George Clooney's "The Tender Bar" adapts the memoirs of Pulitzer Prize winner J.R. Moehringer with boundless love for the source material, but slightly shifts the emphasis. This decision allowed Ben Affleck to deliver one of the best roles of his car...
The streaming service Amazon Prime Video has premiered the film "The Tender Bar", based on the autobiographical book of the same name by American journalist J.R. Moehringer about his childhood, youth, and first steps in his career. This work has something of Ray Bradbury, F. Scott Fitzgerald (who, by the way, is mentioned more than once), and Ernest Hemingway.
I read Moehringer's book about 8 years ago, but I still remember the atmosphere of that bar where larger-than-life characters gather daily, where they talk about everything under the sun from night till morning, where people find shelter even in the toughest times. And none of that is in George Clooney's film. But there is a wonderful Ben Affleck as the ever-cheerful Uncle Charlie, who with his advice and guidance helped J.R. become a journalist and writer. And he also replaced his father.
Fatherlessness as a Plot Driver
According to the plot of "The Tender Bar," young J.R. (Daniel Ranieri) and his mother (Lily Rabe) are forced to live with his grandfather (Christopher Lloyd) because his father, a famous radio host, abandoned them. The child secretly catches his father's voice on the radio waves, hoping to one day befriend him. He periodically appears in his son's life, but it only makes things worse.
Teaching J.R. to be a real man is taken on by his Uncle Charlie, who works at the bar "Dickens." He feeds him dozens of books, introduces him to the bar's regulars, and dispenses advice on life, relationships with girls, and career.
In Moehringer's book, the theme of the protagonist's relationship with his uncle was just one of many. Much more interesting was the description of how J.R. gradually absorbed the experience of the bar's patrons, got acquainted with adult life through their everyday and not-so-everyday stories, and thereby formed his own personality.
Apparently, director George Clooney decided that this would be more complicated and less understandable and relatable to the audience than the classic coming-of-age story of a boy who has to grow up without a father. Therefore, he placed Uncle Charlie at the center of the narrative, essentially pushing the protagonist into the background. On one hand, this decision made "The Tender Bar" an ordinary film; on the other, it helped Ben Affleck shine.
Ben Affleck in the Best Shape of His Career
Having resolved his personal life issues, Affleck is once again becoming a serious actor, not a meme object. Recently, he shone in a short but memorable role in Ridley Scott's . Now, a true benefit performance has occurred. Quiet and modest, but no less valuable for that.
His Charlie is the ideal role model of an uncle. He never loses heart, is always ready to cheer up and make laugh, can hold a conversation on any topic, and gives advice appropriately and unobtrusively. Ben Affleck is in his element in this role. It's clear that he takes great pleasure in playing this kind of regular guy, always ready to share his experience, while effectively lighting a cigarette.
He is joined in the role of the protagonist by two actors: Daniel Ranieri (young J.R.) and Tye Sheridan (J.R. as a young man). Affleck forms organic tandems with both. Moreover, by changing the actors opposite him, Ben managed to demonstrate different facets of the character: from a friendly mentor at the beginning to an understanding friend towards the end of the film.
Is "The Tender Bar" Worth Watching?
Overall, George Clooney managed to quite faithfully transfer the atmosphere and mood of the source book with its musicality and the feeling that anything is possible in this life. He also gave Ben Affleck his star moment, creating the image of the dream uncle.
But at the same time, if you want to get to know the personality of J.R. behind the book that many American publications called the best in the world in its year of release, the film "The Tender Bar" won't give you that. Instead of original and engaging memoirs, we got a classic, albeit well-made, coming-of-age story, of which we've seen thousands.
Trailer:
Comments
0No comments yet.