Tár (Tár)

The conductor and the score she carries — Guðnadóttir writes Lydia Tár's music as something that contains its own undoing. The themes here are sophisticated and controlled on the surface, the orchestral writing reflecting a masterful intelligence at work. But there are fault lines if you listen carefully: phrases that resolve unexpectedly, harmonies that close off rather than open, a kind of mastery that is simultaneously impressive and claustrophobic. It's the sound of a talent that has become a fortress, of artistry that has been weaponized. Guðnadóttir had to write music worthy of the film's central character — who is herself a musician of genuine gifts — while embedding within it the critique the narrative requires. The achievement is remarkable: beautiful music that makes you slightly afraid of its beauty.