Todd Field directed, wrote, and produced the psychological drama “Tar” with his exceptional talent. This is his first work since 2006, marking his return after a long hiatus, and also his third work overall. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Furthermore, in addition to her nomination, Cate Blanchett won the Best Actress award.
Blanchett portrays Lydia Tar, a highly respected composer who takes the lead in the high society of classical music setting. At the peak of her career, we witness her preparation to present her memoir and perform Mahler’s 5th Symphony live in Berlin.
In the next few weeks, her life begins to unravel. Subsequently, the public discovers the face she had been concealing behind her professional facade. Consequently, we are presented with an exploration of power: its influence and endurance in today’s society.
Lydia has had a successful career that many only dreams of. She is a renowned expert as well as the first female chief musical director of the Berlin Philharmonic. She is a passionate virtuoso paving the way for women in the classical music industry dominated by men.
However, forces that even she cannot control slowly erode Lydia’s complex facade. It reveals the dirty secrets of genius and the insidious nature of power, even to forces beyond her control. The film raises questions about where control or leadership ends and manipulation and exploitation begin.
Field’s film is full of hypocrisy. Lydia has achieved this level of prestige through her talent in a field typically dominated by men, inspiring much admiration. We see her “public persona” at the beginning of the film. It is both intimidating and hospitable, as she enjoys the attentive audience during a live interview.
Who is Lydia? Is she a sum of her achievements? A smiling presence on stage discussing music and history with clear knowledge and experience? Or is she a stern lecturer at a prestigious institution? Is she trying to open up the minds of her students by addressing them as peers?
The significant advantage of this film is that it doesn’t tell us how we should feel about Lydia at the beginning. That character has many layers, sharper sides, and numerous moments of kindness, but we get more significant suggestions that she has many secrets that she doesn’t want to reveal.
Field is a unique filmmaker whose films are primarily characterized by the depth of the story. He dissects different layers of Lydia’s personality through carefully designed scenes of her daily life. Some haunting moments make it seem like sounds are mocking her as a conscience.
Although Tar is not based on a true story, it still possesses emotional and intellectual honesty. Moreover, the film manages to captivate its audience with its authenticity and rawness. Additionally, it provides a unique perspective on the human experience that is both enlightening and engaging. Field intriguingly explores the mostly unexplored world of classical music, as Whiplash did for jazz. The whole story is realistically complemented by surgical dialogues and impressive visual compositions.
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