Movie spotlight
Aoife Ni Bhraoin returns home to help her father Brendan ‘The Bear’ O’Briain in his recovery from a heart attack. During this time, Aoife faces the grief of her mother that she hasn’t dealt with until now. Aoife reacquaints with a group of rowers and this all-female team, who against the odds, take on a high stakes Naomhóg rowing competition.
The film follows Lydia Tár, a world-renowned composer and conductor at the height of her career, preparing for a major live performance of Mahler's 5th Symphony. As her personal and professional lives become increasingly entangled, the meticulous facade of her controlled world begins to crumble under the weight of her own ambition and past actions. The narrative explores themes of power, genius, and the corrosive nature of unchecked influence in the classical music world.
Tár received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for Cate Blanchett's central performance, Todd Field's direction, and its complex exploration of themes. Critics lauded its challenging narrative, psychological depth, and meticulous attention to detail, though some found its pacing deliberate. It was frequently cited as one of the best films of its release year.
Cate Blanchett delivers a career-defining performance as a complex and imposing conductor.
Todd Field's direction is masterful, creating a chilling and immersive portrait of artistic power and its potential for corruption.
The film is a dense, intellectually stimulating character study that probes the dark side of genius and the complexities of cancel culture.
Google audience: Google users largely praised Cate Blanchett's captivating performance and the film's sophisticated exploration of power dynamics. Many found the movie thought-provoking and artistically significant, though a smaller segment noted its demanding nature and ambiguous storytelling.
Cate Blanchett received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and nominations for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress. The film itself received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
Cate Blanchett learned to conduct actual orchestras for the role and spent months studying the nuances of musical composition and performance, even developing her own fictional Mahler symphony for the film's climax.
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Kelly Gough turns in quite a decent performance here as "Aoife". She's making quite a success of her life in Dublin but returns to her coastal Kerry home-town to look after her dad "Bear" (Lorcan Cranitch) who is recovering from an heart at...