As the lists of nominees for the various film industry award-giving bodies are announced, one of the consistent inclusions is Cate Blanchett for Tár, and it is a well-deserved recognition for this consummate actress. In Oscars history, she has been nominated four times, and previously won it all for Blue Jasmine in 2013. So what is Tár all about?

Tár (Video on Demand, Amazon Prime) - Directed by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett as a tempestuous, mercurial orchestra conductor, Tár is a deep, psychological drama that ticks a number of the right boxes for film critics and cinephiles. So it’s no surprise that’s it’s been enjoying rapturous word of mouth for the compelling, layered performance that Blanchett provides in the film. 

First off there’s Todd Field directing, an auteur whose very limited output has actually worked to his benefit. As director, writer and producer, Tár is only his third film, with In the Bedroom (2001), and Little Children (2006) preceding it. In the recently held Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, where Dolly de Leon romped off with her Best Supporting Actress win, Field took home Best Director, and Tár won Best Film. It also notched Best Picture at the New York Film Critics Awards, and earned Field Best Director at the Boston Society of Film Critics. 

If one had to describe Tár to help general audiences understand what to expect, I’d say it’s the orchestra conductor version of Black Swan - where Natalie Portman portrayed a driven, unhinged ballerina. Here in Tár, we have Cate Blanchett taking on the fictitious role of Lydia Tár, a world-renowned composer and conductor, who supposedly was mentored by Leonard Bernstein. 

This inclusion of real life musical luminaries in the narrative has made several members of the audience believe that Lydia Tár is a real person, and not something conjured up by Field for his screenplay. And kudos to how Field and Blanchett have collaborated on this film, which at times, takes on the form of a mock-documentary that this sleight of hand is so successful.

The narrative has a lot to do with chronicling Tár at the height of her popularity and global acclaim, then noting the hubris that comes before her downfall, and escape into relative obscurity. It’s an arc that not many people would have seen coming, given how curated and painstakingly controlled her public and private lives are managed; so it makes for a fascinating study about the effects of social media and the cancel culture, and how these extend even into such cloistered arenas such as classical music.

Where I found the film stretching too far, is as it injects elements of suspense and the supernatural into the proceedings. Yes, it’s ominous and foreshadowing; but for me, the other-worldly aspects of these detract from the firmly anchored in the real world things that are happening to Lydia, as well as the wrong decisions made, or the paths she chooses to head into. I’ll leave what these are for the audiences to enjoy and be surprised by.

Blanchett is a mesmerizing force throughout the film, attacking the role and its arc with a galvanizing presence that’s impossible to resist. Even when she’s being haughty, insipid, or mean, we still want to watch her. But I do forewarn the readers here that this is a very introspective, talk-y kind of film - as advertised, a psychological drama that relies on inner dialogue, and taking hints from the conversations and facial expressions that we do see on screen. As such, it is a challenge to sit through.

So much of a challenge that despite the numerous accolades and awards, the film has been a financial disaster, only grossing some $5.4 million, on a budget that exceeded $35 million. It’s interesting to watch if Blanchett will take home the Best Actress awards these coming months - not many may have watched the film, but for anyone who has, there is nothing but praise for Blanchett.