Music is about Time. Music is about Emotion. Music is a Language.

Cate Blanchett stars in the film TAR. In this role, she is surely one of the ‘tour de force’ actresses of our time. That she appears in the top list of both films and actor awards is no surprise. The film is hers from beginning to end, as she introduces Mahler’s 5th Symphony in the story that begins to unwrap the secrets of her character. In this first scene, we learn that Leonard Bernstein was her mentor in her training period. Her inner life as an artist has been fully formed by the time we discover her interactions with other people in her life professionally. She is, in short, at the very top of her game. We will also discover she is married to her partner who has a child they both care for. It is a challenge, as all families are.

Fame can be Careless.

In spite of her best efforts to maintain the high position in her professional and personal life, there are cracks in the foundation. Moments when you can almost see the train approaching as she stands on the tracks; you want to look away; you want to warn her she is headed for a fall. But, it’s too late. I don’t want to give way too much here, but having worked with many unique and varied forms of famous personalities in my own career, I know there is a danger of being careless to those around you: family, friends, lovers, wives, parents and co-workers. There is always a danger of not seeing the details, because the larger picture of the ‘fame’ can derail you. It can happen in any sort of life that involves art: Artists are dangerous both to themselves, and others. This is at the heart of the film. Also, for music lovers, the backstage workings of a major world orchestra will be appealing as will be the extraordinary selection of music that is played throughout.

Official Trailer for Tar