s best films.

Lydia is a musical conductor, a pianist, and an author and has enormously recognizable accolades which include her being the recipient of an Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar and a Tony award. She is renowned worldwide in the world of classical music. Being the conductor of a German musical orchestra, she is smart, fierce and independent but at a price that we’re not sure of in the early stages of the movie. She has a somewhat tight-knit family. Nina Hoss serves as Lydia’s devoted wife, Sharon, and together, they are raising a young daughter. In a terrific scene, Lydia defends her daughter against a school bully by introducing herself as her daughter’s father and reminding the bully that if she continues the bullying, there will be consequences.

Noémie Merlant is well-cast as Lydia’s loyal assistant, Francesca, who knows the speeches Lydia gives so well that she lip synchs them as Lydia is speaking them verbatim. Francesca is a character you should keep your eye on because she carries unappreciated talent and ambition and basically just serves the demands of Lydia until she eventually reaches her own breaking point. Merlant conveys her character so well that she is not only believable but is unpredictable as well.

Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker interviews Lydia in the beginning stages of the movie and Blanchett’s character is so well-versed and dignified that the events that transpire in the second half of the movie come completely out of left field if we formulate an opinion of Lydia during her interview. She seems very knowledgeable and profound. Is it a facade, though? Such a possibility is occasionally relevant to the nature of the people we truly are versus the people we present ourselves to be to others.

Another notable performance is that of Sophie Kauer as Olga who is a cellist that will act as a catalyst for the events that will help tear Lydia apart from those who have trusted her the most throughout the years, including one of Lydia’s close colleagues (the absolutely phenomenal Allan Corduner who is superb in every scene he is in here). Kauer makes us wonder for how long Olga will be so energetic given the nature of working with Lydia and the demands of the profession. One of the best scenes in the movie, though, has Lydia trying to let Corduner’s character go (as in fire him) easily but he confronts Lydia with some interesting possibilities that are fascinating to behold. These two performers are masterful in this particular scene which stands out in a film full of terrific sequences.

While Lydia has echoes of Blanchett’s Oscar-winning role from Blue Jasmine, the roles are definitely, alas, completely different. Lydia is not even close to the end of the run of her career (therefore she’s not a has-been as Jasmine may have been deemed) until some accusations come out which are hinted at in an early scene but the source of the supposed wrongdoings of Lydia are initially reported in The New York Post which Lydia hilariously shrugs off claiming the news source is nothing but a rag. Lydia is a truly original character in every way.

Nina Hoss is amazing in her scenes with Blanchett in the latter part of the movie as Sharon feels that Lydia has wronged her by omitting certain details of her life which could put Sharon and the couple’s daughter in danger.  Blanchett is able to make the audience see her character’s side and understand it but the audience will most likely side with Sharon who has been in the background of Lydia’s high-profile career and, recently, hasn’t yielded the happiness which was once prevalent in the relationship.

Lydia is a character who is a ticking-time bomb who is waiting to explode and it eventually happens where she becomes so frustrated that she acts on those frustrations. She’s a genius who is tormented by one too many things that happen that shouldn’t. Yes, Lydia, says some wrong things at Juilliard but does she deserve what happens to her later in the movie? As directed by Todd Field, that particular determination could be differently assessed by each and every audience member. Some of the vivid dream sequences that detail Lydia’s visions are nightmarish and expertly displayed to the audience in a way that demands more in-depth analysis making this a film that is essential to see more than once.

What’s amazing about Field’s expertly edited film is its ability to captivate the audience right from the beginning. What’s even more impressive is the movie’s unpredictability This movie opens with the majority of the closing credits and gives us an abbreviated concluding credits sequence as a result. This is a rare approach and there is a reason for it.

Blanchett’s Lydia is the most provocative role at the movies this year. She will make you sympathize with her in one scene then the character will say something completely inappropriate but it stems from the character’s greatness which has in turn led her to become overworked and therefore less mindful of what she says and does in the public view. When she tries to do good things such as return a small teddy bear to a colleague or help a neighbor who is suffering physically, bad things happen.

Also brilliant in the film is a scene where a real estate person asks Lydia to be mindful of her music because the noise could scare some potential clients away. Lydia’s life is her music but to others, it could be seen as a distraction and that perception is fascinating in a movie full of terrific insights.

Cate Blanchett deserves to win another Oscar for her turn as Lydia. This role is something that is very delicate to behold and Blanchett gets everything right. She’s got Lydia down pat. All the humanity and frustration Lydia feels throughout the movie is right there in plain view which makes the audience question how they should feel about her in almost every scene. We never lose interest in Lydia as audience members and we never feel that she’s lost the possibility to redeem herself unless we analyze our own personal values and morals. To judge Lydia is hard because a lot of what she does in the movie has been done by many other professionals in the real world–some of whom have never been penalized.

Tár is one of the very best films of the year. Blanchett’s turn in the picture leaps off the screen and the actress is surrounded by a fine ensemble cast. Field’s direction is always probing and the picture is clearly driven by music which makes any scene featuring musical interludes a major asset to helping shape the complexity of the film’s complicated story line. While the ending will divide viewers, keep in mind that there is a reason the film ends as it does. This conclusion is a representation of the way human beings present themselves to the world versus the way they truly are. Interpretations may vary but Lydia’s humanity is nevertheless conveyed brilliantly by Blanchett. Tár is a masterpiece.

Rating: 10/10

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