Awarding this episode contains discussion of sexual assault.

The fantastic new film Tar stars Kate Blanchett as a world famous composer and conductor,

intelligent and charismatic and supremely confident she's been able to orchestrate her own life

and those of the people around her for years. But a reckoning is coming.

I'm Glenn Weldon and today we're talking about Tar on pop culture happy hour from NPR.

Joining me today is NPR Senior Editor Balal Koreshi Heybalal.

Hi, Glenn.

And also here is film critic and culture journalist Badatri D. Shodri Heyba Datri.

Hi, Glenn. Hi, Balal.

Hi, Hale. Let's this is a chewy movie so let's get into it.

Tar is set in and around the world of classical music.

Kate Blanchett plays Lydia Tar, a hugely successful female composer and conductor in a male-dominated

industry. Her current gig is leading the Berlin Philharmonic.

Considered one of the world's greatest living conductors, she's a protégé of Leonard Bernstein

who is about to perform and record Gustav Moller's fifth symphony and publisher memoir.

She lives in Berlin with her partner and first violinist Sharon played by Nina Haas.

They have a kid.

Noemi Merlant plays Lydia's assistant Francesca who tends to her every whim.

When Lydia takes under her wing Olga, a young Russian cellist, played by real life cellist Sophie

Cower, secrets of Lydia's past start to spill into her present. Blanchett relearned to play the

piano and learned how to conduct for the film. It's the first movie from Redditor Todd Field in

16 years. His previous films in the bedroom and little children were both highly praised as

...