THE TENDER BAR

US, 2022, 104 minutes, Colour.

Ben Affleck, Tye Sheridan, Daniel Ranieri, Lily Rabe, Brianna Middleton, voice of Max Martini.

Directed by George Clooney.

A film directed by George Clooney is always welcome, always the humane touch.

This personal drama, blended with comedy, is based on a memoir by the journalist and writer, JR Moehringer, published in 2005. The author is played as a young boy by impressive young actor, Daniel Ranieri, very sympathetic. He is played adult by Tye Sheridan, who has proven himself a strong presence from his beginnings as a child actor in Tree of Life and Mud.

The first part of the film is set in the 1970s, the latter part in the 1980s. And the bar of the title is in Long Island.

While the film is entertaining to watch, it could be said that it is not necessarily essential viewing. In fact, the entertainment is a touch lopsided. The first part of the film with the young actor is both interesting and enjoyable, challenging, the audience wondering how this little boy is going to do develop into a successful writer. The second part of the film, though well-acted, is rather more standard material. It is the story of a young man going to Yale, his education, relationships, friendships, prospects. More familiar material.

But, the film is enhanced by one of Ben Affleck’s best performances. He plays young JR’s Uncle Charlie, sports coach, running a bar, the Dickens Bar, a self-educated man, a reader and loving books, worldly -wise, living with his father at home (and, surprisingly, no significant personal relationships).

There is puzzle about JR’s name, what it stands for or simply Junior. His father has disappeared long since, a disc jockey on a New York radio station. The father does turn up one day unexpectedly but is an alcoholic, touch of violence, no real feel for his son. (And he does turn up at the end of the film, even more unexpectedly, leading to quite a dramatic confrontation between father and son and JR making a final decision about his father.)

With that, Uncle Charlie is JR’s father-figure – with some supportive and engaging help from a group of Charlie’s friends who frequent the bar, supporting JR at every stage of his life, education, graduation, jobs.

The early part of the film shows a great deal about life at home, the cantankerous grandfather (a welcome role by Christopher Lloyd), his family descending to stay with him and grandmother when in trouble, which happens to JR and his mother (Lily Rabe). Home sequences, a school sequence where the grandfather decides to dress himself up and accompany JR to a father’s breakfast, tensions, happiness, meals, conversations.

And so, the issue of what JR is to do with his life, supported in his love for reading by Uncle Charlie, starting to write. And then a transition to a decade later, JR on a train going to an interview at Yale (and conversation with a friendly priest and whom he will later meet on another train ride), going to Yale, sharing a room, attracted to a fellow student, in love with her, going to her family (very aristocratic and blunt interrogations), her continued friendship but her seeing others, JR always hopeful.

One of JR’s decisions is to approach the New York Times, offer his writing, getting some experience at the paper.

At this stage, he is ready to set off on the adventure of his life, to be a writer, supported by his mother, given the gift of a car by Uncle Charlie.

It is significant, given the nature of the memoir, that the many sequences shown throughout the final credits are not of the adult JR but that excursion to the beach with Uncle Charlie and his friends. Those were the memories.

1. The title? For a memoir? The Dickens Bar? Fond, informative memories?
2. The Long Island setting, the town, homes, streets and shops, the bar and the interiors, school, sports? The train, Yale, the University, accommodation, lectures? Sidney and her fashionable mansion? The New York Times, the offices, workplaces? The settings for the memoir? The musical score, the range of songs accompanying, the lyrics?
3. The 1970s and 1980s, dress, styles, manners, music?
4. JR and his memoir, the first part of the film, his young age, small build, arriving with his mother, ousted from their accommodation, his absent father, the DJ and JR searching for him in the radio, his one visit and JR’s response to him? His mother’s antagonism? At home with his grandfather and grandmother, the rest of the family, people moving in and out? The steady presence of Uncle Charlie?
5. JR, enjoying people’s company, at home at the bar, Charlie and his range of friends and their support? The importance of the outing to the sea, collecting all the crew, discretion and indiscretion in questions, enjoying the outing? And the fact that it was these sequences that were shown during the final credits?
6. JR and his mother, the bond between them, her ambitions for him, her dislike of her grandfather, criticising him, yet depending on him? Jobs, finance, support? JR and is able to confide in his mother? Illness, hospital, surgery? Recovery?
7. JR at school, the invitation to the fathers for the breakfast, his having no father, the sympathetic teacher, his grandfather offering, doing himself up, enjoying the breakfast, the intellectual conversation with the teacher?
8. Uncle Charlie, unmarried, no strong relationships, living at home with his father? His age? Sports coach? Running the bar? Self-educated, the range of books, the bar called after Charles Dickens? His being a father figure for JR? Advice, principles, modes of acting, urging him to write, telling him is no good at sport? Charlie’s personal life at home? His antagonism towards JR’s father and asking the $30, punched? His friends at the bar, conversation, outings?
9. The foreshadowing sequences, JR on the train, going to the interview to Yale, discussions with the priest, Irish accent, talking about diminishing congregations, JR later meeting him, the conversation, the support?
10. The first part of the film, engaging because of the plot, the performance by Daniel Ranieri, and the presence of Uncle Charlie?
11. The transition to the older JR, more conventional story about the student at Yale, fellow students, advice from lecturers, the attraction to Sidney and the relationship, returning home, his mother’s pride, wanting him to be a lawyer? Uncle Charlie and his continued support, the friends in the bar?
12. Yale, meeting Wesley and Jimmy, activities together, the friendship with Wesley and discussions over the years, the attraction to Sidney, walking her home, going for Christmas to her family, his mother upset, the family, their manner, the sexual scene and parents hearing it, the discussions at table, the interrogation, and Sidney saying she was seeing someone else? The continued meetings with Sidney, the encounters, sexual, her continually dumping him, loving him in the friendship, the engagement, the news of her wedding? The effect of the relationship with Sidney on JR?
13. Graduation, his mother happy, uncle Charlie, the people in the bar? Wes accepted at the bar as well? Further decisions to be made, the law, writing?
14. JR and his ambition to write, showing material too his mother and Uncle Charlie, their affirmation? His going to the New York Times, the interview, the praise of his material, writing more? Accepted, then rejected by the anonymous group?
15. Return home, going to Carolina, meeting his father, conversation, the partner and the little daughter, playing with the daughter, his father’s bashing the woman, his confronting his father? Calling the police, his father taken away? The issue of his name, his identity, and his choosing not to have his father?
16. Uncle Charlie and the gift of the car, the encouragement, his driving away to his future?