Tar (Film)
Cate Blanchett is brilliant as conductor Lydia Tar (and just this week she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for this role), but at 158 minutes it’s a long slog to get from beginning to end. Lydia is in a same sex relationship with a member of her Berlin orchestra – Sharon (Nina Hoss), and Lydia has total control of all the musicians and the staff, she makes all the hiring and firing decisions and can elevate anyone who she feels has earned it (and perhaps one that she might take a liking to). When Olga (Cellist Sophie Kauer, very very good in her first film role) joins the orchestra, it is a bit obvious to the everyone (and especially to Sharon) that Lydia is interested in Olga in reasons that are not professional, and has members of the orchestra raising their eyebrows. Things get worse for Lydia when a former member of the orchestra commits suicide and leaves a note with serious allegations against Lydia that risks her reputation, professional and personal life.
Blanchett is absolutely brilliant in her role, one of the best performances of her career (she already has two Oscars under her belt), and is a shoo-in for the Best Actress Oscar. But Tar the film is very slow, the first 70 minutes don’t amount to much, but after this the film kicks into high gear and the plot, and drama ramp up.
Director and Writer Todd Field brings us a great story that needed a bit tidying up, but it is a very good film and deserves all the kudos it has been nominated for, with Blanchett in center stage, in more ways than one.
