Words to the wise and to the wary: Depending on your cultural leanings and affections, the experience of watching the first half hour of Tár may vary wildly between love, awe, tedium, and even a strong desire to flee the theater. But rest assured, the shrewd, dramatic schematic of writer-director Todd Field’s brilliant film will ultimately pull any serious moviegoers attention into its expert, thriller-tinged clutches.
Basically, anyone invested in the rarefied world of classical music — professionals, music-lovers, critics, scene-watchers — may find themselves ecstatically alarmed by the authenticity and insider savvy of the film’s classical milieu. Seldom, if ever, has there been a major motion picture that delves into the classical music sphere without groan-some artifice.
Narrative and cultural scene issues aside, at the experiential epicenter of the film is another remarkable performance by Cate Blanchett, delivering possibly the greatest performance of the year in American cinema. (On a local note, Blanchett thankfully returns for a deserved tribute at the upcoming Santa Barbara International Film Festival, on February 10, 2023).