Review 680: Tar

  

An unbearably slow burner, Tar glides on the strenght of its thematically rich screenplay and a peformance from Cate Blanchett.

Lydia Tar is a renounded conductor who becomes the first female conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic

Parts can be interpreted as semi-autobiographical.

It examins the changing nature of power, it's impact and durability in the modern world.

Other possible themes in the film can be interpreted include Cancel Culture and Identity Politics. Institutional Racism and Mysogyny can be seen as themes. 

the score by Hildur Guonadottir is wonderfully haunting; a lot of droning violins are used to create a sense of unease, the cinematography is beautiful and captures the 

Cate Blanchett delivers a qiuet  performance which recalls her turn as the titular character in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine almost a decade ago.  Through the character of Lydia Tar, Field poses the question: Is power gendered and naturally a corrupting thing? Does it make it easier for people to behave badly. Ultimately, Tar is a meditation on power and power is genderless. Is it at all possible that she's having a stress related breakdown?

Because Lydia is a busy person, she relies on her longsuffering and efficient assistant, Francesca (Noemie Merlant)