[Quick Summary: This story is about the downfall of manipulative Lydia Tar, the greatest living female conductor-composer of a major European orchestra.]
Every year, I read Oscar nominated scripts and ask, "Why was this one nominated? What is NEW? What is so GOOD about it?"
In this script, the subject of unequal dynamics is not new, but adding a female conductor-composer is.
However, I found I was even more impressed by writer-director Todd Field's excellent use of subtext.
I particularly like the way it is told with an understanding of female dynamics, i.e., the conflict is not a quick "one and done," but it lingers, resentful, and entangled.
For example:
- Prior to the scene below, Tar flirted with a Young Matron (YM) with a red handbag, after a public performance.
- Later, Tar has the red handbag. Was it a "gift" from the YM? I say yes.
- Tar has also taken, and been abusing, her partner Sharon's Metroprolol.
- All this previous behavior sets up the payoff in the scene below. Notice how many lies are stacked on each other.
TAR'S HOME
She arrives in the middle of night, and habitually begins turning off LIGHTS left on EVERYWHERE.
Stops when she sees the light on at the end of the far hallway where a woman paces back and forth
LIBRARY SITTING ROOM
She enters to find SHARON GOODNOW (40) pacing in her underwear.
SHARON: The flutter's back. It's racing. I can't find my Metroprolol anywhere. [We remember Tar had taken Metroprolol earlier.]
Tar immediately heads to
THE BATHROOM
Takes the bottle from her bag, taps out a pill, and noisily closes the medicine cabinet before returning to [Now we realize:1) Tar took the pills w/o permission and 2) Sharon does not know.]
THE SITTING ROOM
TAR: This was lying loose on the counter. Is it the right one? [Tar took the pills + Sharon does not know + She is pretending now.]
Sharon looks at it, nods, and swallows it.
SHARON: Thank you... is that a new bag?
TAR: A gift from Eliot. Do you want it? [Tar took the pills + Sharon does not know it + Tar pretending to find a pill + Tar lying it was a gift from her mentor + Tar not telling Sharon about YM + Offering a tainted gift to her partner in life.]
SHARON (sits, catches breath): ... no, suits you. [This line plays on 2 levels: 1) Sharon really means it, and 2) It visually represents many lies and an artificial life that Tar is leading.]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I was particularly impressed (and galled) at Tar's offer of the red handbag.
Visually, it's just a bag. But in the story, it has a deeper symbolic meaning that represents layers of subterfuge and stacked subtext.
Tar (2022)
Directed and written by Todd Field
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