Welcome back, Todd Field. It's been a long 16 years since your last release, and we are thrilled you have returned.
"TÁR" is the third film from writer-director Fields, and his first since 2006's "Little Children," which followed-up his masterful 2001 drama "In the Bedroom." Fields' films have always garnered attention for the acting and writing, but "TÁR" shows what a precise and detailed eye he has behind the camera. His latest is simply stunning.
The movie opens with Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) getting interviewed at an event for The New Yorker. In a strong bit of exposition, we learn that Lydia is a renowned conductor and is getting ready to conduct a new show in Germany. Like most events, the show was postponed a year due to the pandemic (the movie intertwines an occasional mention of the pandemic organically without ever making the movie about it).
In just the opening few moments of "TÁR" we become acquainted with Lydia's stature - she's an EGOT winner, which is a small group of entertainers who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Fields screenplay doesn't use this interview scene as a way to run down a checklist of facts about Lydia, which would have rendered the scene a lazy device at work. Instead, minutes into the movie, we organically arrive at a time in Lydia's career where she is being feted for the accomplishments that have made her a celebrity of her craft.
As anyone in the public eye knows, with fame comes scrutiny and Lydia is not spared from such spotlight. When a scandal arises, Lydia must contend with the fallout, whether she is culpable or not, and that's what great about "TÁR": Fields never dictates which side his audience should be on, he aims to let you decide for yourself.
"TÁR," a bit reductively, has been labeled a movie about "cancel culture." To say that indicates it could be a sermon in the shape of a movie. "TÁR" is much more interesting than a movie playing Bingo with hot button issues. The scandal isn't the focus of the film, but merely a part of the story that drives the expansive, 158-minute snapshot of this character's life. Instead of demanding a concrete answer for Lydia's actions, Fields allows the movie to unfold in day-to-day moments and examines how ego, fame, and accountability can factor into someone's life, though they may appear untouchable.
It would be an easier movie if Lydia was an outwardly and unabashedly terrible person, but she's not. She's consumed by her professional life, to the point where she occasionally feels like a stranger in her personal life. Her wife Sharon (Nina Hoss) is a violinist in the orchestra, but doesn't have to put the hours in Lydia does. She takes care of their daughter at home, while Lydia passes through in between traveling, meetings, or practicing in a separate apartment. More than the notion of "cancel culture," "TÁR" is about the price of dedication to a craft, which constantly operates outside a comfortable nine-to-five schedule.
The film takes its time to unfold, and some may feel the lengthy runtime, but Fields electric filmmaking is thrilling to behold. When Lydia is meeting with colleagues or her dedicated assistant Francesca (Noémie Merlant) or someone hoping to learn from her, Fields captures these scenes in wide shots. It gives viewers the opportunity to feel like a fly on the wall, while Lydia discusses her craft. It's compelling to witness Field creating fictional characters and making every single one of them feel like a real person.
Much of that is aided by Blanchett's shattering portrayal of Lydia. When actors are as good as Blanchett, it's easy to take them for granted and almost even become bored by their expected greatness on screen. When a performer has ascended to the decorated level Blanchett has, it's hard for them to surprise us because we've become accustomed to what they can do. That's not the case for Blanchett, who reinvents herself with every role. Her performance as Lydia is among her best because she makes Lydia feel like a human and not a character she lifted off the page. She's a complex person that Blanchett has infused with confidence and vulnerability is equal measure.
"TÁR" is a movie that begs for you to throw around different adjectives to describe it. Simply put, "TÁR" is magnificent, as all Fields' films have been. His latest is his most technically accomplished because setting the movie in the music world demands pitch-perfect sound design, which he uses effectively from large orchestral scenes to the smallest beat of a metronome. "TÁR" might present itself as just a character study, but Fields has really created an immersive world. He has made a grand achievement that this year in movies has so desperately needed.
"TÁR" is currently playing in select cities and will be opening nationwide on Oct. 28.
TÁR Movie Review By Matthew Passantino
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