If you’re a filmmaker and your goal is to craft a story about a contemptible personality, you’ll need to 1) lend that character aspects that make them interesting beyond them simply being a jerk, and 2) give them a decent comeuppance. That’s the principle at play in writer/director Todd Field’s Tar, a slow burn tragic drama about a genius classical music composer/conductor who winds up becoming her own worst enemy. It’s getting a ton of attention for how it interprets “cancel culture”, but to me the appeal is mainly as a showcase for the nuances in Cate Blanchett’s acting and how the crew here are able to add layers to an individual we don’t want to root for.
Lydia Tar isn’t a real person, but the film is directed with such a sharp realistic atmosphere that one could be fooled into believing that’s the case. Along with her spouse/concertmaster Sharon and assistant Francesca, played respectively with good range by Nina Hoss and Noemie Merlant, she’s the toast of the highbrow musical world and is on the cusp of her biggest concert yet. Raising her adopted daughter and pimping her new book Tar On Tar (making Ant-Man’s book tour look pretty small fry- no offense-), all seems like it’s going well…
….that is, until she hears screams coming from an apartment nearby while jogging in the park. It’s revealed that it was the suicide of another aspiring classical musician who used to look up to Tar. The investigation into the tragedy starts a bleeding-out of rumors tying Lydia to not just mere favoritism, but flat-out sexual grooming and obvious attraction to certain musicians in her vicinity. A viral video hinting at her misdeeds begins making the rounds, also featuring her arrogant cut-down of a politically correct-minded student who’s put off by Bach’s promiscuity in his personal life. This upends not simply her tour, but her reputation and a fledgling relationship with a young cellist named Olga (Sophie Kauer).
The scene with Tar and the student has become particularly controversial, along with the story in general of a female conductor abusing their power (to the point where real life classical figures were shocked by the movie). I don’t want to go into too long of a deep-dive on the nature of art and what it *should* say, but I’ll just state that I scan both see where the student was coming from- it’s up to you as a person what influences you want, if an all time great isn’t for you then they’re just not for you. But as an artist myself I also can see the perspective Lydia was putting forward, of not wanting to limit one’s self and try to separate creation from creator. Ultimately, it’s your choice.
While we don’t actually *see* much of the hard details in these accusations towards her, given how Tar is both manipulative and also a chronic liar- both regarding smaller and bigger matters- one gets the sense that when there’s smoke, there’s also fire. Her surrealistic dreams at night also may be a sign of some sort of guilt weighing on her mind, perhaps.
So this isn’t a person that’s meant to be warmly embraced. Lydia is simultaneously charismatic and cold, able to dazzle the media early on with her wit and ease of speaking, as well as her in depth knowledge on conducting as an art. It’s when we see how condescending she can be towards both pupils and co-workers, as well as how shallow she is with her multiple relationships, where her gregariousness hits the wall.
Even in more comedic moments, like her driving away potential homebuyers with a noisy accordion, there’s a layer of arrogance and hostility. The entertainment value in Blanchett’s character is watching her empire crumble, and observing how someone who’s all about constantly being in control having all her good fortune fall away like music sheets from the podium.
Generally, Tar comes off to me like the classical music world’s answer to Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz, in a similar vein of a sexually carnivorous creative genius and the deterioration of their well-being. Would I say it’s as great as Fosse’s 1979 movie? No, not really for my tastes, but I do feel it’s a well-made drama with strong atmosphere and a top tier lead performance guiding it. For any of Cate Blanchett’s fans, I’d say give this a stream.
So how did you feel about it? If you loved it, hated it, let us know your take as always on FAN’s social media hubs!