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Ben Affleck's latest film is here and he is now the fun uncle in Prime Video's The Tender Bar.
Directed by George Clooney and based on a memoir by JR Moehringer, The Tender Bar is a nostalgic coming-of-age tale revolving around JR who goes through mild childhood tribulations and adolescent heartache on his path to finding his voice as a writer. Written by William Monahan, the film has a brilliant cast and a much-needed feel-good vibe to it.
Note: This article contains spoilers and reflects the opinion of the writer.
'The Tender Bar': Detailed review
Prime Video's The Tender Bar has brought JR Moehringer's memoir to life by painting a vivid illustration of it, thanks to George Clooney. The film is a well-directed drama and sensitively handled as it talks about the trauma of a missing father figure.
It is no less than a bottle of old wine, needed to be savored every moment and by the time it ends, it will surround viewers with a smile and a feeling of contentment.
Set in the 70s and 80s, The Tender Bar is peppered with the best of music, adding to its appeal is the stunning recreation of the era. Almost every sequence has music playing in the background to define the mood of the scene.
A father figure
The Tender Bar revolves around JR Moehringer, his absent father and his life in his grandfather's house. As a young kid, he is introduced to his Uncle Charlie who takes him under his wing and becomes the best friend he could ever have. The perfect philosopher and guide to what life is, he also filled the void in JR's life as a father figure.
Daniel Ranieri, who portrays the tween JR, delivered more than expected, considering this is his debut role. Meanwhile, Tye Sheridan, who portrays a young JR, fell short of an almost memorable performance.
Despite having a traumatic background, the anger is nowhere visible in Sheridan's performance and when it is finally seen, the movie ends.
As for Lily Rabe, who portrays JR's mother and Christopher Lloyd who portrays JR's Grandfather, they gel perfectly well. Their characters seem to age and get wiser as JR grows up, something viewers would expect from a realistic touch.
But it is Ben Affleck's Uncle Charlie who shines throughout The Tender Bar. A role worth remembering, Affleck stepped into an older role and gave his best while making everyone wish they had an uncle like him.
A role like Uncle Charlie is difficult as most of his scenes included interaction with a kid actor. The way Affleck handled those scenes is what one would consider brilliance. His role demanded him to be likable, wise and father-like to a kid who desperately needed it, and Affleck checked off all that.
Not only that, Charlie is a rather sarcastic character who hates JR's father and is constantly asking for his 30 bucks that he once lent, whenever he meets him. This particular scene, which is repeated many times in The Tender Bar, is hilarious and would make the viewers love Charlie even more.
A poignant portrayal of adolescence
Several scenes in The Tender Bar stand out and those mainly occur in Charlie's bar. The Dickens bar is also a metaphor for the transformation JR goes through and the influence of writers on his future. Here, he learns about the 'man-science' and everything else about life.
Charlie schools the kid into the simple art of being a man which involves taking care of his mother, not drinking off 'stashies' and never hitting a woman. These rules seem to instill themselves into JR's mind and his uncle's constant support helps him push through the difficulties of life.
Another stand-out scene is JR's sequence with his grandfather, who is nice enough to take him for the 'Father and Son Breakfast' at school, even though Grandpa Moehringer is not a big fan of looking after his family.
Conclusion
The Tender Bar is not something that would make the viewers go gaga but it will definitely leave them mellow, while also jamming to the soundtrack. The film is backed by musical selections packed with '70s light rock, setting the entire vibe.
George Clooney outdid himself yet again by putting a sensitive story out there in the most beautiful and impactful way. He shared that he drew alot from his own childhood experience and related to JR, since he too had an uncle like Charlie in his life. He expressed:
"I grew up working at 12-years-old at a racetrack with my Uncle George, who was a pretty good drinker. I'd end up at the bar getting him cigarettes, and I knew all the characters, and it was fun."
The Tender Bar is undemanding, uncomplicated and features a fine performance by Ben Affleck as he seems ready for the fun-uncle roles. Some movies feel like rollercoasters but this one will please viewers without any twists or turns, just groovy tunes and fun uncles. All-in-all, the film is a delicate and thoughtful one that definitely deserves a watch.
The Tender Bar is now available to stream on Prime Video.
