Releasing along the tail of December, George Clooney directs a film adapted from a memoir written by J.R. Moehringer back in 2005, The Tender Bar: A Memoir. It came as a surprise to me seeing George Clooney’s name next to the director label considering his last few films were somewhat high disappointments. Although he hasn’t quite a string of very satisfying films with Good Night and Good Luck, The Ides of March, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, it would be unfair to say his films lack heart. Clooney seems to be inspired by many films as there are references and nods to influential classics, bathing audiences with a feeling of nostalgia. And with a cast filling the screen with an abundance of charisma, the film becomes this lighthearted story of a boy learning to grow up in a bar to reach success.
The Tender Bar centers around J.R. Moehringer, a boy under the wings of his mother as they move back to his grandfather’s house for a fresh start. Since J.R. ‘s father is estranged, his uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck) becomes a pivotal role model in his life and a way to fill the void his father left him with. Right off the bat, you’ll notice the soft and warm hue blanketing the story, setting the tone for the rest of the film. It feels like a charming book, short, simple, and nostalgic. The film doesn’t take long to introduce us to most of the characters in the film and it is immediately clear the characters will be more entertaining than the actual plot of the film. It’s a wonderful ensemble put together to convey how unorthodox, yet inspirational JR s family is. Ben Affleck, playing Uncle Charlie, steals the show completely with every scene he’s in and maintains convincing chemistry with both actors playing the young and older versions of J.R. Moehringer. And Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One, Mud, The Card Counter) gives an acceptable performance, although it is still somewhat awkward to watch him repeat some lines, he’s putting his all into this role and it does not go completely unnoticed. Overall, the cast is the most convincing and best part of the overly flawed film.
With a film adapting a memoir, it must attempt to take key moments from the memoir in order for the characters and future payoffs to work but unfortunately, the inconsistent pacing along with jumbled editing pushes the film into a downward spiral. Although the film still includes moments from J.R. ‘s life that will affect him in his later life, it’s almost as if it takes these moments and spews them into a light montage to get them out of the way to then awkwardly cut to completely different timelines. There are barely any instances the film will let a moment breathe and linger to offer effective emotional tension. And that is mainly the problem with this charming film, it focuses too much on the characters and too little on the actual narrative which in turn dissolves a sense of purpose and substance. It’s a bit of a frustrating watch as it feels like a film just spewing quirky lines and inspiration quotes from likable characters. It’s a film that falls into a trope brigade, maxing out on familiar family tropes to keep audiences entertained but it more flattens the already sluggish film.
It’s a gentle and sweet story, but it’s lack of execution makes the film almost unbearable to sit through. There are points the film feels as if it’s on the verge of being something wonderful, but it remains lukewarm and sullied consistently. The overall film is cliched and missing substantial substance due to its pokey pacing and muddled editing choices. Clooney has been on quite the streak with his films, all usually offering charming characters but delivering a less than average narrative. The Tender Bar will remain one of the most mediocre films of 2021 and a reminder than Clooney has sadly lost his directing touch.
Totally disagree. I enjoyed it very much. The child star was brilliant, and Clooney kept Affleck out of his own way long enough to give a beautiful and nuanced performance.
I watched it last night. I loved it. It shows how important family can be in a childs life.
I liked it. I wouldn’t say it was a stand out film deserving a bunch of accolades and awards but to discribe it as unbearable to sit through is a bit much.
The key words in the review are ‘gentle and sweet’. Based on a real-life story so it’s gotta be a ‘feel good’ film. That was the most subdued performance by Affleck in a long time. He had to ‘up his game’ working with Clooney. George really doesn’t need to direct. Acting and producing should be enough. Oh, and a gorgeous, brilliant wife and kids.
I started it but it didn’t flesh out so I actually stopped watching.
I didn’t hate it… that color correction was a tad distracting
That’s what I call an ouch review.
A sweet film with a great performance by Ben Affleck. I loved the look of the movie, and the soundtrack was right up my alley too.
Anyone else felt the value just like me?
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