“Tar” the Academy Award nominated drama, arrives on streamers this week, and for what you may have already heard about star, Cate Blanchett’s, performance, you can tune in knowing that its just as good as many say it is.
Indeed, Blanchett, who already has her Oscar hardware might indeed be doing her best work as Lydia Tar, the conductor of a world renowned orchestra. She’s bold, calculated, and intelligent in her craft as she leads with a fearlessness that you’ll identify just moments after meeting her. We catch Tar as she prepares for her latest big performance, when a series of challenges begin to overwhelm her.
It’s the Cate Blanchett show.
And indeed it’s also Tar’s corrupt nature where we see Blanchett takes this film sky high. Tar is not a good person. She’s a bully. She’s manipulative. And she’s got an agenda that she will do anything to get passed. It’s when the balance of morality becomes too high for the title character when we start to see the film really become great. And it is great.
If there are some negatives, it’s strictly palate based. It’s the symphony. Its not going to attract every kind of movie watcher. It’s also not a short film, which may turn off some. Director Todd Field wasn’t going to confine Blanchett here, and he was right in not doing so.
I’ll go ahead and say it. It’s Blanchett’s best performance. If you like watching one of the best doing her best work then watch this film.
Tar
GRADE: A
Rated: R
Running Time: 2 hours 36 minutes