(Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios) “The Tender Bar” was released on Dec. 17, 2021.
Emily Teague
Connector Editor
Based on the 2005 memoir of the same name by author J.R. Moehringer, “The Tender Bar”, became available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in January 2022. Directed by George Clooney, with performances from a well-known and talented cast, this coming-of-age dramedy follows a boy, J.R., as he grows up in the late 1970s.
Set in Long Island, New York, the movie was filmed in various locations around Massachusetts, including the Wakefield Bowladrome and neighborhoods in Lowell. The film focuses on different points throughout J.R.’s life, which are narrated by an unseen, future J.R. voiced by actor Ron Livingston, also known for his role in “The Conjuring”.
Balancing out the well-known cast, Daniel Ranieri made his film debut as the young J.R. J.R. and his single mother, played by Lily Rabe (“American Horror Story”), move into his grandfather’s bustling family house. His Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck), his grandfather (Christopher Lloyd—”Back to the Future,” “Addams Family Values”), other family members and even the bar regulars, help raise and support him despite the absence of his alcoholic, radio-host father.
Ben Affleck steals viewers’ attention and affection throughout the movie, settling into his character as Uncle Charlie, who is easily the most interesting and likeable character. Uncle Charlie is extremely well-read and owns a book-filled bar called The Dickens (filled with works from, predicably, Charles Dickens). He lives in the family house and is J.R.’s father-figure, teaching J.R. how to be a good man and a good writer. Combined with quality of the character and his lines of Long Island wisdom, Affleck’s performance certainly earned him his SAG award nomination for the role. Also notable, Rabe gives a solid performance as J.R.’s loving and supportive mother.
Aside from the solid performances, there are some discrepancies in the casting of J.R. as the director seems to assume that the audience cannot see eye color. Blue-eyed Tye Sheridan was casted as the young adult version of J.R. while the dark-brown-eyed Ranieri played a younger J.R. This discrepancy becomes especially egregious during a particular scene where both Sheridan’s J.R. and Ranieri’s J.R. are shown in the same shot.
Throughout J.R.’s coming-of-age story, themes of identity, familial influence and intelligence are explored. J.R. learns to deal with his father’s absence and transgressions, eventually rejecting his biological father’s role in his life. He instead learns to accept the fatherly influence of his Uncle Charlie and the support of the other people who helped raise him. After achieving the initial goal he and his mother had set for his whole childhood, J.R. is further challenged to accept and develop his identity as he meets people from different backgrounds. Ultimately, he must decide what will really make him happy, regardless of other influences.
At times during the film, cuts between shots as well as the progression of time are jarring. Perhaps this was a sign that the film’s writers struggled to condense Moehringer’s 500-plus page memoir into an inclusive and cohesive movie. The plot seems to jump around a lot, and there are issues that are introduced but never resolved. Additionally, there are characters that are never formally introduced, yet are around for no reason. The film does not utilize editing techniques like montage or superimposed text to indicate the passing of time, and instead, inconsistently uses narration to imply so. At times, the film incites brief moments of disorientation and confusion when jumping forward months or years at a time.
The most cohesive part of this movie is the design aesthetics. The film’s costume and set design are immersive and develop a sense of the era without leaning too hard into stereotypes or niche trends. A slew of popular songs from the 70s are sprinkled throughout, adding to the audience’s immersion into the time period. While these songs are enjoyable and certainly help aid the tone in some scenes, the film overall is devoid of moments of silence that might have helped make some scenes more meaningful by forcing a moment of contemplation.
At its core, J.R.’s story is entertaining and engaging, but the movie’s failure to commit to streamlining the story for the film adaptation makes the plot feel cluttered at times and connections to its characters weak. Regardless, by the end of the film, there is some sense of “coming-of-age,” a breakthrough for J.R., even if there are some unanswered questions.
Despite the film’s shortcomings, performances are strong throughout, the set and costume were immersive and tragic moments are well balanced with humor and lightheartedness. Even if it is not particularly poignant or groundbreaking, “The Tender Bar”, can certainly satisfy a need for a light, easy watch with a decent 70s soundtrack.
Grade: C
