Tár

I fell for it, and lived under the illusion that there actually is a Lydia Tár. At the same time, I will buy a drink for anyone who does not have a basic overview and knowledge of classical music and lasted the first hour without getting bored. The running time is murderous and that's also how things turned out. The conclusion leads to the absolute bizarre and in the middle part of the film diminishes what had generally been a decent spectacle. Cate Blanchett gives an excellent performance, but I was still expecting a bit more after all the ubiquitous odes. I laughed at Mark Strong, I really did not expect him in a movie like this one. (12/22/2023)

The disintegration of life in the post-pandemic era, live... The composer Lydia Tár is not a very pleasant person. She’s a manipulative, arrogant professional who treats people like pieces on her personal chessboard, but with tact and a smile. But the moment they don't perform as they should, she smashes them to pieces. Yet her undeniable talent, enthusiasm for the cause and willingness to submit to the music and take it as her own permeate loudly throughout the film and the viewer must admire her despite all her negative qualities. Lead singer Todd Field mixes in paranoia, comments on cancel culture and lesbian family life (someone has to be the daddy). Cate Blanchett is mesmerizing with her performance and is confidently walking for the golden statuette for Best Actress. And to top it all off, beautiful music. A masterpiece, albeit little self-absorbed. (01/21/2023)

Like a small yet loud triangle somewhere on the edge of an orchestral ensemble, this film resonates with me more and more over time among all the more familiar and award-winning films. Every once in a while it's great to see a film that delves into contemporary issues, but without tackling them in black and white, for effect, or at first glance; instead, it tackles them in a smart, complex, and ambiguous way. Todd Field manages to do all of this, and he also puts it all into the realms of fictional biography, suspenseful drama, and almost ghost story, so that he has a very varied ride in store for the patient viewer, one that from a distance may seem boring, but it’s most certainly not. (03/17/2023)

In places it pretends to be smarter than it really is, but the monstrously long runtime can't be defended, the editor must have gone on holiday somewhere. As an insight into an industry that not one per cent of the population sees, however, it is an interesting and almost voyeuristic look at the disintegration of one prominent figure that is at times riveting. And I would love Cate Blanchett even if she worked on Andrej Babiš's campaign staff. (12/24/2022)

This film is heavy, capturing the unraveling of Lydia Tár's persona over two and a half long hours. You witness everyday moments in the life of this conductor, feeling the gradual shifts in her demeanor. It’s not hard to stay engaged, thanks to Lydia's immense confidence in the first hour, which steadily gets battered by the events around her. Even if she doesn’t realize it, the audience senses that a major breaking point is inevitable. However, I felt the ending could have been stronger. The standout here is undoubtedly Cate Blanchett's extraordinary performance, which truly elevates the film. (03/04/2023)