"Tár": Movie Review
Written By Alex Greenbaum
In our current social climate, we inevitably hold our subjective point of view to heart without keeping an open mind to what others might perceive. In director/writer Todd Field's new film "Tár", the main character Lydia (Cate Blanchett) encapsulates this concept through her many thought-provoking conversations. It's easy to chalk up Lydia as an egotistical pseudo-intellectual whose greatest pleasures rely on those who serve her; or as a genius composer targeted by modern-day politics. Either might be correct, yet it's left up to the audience to extrapolate from these behavioral contrasts. From the get-go, Field's exquisite analysis of a musical artist's life gone awry is drama at its best.
Field, known for his quiet but revealing family dramas ("Little Children", "In The Bedroom"), shakes off those thematic leanings with something radically different, but "Tár" remains just as edgy and honest as Field's prior works. An astonishingly short 2 months of shooting and a script written specifically for Cate Blanchett briefly highlight why Field is such a modern-day visionary.
Blanchett (in the least surprising news) has again delivered an acting display for the ages. She's an actress who consistently surpasses my expectations, from playing Bob Dylan in the 2007 film "I'm Not There" to presently playing a world-famous composer; these roles showcase her exceptional range. It's clear, at the moment, that she is the frontrunner for the best actress award at the Oscars, adding another notch to her legendary resume.
From the impeccable sound design to the intricate cinematography, Field's production crews should be applauded. The subtle details in each frame can alter a viewer's perception of Lydia's persona. From the light beige pigments illuminating the orchestra to the dreary grays of her private apartment, the colors constantly represent the moody, often genre-switching tone.
Poetically masterful, "Tár" stands tall over every major film release in 2022. A director of this caliber, alongside an acting lead of this skillset, is a match made in heaven. I find it quite unfortunate that it failed to attract the wide-scale audiences it should have, but hopefully, Field doesn't wait another 16 years to wallop us with another masterpiece.
Comments
Post a Comment