Lydia Tar (Cate Blanchett) is a world renowned conductor and composer. A protege of Leonard Bernstein, a rare holder of the famous EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award winner) and the first female chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Her latest book is shortly to be released, this time on the subject of herself and she is powering towards her greatest achievement of completing a live performance of Mahler’s fifth symphony which would complete her sequence of performing all of Mahler’s symphonies live. As she gets closer to this achievement revelations about her past behaviour towards students and co-workers threaten to unseat her from the pinnacle that she has risen to. 

Tar is an exceptional film. So real does everything feel in the glorious 158 minutes of its running time that the first act I took on leaving the cinema was to check that it was not actually a biopic. But no, Lydia Tar is a fictional character. Albeit one that the writing and directing of Todd Field and the acting of Cate Blanchett renders utterly real. A fully three dimensional character that absolutely could inhabit this world. And in fact quite possibly does in various facets. 

The story opens with Tar conducting an interview with Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker magazine. Gopnik is an actual real life journalist for the actual real life magazine adding extra weight to my biopic questions. In this clever story device we are filled in on Tar’s history, hard work, rise to fame and achievements. From here we get insight into the busy rigour of Tar’s life within the classical music world. A world that Field chooses not to dumb down in any way, again adding to the realism. 

Throughout the film there are some key characters within Tar’s life. Her assistant Francesca (Noemie Merlant), a hugely talented individual in her own right who clearly has history with Tar. There is a mixture of devotion, love and hate mixed in with her interactions and efforts to keep up with her demanding boss. Whilst her concerns about Tar’s requests to ignore correspondence from another former student Krista raises concerns about their relationship. Her wife and concertmaster Sharon (Nina Hoss) has learnt to live with Tar’s dalliances for the sake of their daughter Petra (Mila Bogojecic) but is starting to struggle turning a blind eye. Petra meanwhile is perhaps the only individual that Tar does not expect to receive something in return for her love. Whilst later a new cellist will join the company named Olga (Sophie Kauer – a real life cellist) who threatens to turn Tar’s head once again threatening her relationships with Francesca and Sharon. 

All the while there are bubbling stories emerging around Tar’s behaviour that ask us to make assessments based on the viewpoint we have been given. 

Throughout the film the entire world that has been created is phenomenally real. The politics and jostling for position within an entertainment field, the relationships between all those involved and the media reactions and behaviours. All the while the key questions asked are; can you separate a person’s art from their personality? Is Tar ruthless at getting to where she needs to be or manipulative and abusing the power of the position she has obtained? 

There are exceptional scenes one after the other. Tar’s interview, her guest lecture at Juilliard, her dealing with a school bully upsetting Petra and almost any interaction with Francesca, Sharon and Olga. Blanchett is thoroughly and utterly brilliant in both her bombastic and quiet moments. A late quiet revelation about her name floored me more than every moment prior to it simply by her dejected reaction. 

Whilst the film itself is shot beautifully and of course features a wonderful score from Hildur Guonadottir (who is mentioned as one of Tar’s protégés). 

Tar is a dense, grown up and insightful exploration of a single minded, talented and powerful person. A masterpiece with a performance for the ages.