It's been a hot minute since critically acclaimed filmmaker Todd Field has had a movie out. In fact, Tár, starring Cate Blanchett, is his first feature film in 16 years.
Field's last feature, Little Children, came out in 2006, and before that, In the Bedroom came out in 2001.
TBH, it's quite impressive that Field — who, for the record, has only directed three feature films, includingTár — has made the impact that he has with such a small directing credit list over SUCH a long period of time. But the underlying thread through all of these films is the incredible performances by their stars.
For a little background, before he stepped behind the camera, Field was actually an actor. Although he never became a "movie star," he actually did act in films from some of the industry's most accomplished filmmakers. Here's Todd Field acting in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, for example:
Anyway, the reason I bring this all up is that Tár is very much an "actor's" movie — everyone is fantastic in it — and that's in large part because Field really knows how to direct and work with actors. Because, ya know, he used to be one.
And while the entire cast is great, I'm like 100% sure Cate Blanchett will get an Oscar nomination (and maybe even a win) for her particularly impressive performance as the titular character.
In case you don't know much about it yet, Tár follows the story of Lydia Tár (Blanchett), a world-renowned conductor and composer who's something of a trailblazer in the notoriously male-dominated classical music world.
You see, Lydia has a very impressive résumé. Her professional pedigree includes graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard, having a PhD in musicology from the University of Vienna, being the first female conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, studying under mentor (and real-life famed conductor) Leonard Bernstein, and even joining the short list of EGOT winners.
Heck, Lydia even lectures at Juilliard sometimes, just so she can tell the ~youths~ what "real" music is...all while being an unapologetic asshole about it.
Basically, Lydia is a big shot and she's not afraid to act like it. In fact, she indulges in it. And why shouldn't she? She's earned the right to act as arrogant and entitled as many of the men in her field, right? (Mmm...I'm not so convinced.)
And Lydia likes to surround herself with equally talented women. There's her wife, Sharon (Nina Hoss), who's also the first-seat violinist in her orchestra; then there's her dutiful assistant, Francesca (Noémie Merlant); and finally, there's Olga (Sophie Kauer), a young Russian cellist who catches Lydia's eye. All of them play an important role in Lydia's life, and much like her orchestra, they are there to "serve" her. At least, that's how she sees it.
As the story unfolds, Lydia's arrogance and generally unkind treatment of these women (and past ones) will become the impetus for her unraveling. As ghosts from her past come back to haunt her, Lydia finds herself embroiled in a major scandal just as her career is about to hit its peak.
With Tár, Field does such a great job encapsulating the inner workings of the classical music world that a lot of the dialogue feels dense and potentially alienating for those who know little to nothing about it. If you don't know your Mahler from your Mendelssohn, well, you'll probably feel a little in over your head at times. (And maybe that's on purpose.)
However, by the end of it all, it doesn't really matter. Similar to something like Black Swan, which was set in the world of ballet, the throughline of Tár is actually quite simple to follow. So don't feel too intimidated by its high-brow setting.
But let's get back to Cate Blanchett. Because if there's one reason you should see Tár, it's for her PHENOMENAL performance.
Now, it's no secret that Blanchett is one of the best actors working today. She's amazing in every role she takes on, from Marvel villain to the Queen of England, she can literally do it all.
What's fun about Tár, though, is that this is TRULY Blanchett's vehicle. Not only does she carry the weight of the film with ease, but she dominates the screen every time she's on. And it's honestly just breathtaking to watch her performance. In fact, she has one particularly long monologue that will leave you both lost and in awe.
So, whether you're a classical music lover or not (major bonus if you are!), if you love a moody psychological drama and love top-tier acting, Tár will be 100% worth your watch.
Rating: 8/10 (And 11/10 for Cate Blanchett!)
Tár opens nationwide Oct. 28, and you can watch the trailer for it here:
View this video on YouTube
Looking for more recommendations? Check out some of my other reviews from this year:
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness