instagram insight
confusing storyboard
good plot
incredible performance
ditch the last 20 minutes of absurdity or accept it is deliberate to mess with your senses
Tár is an explosive and powerful portrait of self-obsessiveness. Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) is absorbed with her professional work so much so that her relationships start to fray. And while this is happening we begin to learn that her past relations with alumni, assistants or students are coming to light. We aren’t too sure what the past concerns are or who is involved. We’re dropped into the deep end and left to figure it out. This confusion alongside a jumpy storyboard has an element of messiness to the context of who these characters are and what’s lurking or chasing her.
Blanchett delivers an exceptional performance as Tár as she strives for perfection in every element of her work. She’s led to delusion by irritating noises, waking suddenly due to distractions, and noticing annoyances even in her periphery. We begin to see the unstableness begin to rock Tár.
The contrast between the brutalist, concrete, cave-like apartment for her family compared to the bright, lofty studio for her music is a direct comparison to her true focus or most importantly where her love is – music.
Often speaking in lengthy sentences and with the added knowledge of classical music, the opening scenes added to the confusion of the film’s flow. However, delivering these monologues, outbursts and styling portrays Tár as she is. Fixated and obsessed with her work.
As we move into the final act, the understanding of Tar’s past is now clear. The act is messy, is it to show us how she’s rebuilding from the ground up? Nevertheless, it does run parallel to showcasing the craziness of Tár and how being knocked off the podium isn’t necessarily a bad element.
Tár has all the makings of a great film, the powerful lead and strong ensemble, and the albeit slightly askew and hidden plot is still there. And sadly, what let it down is the sequencing, as the edit further confuses you. Trying to battle through the creativeness of physicological damage to Tar isn’t delivered in the way director Todd Field was trying to portray. And the final nail in the coffin – if we were committing to bury this film. Two scenes in the build-up to the live recording of the orchestra frustrate me, Tár asks her Sound Technicians if the levels are ok, unknowingly but obviously, both sat in front of a lighting desk. Overall this film feels like it needed one more sense check before finishing.
Andy Cook 