Tár 

Directed by Todd Field

Starring Cate Blanchett

Released in theaters (US) Oct. 7, 2022

Available on many streaming services, including Amazon Prime

K and I have been trying to watch as many of the nominated films as possible before the Academy Awards are aired. Tárwas one of them. So was The Fabelmans, which I’ll review on Friday.

Tár is a psychological drama about a passionate and demanding woman, the conductor of perhaps the most esteemed symphony in the world.

It is a movie about the MeToo movement, taking on one of its principal arguments: that any time a boss has sex with an employee, it is, by definition, abuse, because of the difference in power. But in Tár, the abuser is a woman. And that allows the viewer to think about the issue of sexual misconduct in the workplace with fewer prejudices.

What I Liked About It 

* The treatment of the underlying theme.

* The film’s horizontality. It gave me insight into the world of symphony music, a world I knew almost nothing about. It helped me understand the important role of conductors. (Apparently, they do a lot more than control the tempo.) I especially liked the protagonist’s theory that the conductor’s job is to “serve the composer.”

* Cate Blanchette’s performance. At first, I thought she was overdoing it. But finally, she won me over.

* The score. (When a score is comprised of some of the greatest music ever written, how could anyone not like it?)

What I Didn’t Like 

* Some of the dialogue, particularly when Blanchette’s character is speaking to other illuminati, seemed unnecessarily pretentious.

* The subject matter is emotionally difficult. Of course, it is. But that doesn’t obviate the fact that it saps the energy from any sensitive viewer.

Critical Reception 

Tár got a ton of positive reviews and won loads of rewards. It is, not surprisingly, a contender for Best Film at the Oscars this year. It wouldn’t be my top choice, but it’s a good choice. I might, though, vote for Cate Blanchette for Best Actress. And given the theme and how much time the camera is on her, she does seem like a shoe-in.

You can watch the trailer here.