The Tender Bar is a sweet remembrance of a man's life, a telling of the events which brought him into adulthood, anchored by a strong supporting performance by Ben Affleck. Based on the memoir by writer J.R. Moehringer, The Tender Bar is one of those overly romantic reflections on the the life of a man whose life remains fairly average. But it is in the telling, both the narrative crafted around a rather unremarkable path and in the translation to the screen which makes The Tender Bar quite watchable.
Moehringer's father was barely in his life and he frames this around his filling that gap with his uncle and the bar his uncle ran in his youth. Everyone else around him, his loving but struggling to make ends meet mother, his adorably curmudgeonly grandfather, and his abrupt but reliable uncle, are the kinds of people we all want in our lives. They aren't perfect but are perfect for him and supporting his life. And in having that undying support he is able to build the life that he wants for himself, finding most of it, with a few small losses along the way (never lands the relationship with the elusive rich girl that he idealizes).
The whole story is filtered through the rosiest of glasses. I am sure his family was loving but likely not as adorable as they are presented in this film. But if there is anything beautiful about The Tender Bar it is in the simple truth of how it is those that love us and support us who give us the power to be who we are and pursue what we want to become. So while it may all be fantasy, it is also quite sweetly true.
The Tender Bar is a lovely film. Director Clooney, who has made far more "cinematic" movies, takes care here to not be showy or overly dramatic. He keeps The Tender Bar calm and accessible. The Tender Bar is very watchable and satisfying without being overly remarkable. And that's alright. The Tender Bar really shouldn't amount to much but good film making and strong performances raise it up. While it may not the the most memorable or profound film you'll see this year, The Tender Bar is a good film and it's worth your time.
The Tender Bar
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Ben Affleck, Christopher Lloyd, Lily Rabe, Daniel Ranieri, Rob Livingston, Max Martini, Rhenzy Feliz, Brianna Middleton
Director: George Clooney
Writer: William Monahan
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