Tár

In an effort to try more dramas and catch-up on recent Oscar films, I was very curious to see what Todd Field's psychological drama, Tár, was all about. This released in 2022 and sure the leading star, Cate Blanchett, earn a number of accolades but the director had not released a film since all the way back in 2006, which made this all the more interesting. What persuaded him to put pen to paper and write, direct and produce Tár I will never know but I'm glad he got back into the game.

The story is set in the lofty world of highly decorated international conductors as Blanchett's Lydia Tár prepares for a new concert in Berlin but her abrasive personality begins to conflict with those around her and soon sees her life start to unravel. 

Tár is not exactly an easy film to just put on TV; the first scene is the film's longest as Lydia gives an interview to a live audience as her previous achievements and accolades are proudly listed at the start before they discuss her work. This moment here as a fictional character listens to a summary of their work in a fancy New York auditorium will seem a touch too much, and may remind some of an episode of Frasier, as it seems like we are in for a dense 158 minutes but this is the pride before the fall and Field has crafted a very interesting film that is more than I expected it to be. 

Beautifully shot, sharply edited and suitably well scored, this was a very engaging drama, which verges into thriller territory, and is something I am sure will stand-up to repeat viewings as there is much to unpack here if you can spare the time. Field really has put a lot of time and effort into making this multi-layered experience which all rests on the shoulders on Blanchett who gives one of her best performances right here.

The whole thing is difficult to fault as it used its running time well as it took me on a journey I did not expect and I felt satisfied by the end. It is just that the start of the film, while great, will be a hurdle to some but it rewards your patience and therefore Tár gets an easy recommendation.