In this existential drama, Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) is a renowned conductor at the top of her game. She's an EGOT winner, a certified genius to those in the know. She's also a sexual predator. Her predilection for young women, whom she gets close to under the guise of mentorship, is an open secret to her wife, her colleagues, and her assistant. Lydia is such a narcissist that she can't see the pitfalls right in front of her — namely, a former victim's desperate emails that become the musician's undoing.
Director Todd Field offers a nuanced look at the #MeToo movement by casting against type. Lydia, a queer white woman, shows that men aren't the only ones who abuse their power. It's the system that is corrupt. Whatever you think of Lydia's comeuppance, it's hard to argue that she doesn't get what she deserves. In fact, "Tár" makes the case that her real undoing isn't "cancel culture," it's hubris.
