Television

The Tender Bar Film Review: Ben Affleck and Lily Rabe


master mentalism tricks

Lily Rabe and Ben Affleck shine very brightly against a boring film.

Directed by George Clooney, Rabe stars as a mother forced to move in with her parents and brother (Affleck).

Two actors play her son: Daniel Ranieri (as young J.R.) and Tye Sheridan (as college-age J.R.)

Charlie and Adult J.R. Sitting

All of the performances in this film are wonderful and elevate the watching experience.

Lily Rabe (American Horror Story) gives a career-best performance, and Affleck gives his second brilliant performance in a year (the first being in The Last Duel).

Daniel Ranieri and Tye Sheridan also provide beautiful performances, making the entire dynamic in the movie quite enjoyable to watch.

Rounding out the main cast are Christopher Lloyd as the Grandfather, Max Martini as “The Voice” Johnny Michaels (J.R.’s Birth father), Sondra James as the Grandmother, and Briana Middleton as J.R.’s love interest, Sydney.

Christopher Lloyd as The Grandpa and J.R. The Tender Bar

There’s nothing special about the film’s direction, both in terms of the directing and the direction of the plot.

While it’s based on a memoir, The Tender Bar seems to drag its feet with unnecessary information and character exposition.

The story also just wasn’t enjoyable.

The worst part of this film is that it uses a tired coming-of-age story that we’ve all seen before while adding nothing new to its trite plot device.

Dorothy and Charlie Moehringer The Tender Bar

Nothing new gets presented to the audience in The Tender Bar.

A down-on-his-luck kid gets into the college (Yale) of his dreams (full-ride) and matures. Whoop-de-do.

There is a lack of emotion throughout the film, with the only real emotion provided by Lily Rabe’s Dorothy Moehringer — who takes the backseat most of the film.

I cannot gush over Rabe’s performance enough because she blew me away with her subtleties and power.

Her impact on the film is vital, which is more of a testament to how little impact other aspects of the film complete.

Dorothy Moehringer and Her Son, J.R. Hugging

Screenwriter and Academy Award winner William Monohan (The Departed) greatly disappoints with this screenplay.

The script is all over the place, with (not entirely necessary) narration sprinkled in everywhere.

The narration hurts The Tender Bar immensely and distracts from essential parts of the story.

Essential scenes were told through narration, making them easy to forget, while in other places, the narration overshadowed something important.

Sometimes, silence is more effective than talking for the sake of talking.

Charlie Moehringer At Bar The Tender Bar

There are so many scenes that leave much to be desired, whether it’s script-related or not.

The script and directing are not the only downfalls (although the most significant and most apparent).

The production design and camera work do not add anything interesting to the movie, sadly adding to its dullness.

The sets and costumes add nothing new and create nothing special for viewers to watch.

The best word to describe everything on screen would be bland.

J.R. At The Bar - The Tender Bar

Nothing pops, nothing impresses. The cars look fantastic because they’re old, but that’s as far as it goes.

If the level of anything matched the quality performances, then this movie would be a homerun!

Sadly, the performances are the only thing that makes this movie worth watching.

There were multiple audience members asleep by the halfway mark during the screening we attended.

There was also a strong whisp of pretentiousness sprinkled throughout the entire story.

J.R. and Charlie At A Bowling Alley

The Tender Bar was not a feel-good film as the advertisements suggest.

I left with a bitter taste in my mouth because the overall message wasn’t anything uplifting.

It felt as if the story was bragging: “Hey, look, I got into Yale despite my familial issues; hey, look, I wrote a memoir about getting into Yale despite my familial issues.”

Everything about this film left a yearning for more, whether that meant more emotion or more Lily Rabe.

Ben Affleck as Charlie Moehringer The Tender Bar

So Fanatics, are you going to check out the Tender Bar when it premieres on Prime?

Let us know what you think if you do!

The Tender Bar plays in limited theaters until its debut on Amazon Prime on January 7th.

Michael Stack is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.

Read The Full Article Here


trick photography
Where Is Lester Holt Going After ‘NBC Nightly News’? His Next Job – Hollywood Life
Where Is Lester Holt Going After ‘NBC Nightly News’? His Next Job – Hollywood Life
Shah Rukh Khan’s Met Gala Interview Outraged Fans
Shah Rukh Khan’s Met Gala Interview Outraged Fans
Megan Thee Stallion Sneaks Phone Into Met Gala And Drops Forbidden Footage
Megan Thee Stallion Sneaks Phone Into Met Gala And Drops Forbidden Footage
Kelsea Ballerini Doesn’t Want to Be the ‘Poster Child’ for Divorce
Kelsea Ballerini Doesn’t Want to Be the ‘Poster Child’ for Divorce
Where Was The Man From Laramie Filmed & Shot?
Where Was The Man From Laramie Filmed & Shot?
New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Film Gets Official Release Date
New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Film Gets Official Release Date
The quiet intensity of Lee Kang Sheng’s gaze
The quiet intensity of Lee Kang Sheng’s gaze
Last Rites Photos See Patrick Wilson & Vera Farmiga Ready to Face Demons
Last Rites Photos See Patrick Wilson & Vera Farmiga Ready to Face Demons
Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 17’s Jolink Wedding Brings the Romance as Other Ships Crumble
Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 17’s Jolink Wedding Brings the Romance as Other Ships Crumble
‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8’s Sara Carton and Joey Leveille Confirm They’re Dating
‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8’s Sara Carton and Joey Leveille Confirm They’re Dating
The Rookie Season 7 Episode 17 Is Entertaining, But It Doesn’t Set Up the Finale
The Rookie Season 7 Episode 17 Is Entertaining, But It Doesn’t Set Up the Finale
‘The Bachelor’s Arie Luyendyk Recalls Becca Kufrin Split and Being ‘Roasted’ for Lauren Romance
‘The Bachelor’s Arie Luyendyk Recalls Becca Kufrin Split and Being ‘Roasted’ for Lauren Romance
Miley Cyrus Shares Video for New Song “More to Lose”: Watch
Miley Cyrus Shares Video for New Song “More to Lose”: Watch
Inside Karol G’s Netflix Premiere of ‘Tomorrow Was Beautiful’
Inside Karol G’s Netflix Premiere of ‘Tomorrow Was Beautiful’
THRILL CITY: When Six Flags Magic Mountain Transformed Into an Unforgettable Nightlife Playground
THRILL CITY: When Six Flags Magic Mountain Transformed Into an Unforgettable Nightlife Playground
Joe Perry Project Announces 2025 Tour With All-Star Lineup
Joe Perry Project Announces 2025 Tour With All-Star Lineup
Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for May 8, 2025
Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for May 8, 2025
“The Office” Meets “Six Feet Under” in Comedic Tale of Midlife Second Chances
“The Office” Meets “Six Feet Under” in Comedic Tale of Midlife Second Chances
New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | May 6
New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | May 6
Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for May 6, 2025
Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for May 6, 2025
6 Chic Parisian Interiors Trends I’m Adding to My Home
6 Chic Parisian Interiors Trends I’m Adding to My Home
No-Pants Trend Takes Over the 2025 Met Gala
No-Pants Trend Takes Over the 2025 Met Gala
Sarah Akram’s Favorite Beauty Products
Sarah Akram’s Favorite Beauty Products
15 Sheer Looks to Nail the Met Gala Trend
15 Sheer Looks to Nail the Met Gala Trend
It Feeds (2025) – Pelicula de Terror ⋆
It Feeds (2025) – Pelicula de Terror ⋆
‘Rosario’ Director and Star Talk Their Take On Religious Horror
‘Rosario’ Director and Star Talk Their Take On Religious Horror
Two 4K UHD Titles We Are Looking Forward To
Two 4K UHD Titles We Are Looking Forward To
ABYSMAL RITES – “Restoring The Primordial Order” [Heavy Sludge]
ABYSMAL RITES – “Restoring The Primordial Order” [Heavy Sludge]