Cocaine Bear

 This review may contain spoilers!

Cocaine Bear is extremely loosely based on a true story, in that a drug runner dumped cocaine out of his plane near a small American midwest town. A black bear ate some of the cocaine and after a number of hours died. In the film though? The bear goes on a cocaine-induced rampage, killing near everyone it crosses along the way.

While I don't have a great many positive things to say about the film I was really impressed by the cinematography. The feature capitalises on some beautiful scenic shots and sets, while also making action sequences revolving around a CGI bear feel very dynamic.

 

Isiah Whitlock Jr., who played Bob, gives a very believable performance as the old grizzled detective; I think the 'detective having a dog back home he loved' story would have been a real write off if it wasn't for the heart Whitlock put in. Brooklynn Prince, who played Dee Dee, is one of the better young performers I've seen so far in 2023; Prince plays a snarky rebellious streak extremely well. Christian Convery, who played Henry, is a very charming goofball; I liked how Convery wasn't playing an inherently smart character yet he dealt some extremely witty delivery. Kristofer Hivju and Hannah Hoekstra, who played Kristoffer and Elsa respectively, really introduced us well to the start of the film and set a bar that was never really reached ever again; I just enjoyed the light-hearted way this pair approached playing a couple in love.

However, the best performance came from O'Shea Jackson Jr., who played Daveed. This is a performer who has really been up and coming for awhile now, and I love seeing him take a swing across a range of works. A feature like Cocaine Bear is perfect because anyone who shows up and puts the work in tends to shine and Jackson was doing that in spades. I really enjoyed the little quirks Daveed had, such as how protective he was of his outfit over the course of the movie. I often felt the misery he had over a ruined jacket was more heartfelt than how I felt about some character deaths. Jackson is really good at playing exasperated, the role is focused on getting a job done but he hates all the hoops he has to do to get there. Jackson also put in one hundred percent of the work to make the relationship between his and Ehrenreich's character seem like a solid friendship that needed healing.

I found going into Cocaine Bear I had this real expectation I'd be watching something irreverent and funny, maybe one of those films that's so bad it circles back around to being good. That's sadly not what this is. Ultimately, the film boils down to a comedy with heavy elements of a c-list 80s creature feature, think Sharknado but pulled back a little for general audiences. The comedy was the most surprising aspect of this to me, especially given the film is directed by Elizabeth Banks who has left a solid mark on comedies over the years. This whole film might make you give a wry chuckle a few times but there's nothing that will really get you cracking up. There are a few interweaving character stories but none of these characters really feel like the type to lead the film. In fact the film goes out of its way to construct the most generic character archetypes you could ever expect from a film like this - a single Mum looking for her two missing kids, an old school detective on his way out and a couple of flunkies for a drug lord. If the film had at least tried to find a character story worth telling in all this, it would at least have had some degree of story to it. But the entire plot devolves down to: greed is bad, sticking by your family and friends is good. I was also remarkably unimpressed by how the bear was used, often pumping out hollow, visceral kills that never served the film nor shocked the audience. The bar was so low with this, but there simply wasn't a script there to meet it.

The editing for this feature was ghastly, shots often lingered for long periods of time, which really took the punch out of the whole thing. I was really surprised all the flashback and dream sequences made it through the cutting room, they often ruined the entire flow of the feature and, in some cases, really undermined scenes. The special effects really boiled down to how good the kills looked and how good the main bear looked. The kills really varied in in quality but the thing I just couldn't stand was how awful the bear looked. The face often seemed unnatural, and there are multiple times where the movement just straight up didn't look like a bear whatsoever. It can be very tough simulating a real animal, especially in a film with a comedy budget; but the bear is literally what this film is about and seriously needed more work or a different approach to shooting it. The score for this film is outlandish, felt like it was really trying for the synthwave feel of b-list eighties features but missing the mark. Whatever noise we want to call this arrangement is a hot contender for probably the worst score we'll hear in 2023.

Keri Russell, who played Sari, is sort of positioned as the lead of this feature but is so unremarkable it becomes quite hard to tell; Russell has a lot of ability but the stereotypical single Mum who 'has to get her baby back' is nothing new here. Alden Ehrenreich, who played Eddie, should be asked to never fake cry on camera again because that was awful; Ehrenreich has to be phoning this one in because it might be his worst role to date. Ray Liotta, who played Syd, really hams it up a bit too much as the human antagonist of the film; it's a sad footnote for one of his last feature film performances. Margo Martindale, who played Ranger Liz, is an annoying character and performance; watching Martindale wildly play her character over the top started to wear thin after the first couple of scenes. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played Peter, is a genuinely forgettable character; the 'overly dedicated to park ranging' schtick just felt like a joke that went nowhere and wasn't acted well. Ayoola Smart, who played Officer Reba, was giving the most bland line delivery I could've imagined; Smart never once felt like a convincing police officer and she floundered in her scenes. Aaron Holiday, who played Kid, might just be my least favourite performance though; Holiday was all over the show and often felt like he was trying to be funny when he had no ability to do so.

No number of cute bear cubs covered in cocaine can get past the fact that this film is a real aimless piece of cinema. I would give Cocaine Bear a 1.5/10.

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the third Ant-Man film and the thirty first Marvel Cinematic Universe feature. In this film, Scott Lang and his family find themselves accidentally transported to the Quantum Realm where the must work against the might tyrant, Kang the Conqueror, in order to return home. I have really loved watching Scott Lang over the years, regardless of the fact that his films might not be the top of the Marvel pile, he has consistently proven to be one of my favourite heroes. Scott Lang is a charismatic and charming figure, but more than that he is a family figure who often fights from a place of love. Seeing how his relationship has matured with his now teenage daughter is actually quite well done, you could very easily have created some devastating rift here but you just get a pair who lift one another up and make each other stronger. That's great, that's consistent and heartfelt character relationship writing. Scott Lang is also constantly quoted as being the type of hero who stands up for the little guy, and that's no comedic quip. In this feature we really get delivered some exceptional alien worldbuilding with the Quantum Realm, the Freedom Fighters who live there and Kang the Conqueror, who rules it all. Watching this film turn into a clever, fun sci-fi struggle between these freedom fighters and this arrogant despot is a real ride worth the time.

Peyton Reed has improved a lot with filming action sequences and visual effects, all of which are really captured in such a colossal and gripping way. The visual effects seen throughout the feature are actually really impressive given there's barely a shot without some aspect of them. The design of the Quantum Realm is really varied and unique, it actually engages you because the environment and creatures are just so fascinating. The fact that this then translates to really dazzling action sequences that have a much larger scale than anything previously done in an Ant-Man film is a real treat.

 

Paul Rudd, who played Scott Lang, has led these films brilliantly for a long time now; the way he can play a loveball goofball one moment and a father brimming with love the next easily makes him a worthy protagonist. Evangeline Lilly, who played Hope Van Dyne, wasn't especially well utilised in the film but she did great with what she had; Lilly's strength is that she has always genuinely felt like a tough protector or more of a classic superhero type than Rudd's Scott. Michael Douglas, who played Dr. Hank Pym, is a lot more jovial and relaxed in this film which was really nice character progression; yet watching Douglas absolutely chew the scenery and stun with some cool moments in the final act was great. Jonathan Majors, who played Kang the Conqueror, delivered lines like he was weaving a beautiful silk tapestry; Majors fed his character anger to the point that he grew more wild the more that was unleashed. Kathryn Newton, who played Cassie Lang, is a delightful debut to watch; the way she threw herself into danger to help others in spite of her inexperience felt like lovely character progression from what we've seen of younger Cassie. Bill Murray, who played Lord Krylar, might not have been the most necessary character but he had a great scene; watching Murray riff off Pfeiffer and Douglas was a ton of fun and he was quite believeable as the shifty intermediary. Katy M. O'Brian, who played Jentorra, is one of the toughest roles in the feature; O'Brian comes off as both noble and utterly intimidating. David Dastmalchian, who played Veb, is definitely one of the comedic heights of the film; Dastmalchian brings a real quirky performance to this alien role. Corey Stoll, who played M.O.D.O.K., is effortlessly hilarious as the more comedic counterpart to Majors' Kang; the way Stoll finds himself back to a much more unravelled and not at all with it Darren Cross is a fantastic time. 

However, the best performance came from Michelle Pfeiffer, who played Janet Van Dyne. I loved seeing Pfeiffer as the original Wasp in the last film but this time she really gets the room to run. The start of the film we see someone who has really grown contented being back with her family but at a few points she grows quite anxious and cagey. The moment we enter the Quantum Realm Pfeiffer just ups everything up beyond expectations. Suddenly Janet turns into this very guarded yet driven character, a woman who has experience surviving in this terribly treacherous world. Watching her reveal her secrets with shame but also tremendous fear really drives home the strength of the main antagonist. In fact, Pfeiffer's work sets up Kang just as much as Majors' does. Watching her rally as this fighter who resists and kicks back against this frankly terrifying individual is a treat and a solid performance.

The film is incredible fast paced most of the time which means when it slows you really notice it. I was most inconvenienced by the film when characters gathered to have a long exposition conversation, I often found these moments interesting but they came at odd intersecting moments and rambled on for a little long. The final act is also filled with long stretches of talking and jokes that intrude on otherwise captivating action and character moments. MODOK is a prime example of this, he was a really fun minor antagonist but the redemption arc laid out for him wasn't necessary even if it was humourous.

 

I also was surprised to dislike Christophe Beck's score, it was the usual blockbuster fanfare but it really failed to deliver key themes that stayed with you. 

William Jackson Harper, who played Quaz, just looks disinterested or tired most of the time; I really found Harper to have quite a limited range that didn't make him stand out much. James Cutler, who played Xolum, made for a cool special effect but not so much a cool performance; Cutler really gave Xolum nothing to make notable or interesting as one of the many resistance fighters.

It might not be the best film Marvel has ever put out but the family at the heart of this film and the incredible Quantum Realm world makes this a feature worth viewing. I would give Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania a 7.5/10.

Magic Mike's Last Dance

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Magic Mike's Last Dance is the third film in the Magic Mike trilogy, this time seeing Mike fall in love with wealthy British divorcee, Maxandra. Working together the pair attempt to rework a stifled old British play into a sexed up strip show, flirting with feelings of love and attraction along the way. I'm not going to pretend the Mike and Max relationship was the best written thing ever, it had a few flaws. But the moment you first see them together, connecting via Mike's dancing paired with a few good moments of romantic tension and longing throughout, you actually get something that has you invested. There's a simple 'will they? Won't they?' element to the feature that becomes the best aspect of the narrative.

 

While I can't honestly say the choreography is as strong as it has been in the past, Magic Mike on a bad day still has some really impressive elements of strip dancing. In those moments where the story stops to showcase what most of the viewing audience is here to see the stops are really pulled off. Channing Tatum does two dances in the film and they're both phenomenal, but none more impressive than the dance he does in water during the final act.

 

Salma Hayek, who played Maxandra Mendoza, is far from her best work here but presents a character you will really warm up to as the film goes along; I liked that we got see Hayek play a character who was giddy with love like a teenager as opposed to the more matronly figures she has been otherwise playing. Ayub Khan-Din, who played Victor, is the best comedic performer in the feature; his disdain moving to grudging respect for Tatum's character is one of the better pieces of performance and writing. Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Matt Bomer and Adam Rodriguez, who played Big Dick Richie, Tarzan, Ken and Tito respectively, are a very welcome sight of a cameo; the chemistry and lighthearted way this group delivers lines is a fine reminder of what has made the previous films so successful.

 

However, the best performance came from Channing Tatum, who played title character: Mike Lane. It's very interesting to see how comfortably and consistently Tatum has played Mike over a decade. I think that's what I admire most about this performance for the third time out, everything around him might have changed but every detail and aspect of this protagonist is still perfectly caught by the actor portraying him. Tatum doesn't present Mike as the biggest voice in the room, nor even the smartest. But what he does present Mike as is this quiet yet self-assured dancer, a person who speaks their mind with purpose. Mike doesn't push his way into an exchange but instead really reasonably puts his view on the scene which can subtly shift how things play out. There is some incredible chemistry here between Tatum and Hayek, those moments of yearning for one another or trying to connect while keeping apart from one another really hits at the heart of a good romantic storyline. But what works best in this film is how Tatum dances this time around; he has two scenes which are both exceptionally intimate. But the final dance scene he does is this beautiful way of showcasing his feelings of love through choreography instead of words, which I found really powerful.

I find the Magic Mike sequels tricky ones to navigate because neither feature has a very strong plot but has excellent choreography. While Magic Mike XXL didn't know what to do so it made a lot of intermittent skit-like scenes, this film is a strange rags to riches story with Mike being a sort of Sugar Baby for Max. Yet the context of this relationship desolves and is refocused to the pair redirecting a sort of classic British play into a stripper stage show. But it's a main plot that feels very poorly conceived. The audience is never really guided to understand much of what the original play actually is, it's just weirdly a period piece. The eventual stripper show we get doesn't have much payoff either, there's no real substance to it. Ultimately the entire main plot is driven by the need for us to see a lot of strippers at a strip show by the end of the film. There are a number of comedic gags and antics inbetween to keep things moving but they never really land as the ensemble cast isn't very comedically gifted. There's a whole rich divorced family subplot with Max that comes across as fake and hard to relate to. Worse than that is this teenage adopted daughter of Max's, firstly you never really understand the purpose of that relationship within a film like this. But the big reason Zadie grates on this film is that she gives this stoic, dramatic narration about the purpose of dance over the whole of this film. It feels very tonally confusing and a lot like the film thinks it has more to say than it actually does.

Steven Soderbergh can direct a film better than this, I've seen him do it more than once. Hell, he did it better in the first Magic Mike. It leaves me with a lot of questions around how passionate people behind this project actually were. In any film that has as much dancing and movement as this you would expect the camera to move or have some sense of presence, but the style is just so typical and boring. Even the dance sequences are filmed in a very predictable and blocky manner at times. The editing also leaves a lot to be desired, there are some extremely long moments of lingering on shots where a cut obviously needs to happen. The worst example of this is during dance scenes, we get shots of extras looking half impressed for long periods of time rather than the dancing itself. This film probably boasts the worst soundtrack of the series with a lot of tracks that have otherwise been worn through before or others that just don't snap with the energy that is being demanded.

Alan Cox, who played Roger Rattigan, is utterly unconvincing as a former husband to Hayek's role; the pair have no chemistry or even authentic rage towards one another and Cox often feels like the antagonist out of a Hallmark film. Juliette Motamed, who played Hannah, just feels really awkwardly inserted into the main cast of the feature; Motamed's entire MC shtick in the final show doesn't work at all and is a strong reminder of how weak the main storyline is. Jemelia George, who played Zadie, is a character the film really could've done without; listening to such a monotonous style of line delivery made this a hard character to sit with for long.

There are two dances in this film worth watching, the rest is an incoherent mess of a story. I would give Magic Mike's Last Dance a 4/10.

Knock At The Cabin

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Knock At The Cabin is part supernatural thriller, part psychological thriller and focuses on a group of people taking a young family hostage at the cabin they're holidaying at. This ominous group has been experiencing collective visions about the end of the world and has become convinced that only the self-chosen death of one of the family members will prevent it. The narrative for this is weirdly disarming, it actually sits up and decides to kick the action off right away which I really admired. There's a strong sense of foreboding and urgency about the end of the world looming established very early on that permeates this whole piece. I also think it's really worth noting that the film doesn't overcomplicate things too much in the first couple of acts, for an M. Night Shyamalan film there is a surprising amount of simplicity in how the narrative stays true to the core concept and delivery of the story.

The cinematography utilised throughout isn't always the greatest thing to look at but I did ultimately come down on the side of enjoying what is being offered here. The film is riddled with these extremely disarming close ups that are perturbing to look at for too long and really get under your skin. In any other film that would be a weak point, but here it strangely worked. Herdís Stefánsdóttir has crafted a haunting score here that will really leave you tense at times; the way Stefánsdóttir builds the tracks in those scenes where violence is committed between the invaders is captivating.

 

Ben Aldridge, who played Andrew, is the tough protective protagonist this film really needs; Aldridge lends Andrew a sense of hurt and rage that makes his role come across as very strong in the face of peril. Rupert Grint, who played Redmond, might not be in the film long but he sets himself up as a great antagonist; there is something supremely spiteful and uncaring in what Grint brings here that really worked. Abby Quinn, who played Ardiane, is a really wild and unpredictable member of the invaders; the way Quinn wrestles between playing someone who is desperate and someone who is trying to please others is really well managed. Kristen Cui, who played Wen, is one of the best child performances I've seen this year; Cui hits notes of fear, curiosity and defiance in a way that is comparable or even better than her adult co-stars.

However, the best performance came from Dave Bautista, who played Leonard. There was an early point there where Bautista had smashed onto the scene with Guardians of the Galaxy and started getting roles everywhere. And even if he was just being hired to be the big guy punching on others, you saw the direction he wanted to go. The man was picking Bond villains, roles in Blade Runner. But now the past couple of years have really seen Bautista come into his own as a dramatic actor. This particular performance is fascinating because he has such an immense presence yet is exceptionally gentle. I particularly loved how he acted against Cui, you really could believe that this man had a background of being a primary school teacher. He also played to Leonard's drive and purpose around preventing the end of the world with such real severity; there was passion here and an unshaking faith that you really believed in. Yet not for one second did Bautista drop the fact that his character was a good person who did not want to hurt those he had taken hostage, it was a very honest performance. The debate about the best wrestler turned actor is over; Dwayne Johnson and John Cena can go home. It's Bautista's time.

I actually really was so drawn in by the first couple of acts within this film, but then something happened. Or maybe a better way to put it is that nothing happened. The film never changed. What Knock At The Cabin expresses is going to happen in the first fifteen minutes is essentially cycled around and fulfilled by the final act. There's no satisfying surprise, the plot doesn't wrestle with itself or attempt to diverge. In fact the whole thing feels obliged to complete the path it lays out. As an audience member when I realised the third act wasn't going to challenge me and instead end in quite an obvious manner I was disappointed. The feature felt fresh at the start but by the end I really did feel like no ambition had been put into the script whatsoever. There are also a lot of flashback scenes in the film showcasing the history of this young, queer family. My issue with watching a film like this that clearly had minimal queer voices behind it is that there is often a chance queer characters come off as inauthentic. The queer roles in this feature are defined by being victims every step of the way; whether that be the main plot, the assault they experience at the bar, parents not accepting them or not being able to present as partners for adopting their daughter. The film is almost obsessed with defining these roles by the negative moments they have gone through, any instances of familial love don't come from the script but rather the great chemistry between Aldridge and Groff. In classic Shyamalan style the dialogue can turn very clunky at times and entire scenes become write offs as characters start talking in aimless tangents that have little bearing on the plot. A great example of this is the absurd Four Horseman of the Apocalypse parallel that Eric makes in one of the final scenes, it felt like a script moment a first year film student might take pride in.

The special effects budget for the film clearly only went so far as well, if you have to show off the apocalypse it probably pays to make sure you actually can. Watching really poor looking planes fall out of the sky or unrealistic fire bolts lance the Earth or even the sky turning overcast and dark actually broke my ability to immerse myself in the world that had been established here.

Jonathan Groff, who played Eric, doesn't look too interested in giving his level best here and I can't really blame him; Groff really plays the moments where his character has a change of heart in a very over the top manner. Nikki Amuka-Bird, who played Sabrina, is definitely the clearest weak point in the cast; Amuka-Bird seriously needed to tone things down often but she was always running her emotional delivery way too high.

All the promise and potential of a comeback for M. Night Shyamalan until it ceases to be creative and labours back to all the telltale signs of a Shyamalan film. I would give Knock At The Cabin a 5.5/10.

Tár

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Tár is a character drama following highly acclaimed orchestral conductor, Lydia Tár, as she comes to perform her magnum opus: an interpretation of Mahler's Fifth. This film is really interesting, it intrigues you the more you watch it I found. Lydia Tár is the sort of celebrity who seems so distant from that which is real, she is imperious and exquisite. There is a quality to how she exists in the world and onscreen that deifies her, sets her above that which is normal. The point this film endeavours to make is top chip away at that exterior and expose the vile individual Tár really is. I often felt like Lydia Tár could have been substituted out for Kevin Spacey, Jeffrey Tambor or a host of other real celebrities who were exposed for the reprehensible actions they committed. The film really damns Tár, shows that she is a talented individual but reminds us that with the power she has gathered from her fame and connections, she has become rather dangerous. Tár abuses her status often to get what she desires, the way she has selfishly trampled through and destroyed people's lives is put on show for us. The film disintegrates Tár and I really applaud it for this, I felt a strong message was enforced. Maybe some might hold a view that the art outweighs the artist, but Tár reminds us of the gravity behind this debate and the real consequences visited upon victims by artists who are allowed to continue due to their 'greatness'. 

 

Tár is a very compelling character examination with a central performance that gives more to quite a weighty piece. However, there were a number of technical components that I really admired. Hildur Guðnadóttir's score and work on the selection and composition of classical pieces often strikes very deliberately. Music is like a blunt weapon that crashes into some scenes, it shakes us up and sometimes feels like the only 'real' thing about our immoral protagonist. The cinematography throughout also feels very deliberate and carefully framed, it gives the feeling of figures gliding about a stage with how gentle and subtle the camera moves or places itself within a scene.

 

Noémie Merlant, who played Francesca Lentini, really plays to the professional and emotional dependency her character has towards Blanchett's; I loved watching Merlant's role steadily break away and become distant from Tár. Nina Hoss, who played Sharon Goodnow, plays a very fraught relationship with Blanchett that often feels on the rocks; watching Hoss play those quiet moments of pain her character feels when her wife betrays her was exceptional. Sophie Kauer, who played Olga Metkina, really steals the show throughout the feature; Kauer crafts a role who feels so lively and indifferent to Blanchett that she becomes incredibly captivating. Julian Glover, who played Andris Davis, is a gruff old mentor figure who plays jaded very well; you see the seeds of immorality that his role clearly passed down to Tár in this performance.

 

However, the best performance came from Cate Blanchett, who played the title character: Lydia Tár. When you meet this character for the first time she seems monolithic, she has the sort of presence that when she enters a room you feel like a spotlight is cast upon her. I really loved how Blanchett embedded so much confidence and authority into Tár, it made her the giant of her industry that we needed to see. But from that point we see all the subtle cracks that Lydia Tár isn't a very likeable person either, she ceaselessly manipulates others or drives others who hold conflicting views from her down. Blanchett establishes her character as powerful and then uses that power to bludgeon other roles beneath her. The more you watch this sordid act being played out again and again, the more you come to revile her. It initially is disarming; you find humour in her threatening her daughter's school bully but then you see the darker side of her destroying adult lives for her own comfort and security. Watching Tár grapple with the idea of losing her status instead of guilt over what she has done is very powerfully played out by Blanchett. I also think the subplot in which her character becomes enamoured by Olga is really well played by her; Blanchett plays to futile yearning in a way that feels both tragic and wrong.

This film is quite a unique character deconstruction, it has a complex protagonist and subject matter that isn't easy to navigate at the best of times. Funnily enough, this meant I really slogged through the first act, it didn't grab me right away and I really found Tár to be the sort of film that slowly hooks your attention and pulls you in deep. The opening of the film introduces to high society at its most niche; no one really talks in a manner that feels grounded and the vernacular of the characters is overblown with sophistication and pomp. There is a real snobbery to the delivery of the work at first; which paired with some of the personal views the main character holds really muddies the intent of the feature. I feel the audience will really struggle to understand if Todd Field wants us to sympathise or despise Lydia Tár when first we meet her. I was also really disappointed with how the film ended, in that it probably continued on for ten or fifteen minutes longer than it needed to. The film jams some vague hints at Tár's family roots and also goes on a really lengthy journey to show how far she has fallen in her prusuit to reclaim status and success. Everything this extra time achieves just feels like the film is repeating itself and really drumming home the point unnecessarily.

I also found the editing of the film to move at a very slight pace, cuts came very intermittently and often great pacing choices came from the nature of the story and less how the feature was assembled. I'm also very annoyed any time texting is put in the film and it's inserted in a way that really doesn't allow the audience to read it well.

Mark Strong, who played Eliot Kaplan, gives a performance that feels remarkably off for his usual calibre; Strong's first scene is a dull affair peppered with some extremely stiff delivery. Mila Bogojevic, who played Petra, is a young actress who doesn't rise to the intense script; Bogojevic is in scenes with weighty language and if often paired against Blanchett who swiftly eclipses her. Allan Corduner, who played Sebastian Brix, is a little too comfortable playing the wallflower with this role; his only memorable scene is his last and even in that moment Blanchett steals the show out from under him.

 

This film poses some tough questions and a look at celebrity culture that I really found quite worthy, in spite of some varied narrative delivery. I would give Tár a 7.5/10.