This film uses the conventions of a documentary to explore its subject. The narrative progresses in small scenes, which are not always connected, but as we have seen this reality type format before, the viewer is acquainted with how to approach the film. It contains drama inasmuch as daily life has its moments, although it is not to be counted on to be interesting.
The duration, at over two and half hours, imposes on the viewer the smug opinion that this is a serious subject about a worthy person, as if we were following a real conductor in the hallowed concert halls of classical music. However, like most of the material here, the duration is not enough to convince when there are too many longueurs, although there are moments where the politics of the orchestral world are reasonably credible. It does provide a pleasant passing scene where our fiery conductor tells a young musician his attitudes are uninformed and anachronistic. It's still not quite enough to put the popcorn down, though.
The principal character is established with a quite preposterous career history. This element plays to an American cultural aesthetic. Tár is, a quasi-divine blend of mother creator and Fortune 500 CEO and makes her and the film, unbelievable. But then we are in such a rarefied cultural world that the project recording of Mahler's 5th implies that CDs have larger capacity than is possible.
There are two eminence grises to this film. The first is Lenny Bernstein: his Mahler recordings are cited and he's mentioned in other places too. His identification with Mahler and his own ego - watch the 1981 Munich ''Tristan und Isolde'' - for insufferable conductor megalomania, provide the template in some degree to this movie. He still exercises a thrall which needs overturning.
The second presence is the gigantic ego of Ayn Rand. She still exercises influence on the American comprehension of creative force, despite her own books being unreadable dross. Blanchett's performance channels Rand's supreme solipsism, for which she was infamous, and therefore has the ''charm'' associated with Rand's objectionable personality.
A pretentious and dull film which proves again that Mahler and movies are a difficult proposition; something that executives knew in 1971 with ''Death in Venice'', though they did inquire if was still available to score other films.
The duration, at over two and half hours, imposes on the viewer the smug opinion that this is a serious subject about a worthy person, as if we were following a real conductor in the hallowed concert halls of classical music. However, like most of the material here, the duration is not enough to convince when there are too many longueurs, although there are moments where the politics of the orchestral world are reasonably credible. It does provide a pleasant passing scene where our fiery conductor tells a young musician his attitudes are uninformed and anachronistic. It's still not quite enough to put the popcorn down, though.
The principal character is established with a quite preposterous career history. This element plays to an American cultural aesthetic. Tár is, a quasi-divine blend of mother creator and Fortune 500 CEO and makes her and the film, unbelievable. But then we are in such a rarefied cultural world that the project recording of Mahler's 5th implies that CDs have larger capacity than is possible.
There are two eminence grises to this film. The first is Lenny Bernstein: his Mahler recordings are cited and he's mentioned in other places too. His identification with Mahler and his own ego - watch the 1981 Munich ''Tristan und Isolde'' - for insufferable conductor megalomania, provide the template in some degree to this movie. He still exercises a thrall which needs overturning.
The second presence is the gigantic ego of Ayn Rand. She still exercises influence on the American comprehension of creative force, despite her own books being unreadable dross. Blanchett's performance channels Rand's supreme solipsism, for which she was infamous, and therefore has the ''charm'' associated with Rand's objectionable personality.
A pretentious and dull film which proves again that Mahler and movies are a difficult proposition; something that executives knew in 1971 with ''Death in Venice'', though they did inquire if was still available to score other films.