This movie is so weird, so mesmerizing, and so impeccably well done. I don't even know how to describe it, all I can say is that I've never seen anything like it. Todd Field, the writer/director (In the Bedroom, Little Children) also played Nick Nightingale, the piano player, in Eyes Wide Shut, which actually brings to mind an apt comparison, as Tar *is* somewhat Kubrick-esque. It's almost... Kubrick meets Fatal Attraction meets #MeToo (NOT in a preachy way), with just a splash of Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?

All I know is that Blanchett has the Oscar for Best Actress on lock. The race is over. She's on a whole other level, to the point where I can't see a single other actor pulling off what she does here. This really is masterclass, career best, Daniel Day-Lewis type stuff.

I can't wholeheartedly recommend the movie itself, but not because it isn't worth it. I just know a number of people here would be turned off by it, which I wouldn't fault them for. But for those interested, at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes after 169 reviews, it's absolutely worth checking out. At worst, you won't be able to stop thinking about it.

Tar
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14444726/
October 7, 2022
Theatrical Exclusive

I've considered Cate Blanchett to be the single most versatile and talented actress active today for a while now. Why do you think it would turn people off?

It's just a really long, really strange movie. About a renowned lesbian conductor living in Berlin, who slowly and increasingly suffers a mental breakdown. With multiple, minutes-long, one-take scenes in which characters partake in the nerdiest classic music theory discussions you've ever heard. It's not exactly Marvel material is all I'm saying.

It *is* incredible, though. I can't stop thinking about it. Just the kind of incredible that might not be everyone's cup of tea.

I take it it's not a wide release?

Sounds like it's going wide next weekend, on the 28th.

I saw a trailer for this last night then read about three summaries/reviews and each one confused me further about what this movie was about.

Suspenseful trailer… composing a symphony… mental illness… cancel culture… daughter and mother struggles… #metoo movement…

It is exactly all of those things in equal measure.

She's basically the most famous composer on the planet, we meet her at the height of her fame/powers, and then things very slowly start to unravel from there.

Ironically, a handful of posters here would absolutely love an eloquent but pointed rant she goes on at one point, condemning cancel culture and obsession with race. The movie really does expertly walk a fine line in critiquing all of that while also showing the other side as well. That said, it's not really *about* cancel culture, and again, isn't remotely preachy. That stuff is more part of the plot, rather than theme, while the story itself is more of a character study or psychological drama focused on her gradual mental breakdown.

Yeah, all the reviews were really positive. I just thought the trailer was communicating one type of movie and then each new piece of info I read made it weirder and weirder.

I think I feel the same way about this movie the same way I feel about Phantom Thread. I loved it, but don't know if I could accurately sell this to someone who didn't already want to see it. The Blanchett performance was fantastic, but there are some shots that are gorgeous as well. Kinda plays like a horror movie at times. I don't want to give too much away plot wise, but I think if you go in with an open mind, there's something for everyone to latch onto.

Phantom Thread is a great comparison.

I'm mostly interested in what makes her a renowned lesbian.

I like Blanchett so will check this out.

For those interested, a reminder that this is going wide this weekend, though I'm not sure how wide. It's playing in College Station, for instance, but not in my hometown, which is only slightly smaller.

Now available on all digital platforms to buy/rent.

The more I've sat with this one, the more it's risen up my rankings for the year. Currently, it's number three behind The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, and I'm really wanting to watch it again.

Watched last night. Loved it. Couldn't remotely follow the musician prodigy discussions but I appreciated them. I'm sure that level of detail had anyone who has any experience in that space geeking out.

The ending left me disappointed initially but upon waking this morning it's perfect for the rock bottom she hits and quite funny. Thanks for suggesting it.

Great to hear. The longer I've sat with it, the more and more I love it.

Hopefully everyone gives it a shot, especially as we get closer to the Oscars.

#TÁR receives six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Todd Field), Best Actress (Cate Blanchett), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. pic.twitter.com/WCVHCInfs5

— TÁR (@tarmovie) January 24, 2023

And the nominees for Best Picture are... #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/0aNqCj0Tl2

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 24, 2023

Lights, camera, action! Here are your nominees for Directing. #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/pwMEtvTygX

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 24, 2023

The nominations for Actress in a Leading Role go to... #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/W8wKkY7EFQ

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 24, 2023

Here's a close-up of this year's Cinematography nominees. #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/7n8HK51gXn

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 24, 2023

Smash cut to these nominees for Film Editing… #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/I1kWZlmA54

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 24, 2023

Word is out - these are the nominees for Original Screenplay. #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/YhBrjgsN42

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 24, 2023

Now streaming on Peacock!

Max Power said:

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Call me crazy, but ever since Thor: Ragnarok this is how I prefer Cate Blanchett, this really works for me.

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Absolutely!!

Bumping this because I just saw in the theater: first two hours were brilliant and I think Blanchett deserves another Oscar, although Michelle Yeoh has momentum and would not be an unworthy selection either.

At the end, though, of the Best Picture nominees I have seen so far I would rank it narrowly behind Everything Everywhere, and I think that The Whale was better than either of them (although the criticism of it as a filmed play is not invalid).

My issue, ultimately: it was apparent from the beginning that this was a Greek tragedy and that Tar was probably not going to be recording Mahler's Fifth. I spent the second hour wondering how the filmmaker was going to come up with an ending that respected the subtlety of the character development that had come before: the answer, unfortunately, was that he wasn't. The climactic scene with the Berlin Phil had nothing to do with the world this character inhabits and wasn't remotely believable. After that, there was a scene where I briefly wondered if she was going to be actually, literally eaten by a crocodile. Inspiring that kind of speculation has no place in a film of this type.

The actual ending was, marginally, better than the crocodile.