In this 2023 Oscar nominee, Cate Blanchett stars and stuns as first-class, world renowned conductor Lydia Tár. She is a mere month away from conducting the piece that will change her life and elevate her status in the classical world, and she has a loving family with her partner Sharon and their adopted daughter Petra. However, there’s more to Lydia than meets the eye, and underneath the accolades and milestones she’s achieved, there’s a hidden, darker side to her that threatens everything that Tár holds dear to her. The movie centers around the days and rehearsals leading up to the ultimate day of the recording, and viewers get to see the star slowly fizzle out and explode into a black hole that consumes everything around her, a celestial tragedy people can’t seem to look away from. Though it is a bit on the long side (almost three hours long), it is captivating yet unnerving the entire way through, with an ending that made jaws drop around the world.

Plot

With Tár, there was no telling what was going to happen, and that is meant in the best way possible. The exposition could arguably be called “slow”, but it was done right, with the intent always being present and it setting the tone for the rest of the movie. And for the amount of exposition Todd Field, the director, set, the payoff was extremely worth it. Watching the steady rise of Lydia Tár’s downfall was satisfying because when the conductor did fall from her pedestal, it was unexpected and messy yet beautifully orchestrated, like an elegant train wreck you can’t seem to peel your eyes away from. The pacing of the movie was well-done, the time seemingly flying by. Another element of the movie that is well-with mentioning is the cinematography. There are so many stunning shots and cool takes throughout the movie that leave viewers both entranced and engaged with the scene in that moment. The movie also plays with the irony of today’s “woke” culture with the character of Lydia Tár herself. She is a strong-willed, charismatic woman who believes that music is simply music, and that skill and talent should not be based on the gray areas of the composer’s morality. However, she grapples with her own immorality and how it deeply affects her life in all aspects, a sort-of comeuppance for the morally gray protagonist of the movie. Overall, it’s clear that this film was made from a place of passion with a sense of elegance and delicacy, which made this movie absolutely breathtaking from start to finish.