Tár

⭐ 10/10

My second review of this movie for this site.  Last time it was a 9.5 out of 10 that I wrote shortly after leaving the theatre.  I hedged a bit, didn't want to be too bold, but this is a 10/10 masterpiece.  This movie is long and starts very methodically, and I was nervously looking over at Jess to try and glean what she was feeling.  I sensed boredom, maybe thinking this is a pretentious movie.  When we took a break to grab snacks I was relieved to hear her say she loved it, and a lot of the things she loved reflected what I remembered so well.  The level of detail in this movie is so high, and the character Cate Blanchett plays is so particular.  Within minutes you feel like you understand this person completely, and this is a testament to the acting and the movie making.  The amount of detail and care is reflected in Tar's personality, and every clothing choice, every furnished room, it all makes perfect sense that she is that person in that space.  I don't really know how to describe it, but I'm not sure a movie has felt so cohesive to me.

As time as gone on the movie I think this compares most to is There Will Be Blood. Ambitious and smart people who stop at nothing in their pursuit, and eventually the weight of their aspiration completely buries them.  I think it has a lot in common with Whiplash, but that movie is pure energy with someone climbing the ranks.  There Will Be Blood and this movie have touches of rags to riches, but the success is inevitable, and its what comes after that makes it interesting.

I think this movie has so much to say about everything in our modern lives.  Boiling it down to cancel culture or toxic people in power is simple, but there is so much going on here. The relationships with the people in her life, the image and legacy building, the side-effects of being a genius, there is so much happening the paints this complete picture of a larger than life character that feels fully realized. There are a couple long-take scenes in here, with the highlight being a guest-teaching job at Juilliard.  It thrusts you into this world that barely anyone understands and doesn't hold your hand, and the way its done makes her a completely overwhelming powerhouse, both to the viewer and to the other people in her orbit.

The ending of this movie is maybe one of the best movie endings I have seen.  In the theatres it was baffling and surprising, almost so surprising that people could only really chuckle at it once they left.  On the repeat viewing when you know where its going its all I could think about the whole time, how the person we see at the beginning turns into the one at the end. They are clearly the same person with maybe even the same values.  They have been through so much and have completely different circumstances, but have they even changed? Hard to say more without spoiling, but I think the ending is hilarious and rich with ideas.

I was saddened again that this movie didn't get properly rewarded and got bowled over in the Everything Everywhere All At Once year.  The greatest movies are rarely recognized in their time, but Blanchett deserves every accolade under the sun for this. None of that matters, I just wish more people would see this movie.  It really stands alone in my mind, an unforgettable first viewing experience and an equally rewarding second.