'TÁR': Release Date, Cast, Trailer, and Everything You Need to Know (2024)

Cate Blanchett, having won two Academy Awards and been nominated for an additional four, has more than proven herself as one of the best acting talents in the industry today. Winning for both The Aviator (2004) and Blue Jasmine (2013), and being a part of massive franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones, Blanchett has no intention of finishing up her acting portfolio any time soon. Teaming up with Little Children (2006) director, Todd Field, for his first project in over 15 years, Blanchett's latest is already garnering major critical praise.

TÁR (2022) debuted at the start of September at the 79th annual Venice International Film Festival, where the film began its festival run with thunderous applause, receiving an impressive six-minute standing ovation. The positive crowd reaction doesn't appear to be a beginner's luck fluke either, as reviews for the film have also been extremely positive. So far TÁR has become an aggregate review score site darling with an incredible 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and an also incredibly impressive score of 91 on Metacritic.

With numbers like that, TÁR is poised to be a compelling case for an Oscar contender as Awards season starts to really ramp up. Despite the rave reviews, TÁR has also been flying under the radar ahead of its limited theatrical release, but don't worry. We have all the details you could possibly want to know for when TÁR rolls out into theaters within the next few weeks.

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Watch the Trailer for TÁR

The first trailer released for TÁR really kept plot details minimal, to say the least. The initial teaser literally is a minute and a half of the main character Lydia Tár exhaling some sort of vapor while narration plays, concluding with Tár conducting an orchestra.

The above second trailer offers a bit more clarity on the visuals and shows much more of the movie, but that doesn't mean it's any more clear on the details of the story. What it does show is some sensational cinematography by the director of photography Florian Hoffmeister (Antlers), showing that Lydia's journey to becoming the greatest composer in modern history is going to be one that is filled with surreal imagery and existential dread.

The third and final trailer for TÁR is easily the longest and gives us our best look yet at the story of the film, as Lydia's esteemed and well-earned reputation is seemingly about to go down in flames.

What is the Release Date for TÁR?

Though it initially premiered on September 1st at the Venice Film Festival, the wider release for TÁR will be roughly a month after the movie brought down the house at the festival. TÁR will begin orchestrating a limited release starting on October 7th, 2022, with a wider release scheduled for later in the month on October 28th, 2022.

Is TÁR Releasing in Theaters or on Streaming?

The only way you'll be able to see Cate Blanchett conduct a potential masterpiece this October is at your local theater, as TÁR will be available exclusively as a theatrical release. No word yet on if and when the anticipated movie will receive a streaming release, but given that TÁR is a production of Focus Features which is owned by Universal Pictures, Peaco*ck seems to be a likely contender for a streaming home.

What is the Plot of TÁR?

The official plot synopsis is as follows:

Set in the international world of classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer/conductors and first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra.

The story summary frames itself as if Lydia Tár is a real-life icon that everyone should be familiar with prior to seeing her story in a feature film, but TÁR is an entirely fictionalized story. Perhaps this is the biggest hint so far that the film will be something of a commentary on the way we look at artists and celebrities, taking a deep dive into their creative process and the effects that their dedication can have on their mental health and psyche. Ultimately a lot of that is guesswork since the trailer is almost deliberately very vague (not that we're complaining as a trailer that doesn't give away the entire movie is a breath of fresh air these days). Still, we can infer that the character of Lydia Tár, like many of history's greatest creative minds, will be a staunch perfectionist who will struggle to find a healthy balance between her musical life and her personal life.

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Who is Making TÁR?

Todd Field finally returns to the directing, writing, and producing chair with TÁR, after a long hiatus since 2006. Outside the highly praised Little Children, Field has largely stuck to smaller projects like short films and television prior to his 16-year hiatus from filmmaking. It doesn't look like Field will be taking another break anytime soon, as he'll also be directing episodes for the hugely anticipated adaptation of The Devil in the White City as well as another television novel adaptation with Purity, set to star Daniel Craig (Knives Out).

Cate Blanchett will also be joining Field as a producer on the film. The remaining crew members consist of Florian Hoffmeister as director of photography, Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker) as a composer, Monika Willi (Amour) as editor, Marco Bittner Rosser (Only Lovers Left Alive) as production designer, and Bina Daigeler (Mulan) as costume designer.

Who is Starring in TÁR?

The lead of TÁR requires no further introduction, as Cate Blanchett has given legendary performance after legendary performance. Of course, it's too early to call at this point, but there are a couple of signs that point to this possibly being Blanchett's best performance yet, with Field himself highlighting how essential she is to the film in the following quote:

"This script was written for one artist, Cate Blanchett. Had she said no, the film would have never seen the light of day. Filmgoers, amateur and otherwise, will not be surprised by this. After all, she is a master supreme. Even so, while we were making the picture, the superhuman-skill and verisimilitude of Cate was something truly astounding to behold. She raised all boats. The privilege of collaborating with an artist of this caliber is something impossible to adequately describe. In every possible way this is Cate’s film."

High praise to be sure, and Blanchett will also be joined by an impressive supporting cast as well. The rest of the cast includes Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), Nina Hoss (Phoenix), real-life cellist Sophie Kauer, Mark Strong (1917), and Julian Glover (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).