No. 50 (2022) THE TENDER BAR June 24th.

 

Film No. 50 (2022)  June. 24th.  7.35 PM   NETFLIX,  Mt. Hawthorn, West Australia.

 

"You read enough of these, then maybe you'll become a writer." (Uncle Charlie introduces J.R. to a closet of books, most unread, in the family home).

The Tender Bar was just what I needed this relaxing Friday eve, lying on my couch with two comfortable cushions behind my head. Two cushions is dangerous because if the film fails the engagement test .... you guessed it, I'm snoozing.

George Clooney directs here and while he doesn't reach the heights of THE IDES OF MARCH or GOODNIGHT AND GOOD LUCK it is a whole lot better than THE MONUMENTS MEN. 

So, if you like, good, tick the boxes coming of age flicks then the THE TENDER BAR will be for you. Tye Sheridan and Daniel Ranieri play sweet versions of JR. A kid with potential and a mom (Lily Rabe) who only wants the best for her son and is a persistent encourager in the hope he will be happy. The family unit is a loving one. It is made up of J.R.'s grandparents (Sondra James and Christopher Lloyd) and aunts and uncles, with Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck) becoming the mentor JR thrives with. It's the love of Charley and the lack of care shown by The Voice (Max Martini), his dad, that draws us into investing in J.R.'s happiness.

Amazon marketed THE TENDER BAR as one of their blockbuster streaming releases in 2022. They have invested millions contracting William Monahan (THE DEPARTED) to adapt the popular real-life autobiographical account of J.R. Moehringer's early life under the artistic guidance of George Clooney. The word is, they are pleased with their investment. If this is the sort of feel-good fare Amazon is keen to produce, then they are bound to win over new subscribers.