YNOT at the Movies

After a long sixteen years of hiatus since he made his previous two terrific feature films, "In the Bedroom" (2001) and "Little Children" (2006), the singular writer-director Todd Field triumphantly returned to filmmaking and premiered his masterful third feature "TÁR" (USA 2022 | 158 min.) at this year's Venice Film Festival, and Cate Blanchett took the Best Actress Award at the festival with her magnificent performance as the titular character Lydia Tár. Even though it's a movie about a classical music conductor, you don't have to be a classical music lover to be captivated by Todd Field's superb storytelling and his in-depth character study. He skillfully orchestrated a sumptuous symphony of ambition, power, politics, desire, talent, love, ideology, manipulation, and disgrace.

In case you have not heard of this fictional world renowned conductor Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett), the film opens with a breathtaking introduction by the New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik (Adam Gopnik himself). At the New Yorker Festival, before their on-stage conversation in front of a full house of live audience, Adam tells us that Lydia is the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic; she has a PhD; she is the winner of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards; and she was a guest conductor at a few of the best orchestras in the world. Now, she is finishing a book titled "Tár on Tár." She is also the founder of Accordion Conducting Fellowship which nurtures young female conductors, with the support of investment banker and amateur conductor Eliot Kaplan (Mark Strong).

If you still have any doubt about her genius and exceptional achievements, when she answers Adam's questions with a commanding presence as if she were conducting on a podium, she blows us away with her eloquent description of music and conducting, and her interpretation of Mahler's Fifth Symphony which is about to be recorded by the Berlin Philharmonic. You are immediately convinced that she is in control, on and off a podium.

That possession and execution of power become more evident from her exchange with her dutifully assistant Francesca Lentini (Noémie Merlant) and the aging assistant conductor Sebastian Goodnow (Allan Corduner). Holding her own conducting ambition, Francesca carefully dances around her God like boss while hiding any resentments. Sebastian's days at the orchestra are numbered as far as Lydia is concerned.

In her modern luxury apartment in Berlin, Lydia lives with her wife Sharon Goodnow (Nina Hoss), the Philharmonic's first violinist, and their adopted daughter Petra (Mila Bogojevic). The family life isn't isolated from Lydia's music life. In fact, Lydia and Sharon's relationship is very much connected to the orchestra politics at work. When a scandal involving one of Lydia's previous mentees comes to light, their seemingly mutually beneficial relationship is put to test.

Elgar's Cello Concerto in E minor, Lydia's choice as the accompanying piece to Mahler's Fifth Symphony in her recording, features a solo cellist's performance. However, instead of giving the role to the Philharmonic's senior cellists, Lydia proposes an audition in favor of the newly arrived Russian cellist, Olga Metkina (Sophie Kauer). That complicates the relationships surrounding Lydia even more and deepens the crisis she is facing regarding her previous mentee.

Having been successful throughout her music career, will Lydia continue to hold on to her baton on the podium despite a different tune now playing in the age of the #MeToo movement?

The writer-director Todd Field stated: "This script was written for one artist, Cate Blanchett. Had she said no, the film would have never seen the light of day." Indeed, this film is Todd Field's film as much as Cate Blanchett's. We all know she is capable of playing just about anything, but I cannot imagine anyone else playing Lydia except her. On screen, she literally becomes this complex and mysterious musical genius who is powerful, commanding, and manipulative. There is no doubt that she is truly in love with music and power, and she has no reservation to use them for her own advantage.

Todd Field's creation of this rich character, and many others surrounding her, is similar to Lydia's creation of her music. Both of them know exactly what they are doing and both are able to convey their interpretations about their subjects to the audience.

If you are a classical music lover, the film certainly gives you much pleasure peeking into the world of an orchestra both on and off the stage. Even if you are not, you will still be captivated by the arresting story and characters, and enjoy the music created by the terrific ensemble cast as well.

"TÁR" opens in the San Francisco Bay Area on Friday, October 14, 2022.