Rent Tár (2022)

Tar - Well acted but Long! - Tár review by Rjs

Great acting, and the first hour is great, if a little difficult if you do not know much about classical music! After this first hour it becomes very slow going.

Disappointing - Tár review by SB

I had looked forward for some time to watching this film, which has received acclaim and awards, but found it disappointing despite the work which has obviously gone into it.

It is welcome at least to have a film which at 2hrs 38 mins is not afraid to be longer than the regulation 100 minutes.

I think the main negatives are:

a. the protagonist, conductor Lydia Tar, is a very unsympathetic character; she is brittle and arrogant. Now of course it's possible to have an unsympathetic protagonist but for this to succeed the audience still needs to be able to side with that person in some way, even if it's a not very healthy way. Here that is very difficult. This characterisation is enhanced or worsened, depending on your point of view, by Cate Blanchett's trademark cool demeanour;

b. the various accusations and situations piled up against Tar are too numerous and therefore each is dealt with too superficially. It would have been better to have concentrated on one situation (eg her obsession with the new cellist) and shown in much more detail how that particular pack of cards collapsed;

c. the last 30 minutes is a bit of a mess, rushing by into ever more unlikely situations;

d. although the film takes aim at people who judge based on stereotypes and lazy thinking, the treatment of this issue is pretty much primer-level only.

The design, locations etc are mostly dark and shiny, set in Berlin and what purports to be New York, and at the end Asia. They are coherent and glossy, but there is a bit of a feeling of design for the sake of design.

Would I watch it again? Well, I wouldn't buy it.

Thinks it's more than it is - Tár review by PT

What a dull, drab, mess of a film. Totally over rated and tedious with characters that are very difficult to care about, it's also so long! I would have to be paid a fair amount to watch this ever again.

Pretensions and dull - Tár review by RB

For as long as I could stand watching this, it only consisted of a dry and dull interview, which occasionally referenced someone else I have never heard of. Maybe of interest to a classical music fan but of scant interest to anyone else. There are plenty of films on esoteric subjects or people that are engaging and inclusive. This isn’t one of them.

Cynical Hollywood take on an arthouse film - Tár review by CR

The machinery that is American filmmaking every so often puts together a  mock arthouse film, usually to get the lead an Oscar. Here we have such an example, with bits of cod philosophy "raising" the tone. With wooden camerawork and random editing, it meanders along. Anyone with a foot in music like me cannot help laughing out loud at the Mahler performance. Finally, the committee couldn't work out how to end this mess so it morphed into a bit of Star Wars, at least the punters will go away whistling a tune they know.

Complex Drama With Topnotch Performances - Tár review by GI

Cate Blanchett is note perfect in this complex psychodrama that begins tiresomely but soon turns into something very original and interesting. She play the title character of Lydia Tár, an internationally renowned orchestral conductor who has become the first woman to lead a huge German orchestra. She's no doubt seen as a genius but she's a narcissistic tyrant ready to manipulate any and all around her as she lives her almost rock star lifestyle with her wife played by Nina Hoss. The suicide of a former lover of Lydia's begins her exposure and downfall as the loyalty she demands of her entourage is not as forthcoming as she expects. There's elements of a descent into madness narrative as Lydia begins to use control. The performances are all so good they are mesmerising especially Blanchett who delivers one take scenes of considerable length and at all times has authenticity in the role. Of equal note is Noémie Merlant as Tár's assistant who is instrumental in her downfall. Julian Glover and Mark Strong also have support roles. This is a film that skirts melodrama and some may find it stretches patience but film has a sensual extravagance that makes you want to keep watching. It's certainly a tor de force in screen acting.

Complex Character Study - Tár review by CM

The film is a complex character study where the audience is left to construct their own view of Lydia Tar. Nothing is presented with a fanfare or a flourish and the audience must decide what is important and revealing and what is just a passing moment. A bit like real life in fact. It won't be to everyone's taste but if you liked the fine-drawn detective work it takes to watching things like The Draughtsman's Contract (Peter Greenaway, 1982), Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2013), or Evolution (Lucile Hadžihalilovic, 2015), or anything at all by director Joanna Hogg, this film will not disappoint. It's worth the time and attention.