TÁR (2022)

Tár is a tense, character-driven drama set in the rarified world of Western classical music. The film follows Lydia Tár, widely regarded as one of the greatest living composer-conductors and the first female principal music director of a major German orchestra. At the height of her powers, Lydia juggles a demanding career, family obligations, and the launch of her memoir while preparing one of her boldest projects: a live recording of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. Confident, brilliant and sometimes ruthless, she exerts near-total control over the musicians and institutions around her—until pressures she cannot command begin to expose cracks in her public image and private life. Watching Tár is an immersive experience: you’ll encounter rapturous sequences of rehearsal and performance that convey the electric intensity of elite music-making, paired with quieter, unnerving moments that reveal the corrosive effects of unchecked authority. The film is equal parts musical drama and psychological study, peeling back a charismatic protagonist’s carefully constructed persona to examine ambition, influence, and moral compromise. Expect long, attentive scenes, sharp dialogue, and a slow-burn unraveling that is as provocative as it is uncomfortable. Ultimately the film asks the viewer to hold contradictory reactions at once—admiration for extraordinary talent and disquiet at the means by which that talent is wielded. It’s a provocative, polished portrait of power in a closed world, designed to leave you thinking about accountability, legacy and the human cost of genius.

Actors: Cate Blanchett, Noémie Merlant, Nina Hoss

Director: Todd Field

Genres: Drama, Music

93 /100 7.4 /10 8.3 /10