'Tour-de-force': Cate Blanchett faces the music as a disgraced conductor in 'Tár'

Mesmerizing, towering, bravura, commanding … all the hyperbole in the world can’t do justice to Cate Blanchett’s pitch-perfect portrayal of a world-famous maestro in “Tár."

Written and directed by Todd Field (“In the Bedroom”), the slow-burn, #MeToo drama exposes the fall from grace of Lydia Tár (Blanchett), a renowned conductor and composer for the Berlin Philharmonic. Field cleverly flips the script on the usual sexual misconduct scenario and it works like a symphony. Sure, women can behave badly too, but it's interesting to note that Lydia is characterized with many masculine traits. She favors the bespoke suits her male counterparts wear on the podium, her voice is deep and she identifies as her daughter’s “father." No doubt, she's got alpha swagger.

"Tár'' begins with Lydia at a career crescendo, leading a major orchestra, teaching a master class at Juilliard and publishing a memoir, “Tár on Tár.” An EGOT winner, she’s labeled “one of the most important musical figures of our time.”

'A wicked good time': Sanderson sisters cast a spell in 'Hocus Pocus 2'

As such, Lydia is in complete control, and so is Blanchett. She fully inhabits a character whose complexity and intensity continually evolves. Her Lydia moves through the high-brow social circles with purpose, poise and enough musical pedigree to excuse her prickly demeanor. No one messes with the protégé of Leonard Bernstein. But some, including her put-upon personal assistant, Francesca (Noémie Merlant from “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”), whisper behind her back.

Lydia supplies them with plenty of ammunition, be it a strained marriage to her violinist wife, Sharon (Nina Hoss, terrific), or a bullied young daughter. And, now, damaging emails from a former student showing Lydia traded sexual favors for career boosts. If that wasn’t bad enough, a viral video captures her chastising another student for being too “woke.” Cancel culture has a feast.

Movie review: Viola Davis reigns supreme in historical epic 'The Woman King'

Thanks to Blanchett, watching Lydia face the music is simply riveting. We’re seeing an actress at the top of her game play an artist at the top of hers. And as the script strips away Lydia’s power and ambition, we begin to see who she really is.

Field’s writing and Blanchett’s acting are a powerful one-two punch, so strong that you never totally root against Lydia. She’s despicable when she steals her wife’s beta blockers to quell performance anxiety, but there are moments when you truly feel for her. At the height of her disgrace, Lydia visits her modest childhood home, where she’s known as Linda, and pops in an old VHS tape. Her face lights up as Bernstein talks to youngsters about the great composers. For a brief moment, there’s a glimpse of Lydia in a previous life, when all that mattered was her love of music. Even now, her life might be shambles but the music remains clear.

'Beast' mode: Idris Elba faces off with a deadly lion in survivalist safari thriller

Blanchett nails the physical attributes – playing piano, speaking German and baton technique – but emotionally, she’s positively lyrical. The money is on her to win a third Academy Award. Field, helming his first film since 2006’s “Little Children,” should draw plenty of notice too. But this is Blanchett’s tour-de-force through and through. At one point, Lydia says, “You must stand before the public and God and obliterate yourself.” Mission accomplished.

‘Tár’

Director, writer: Todd Field

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Noemie Merlant, Nina Hoss, Sophie Kauer, Julian Glover, Allan Corduner, Mark Strong

Running time: 153 minutes

Rating: R for some language and brief nudity

Grade: A-

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. Please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer.

Reach Dana Barbuto at dbarbuto@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: 'Tár' review: Cate Blanchett faces the music as a disgraced conductor