Kong
Hall of Famer
- Oct 11, 2007
- 31,689
- 15,635
- AFL Club
- Essendon
As somebody that has decried the sometimes repetitive nature in the “what was the last movie you saw” thread, I thought I should attempt to create a few more standalone threads on films that warrant discussion.
Starting with what could potentially sweep the Oscars, Tár. It really is a masterpiece in film making. I’ve quoted my original post rather than re-writing it all.
Starting with what could potentially sweep the Oscars, Tár. It really is a masterpiece in film making. I’ve quoted my original post rather than re-writing it all.
Tár (2022)
Set in the international world of Western classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors and first-ever female music director of a major German orchestra.
I finally managed to see this earlier in the week, after waiting impatiently for what seems like a year.
I thought it was a well crafted, patient film. I'd happily watch it again, but not necessarily rush to do so. It deserves praise for nearly every component of film making - the screenplay is rich, the cinematography very clean and effective, the score adds a dimension to it (you'd hope so, given the topic of the film), and the acting was very good. The writer/director (Todd Field) clearly did their research on the classical music world, from its history, to the culture, right down to mannerisms while performing and the method of creating music.
It has elements of a drama with hints of psychological tension, something I really enjoy (e.g. The Nest, which I consider to be one of the best films this decade). It is definitely a drama, but the main character's idiosyncrasies manifest in ways that insert moments of paranoia and a loose grasp on reality.
The film has a lot to say, so you can probably take whatever you want out of it. It focuses heavily on abuse of power, toxic hero worship, flawed genius, narcissism, elitism and identity, and cancel culture. I'm not sure what its stance on cancel culture is, because there were parts of the film that very clearly criticise it, and others where it justifies it as a necessity when people do bad things. I've got no doubt that it's left up to the viewer to decide this for themselves.
Finally, Cate Blanchett is phenomenal. It's possibly her best performance, which says something. She combines the pomp and sophistication of her roles in The Aviator, Benjamin Button, and Carol with the unhinged and messy roles of Blue Jasmine, Notes on a Scandal, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. If you wanted to show a film student an example of an all-rounder, this would be it. She's fully the character of Tar, believably alternating between the intellectual public persona, the neurotic composer, the insecure woman with a crush, and the rage of a person unravelling. You can see it in her body language and her face without ever getting the sense that she's rehearsed it a thousand times; it comes across as organic and genuine. She also alternates between English and German in the middle of composing like an authentic musician. Give her all of the awards now.
If my review sounds pretentious, it's probably appropriate. The film is pretentious in every way, but deliberately so. The high society world it presents is full of self important people, and the film making is a demonstration of how to tell a story with great effect without compromising or pandering.
If you're a cinephile, this is a must.