Graphic by Gabby Gagnon '24.
By Jendayi Leben-Martin ’24
Staff Writer
Amid the multiple Halloween movies released this month, director Todd Field’s “Tár” was a standout. Starring Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár — the movie’s protagonist and namesake — the film follows one of the best maestros of her generation as she prepares to perform the only one of composer Gustav Mahler’s symphonies that she has never tackled.
Early on in the film’s two-hour and 38-minute run, Lydia is revealed to have had an incredibly impressive career in an interview by The New York Times’ Adam Gopnik, who plays himself. However, it quickly becomes evident that Lydia’s personal relationships, including those with her wife Sharon (Nina Hoss) and assistant Francesca (Noémie Merlant), are strained. Field, who is also the movie’s writer, uses glimpses of Lydia’s home life to suggest that her icy, professional exterior is not representative of her life being in order, but rather serves as a cover for her tense marriage and crumbling professional relationships.
Throughout the film, many of Lydia’s actions seem self-serving and inappropriate, from her extramarital relationship with a new, young cellist in the orchestra to her threatening a child that goes to school with her daughter. Viewers are forced to accept this as aligning with the personality of a world-renowned maestro, although the motivation behind the actions is, for the time being, hard to place. Strange occurrences, such as the appearance of anonymous gifts and recurring symbols, suggest that there is more amiss in the composer’s life than viewers are able to identify until the end of the film. In the last 45 minutes, it all unravels rather quickly.
When asked about “Tár,” Samara Smith ’24 said that she found it oddly similar to “Whiplash” (2014), a film about a young jazz drummer (Miles Teller) whose mentor (J.K. Simmons) pushes him too far on his journey to become one of the greatest drummers of his time. While some of the themes between the films are similar, such as the pressure and mental strain of being a professional musician, there are significant differences in “Tár” that make it a distinct viewing experience from “Whiplash.” One such difference is that, in “Tár,” viewers are introduced to Lydia at the pinnacle of her career and are forced to see her dramatic fall from grace, which creates a more strenuous relationship with the protagonist. Because viewers are introduced to Lydia at her career’s peak, when she ruins it by trying to have complete control of the orchestra, the audience feels a stronger sense of her loss.
Blanchett’s performance in “Tár” is, as usual, perfect. She portrays Lydia’s public persona with such precision that viewers are shocked — along with the people around her — when she cracks. When watching this film, it is hard to decide whether Lydia is a cold, calculating monster or a person who has made many mistakes during the course of a highly scrutinized career. This is due, in part, to Field’s careful direction and Blanchett’s skillful acting. She never lets anything slip through Lydia’s meticulously crafted exterior.
“Tár” is a masterfully made film about a woman who believes that her success will allow her to outrun her actions, despite finding herself faced with the consequences of said actions. Though the film is a bit long and by no means action-packed, the tension between Lydia’s personal and professional lives keeps viewers’ attention until the end. “Tár” is worth a watch and will be a part of conversations about intentional directing and flawless acting for many years.