Warning: Spoilers. Since a young boy growing up in Long Island, New York, JR Moehringer yearned to become a writer. One of his first exploits into the field came in the manifestation of a self-made newspaper covering his family. After fulfilling a lifelong dream of his mother’s by getting into Yale University, Moehringer would go on to become a Pulitzer Prize journalist, working for The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.
A Los Angeles Times Magazine article Moehringer wrote about a homeless man claiming to be heavyweight boxer Bob Satterfield was later adapted into a film, becoming the Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Hartnett led Resurrecting the Champ, a film about an up-and-coming reporter who helps the former boxer-turned-homeless man rebuild his life. The opportunity for Moehringer’s writings to be translated into film would occur again.
“You’re a writer the minute you say you are. Nobody gives you a diploma. You have to prove it, at least to yourself.”
-“JR” (Tye Sheridan)
In 2005, Moehringer released his memoir, Tender Bar, recounting his experience growing up without a father and spending time under his uncle’s supervision at a town bar. Nearly two decades later, the memoir has been adapted into a screenplay written by Academy Award-winning scribe William Monahan (The Departed).
George Clooney directs in The Tender Bar, starring Ben Affleck (Zack Snyder’s Justice League), new-comer Daniel Ranieri, Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One), Lily Rabe (Vice), Christopher Lloyd (Queen Bees), and Briana Middleton, who made her full-length feature acting debut.
The film follows JR as he deals with the disappointment of an absentee father, who was a New York radio DJ known as “The Voice,” while learning the ropes of manhood at the instruction of his Uncle Charlie and the male patrons of The Dickens bar. Aside from navigating the complexity of his inconsistent father, his mother vicariously lives through JR to ease the disappointment of getting pregnant before she could fulfill her academic dreams of graduating from college. She believes that an Ivy League education will be the answer to her and her son not having to live with JR’s grandparents in an already crowded house.
“Everybody alive is lucky.”
-“Wesley” (Rhenzy Feliz)
The urgings of his mother guides JR to Yale University where he has his first encounter with love through the adventurous Sidney. A naive JR falls for Sidney, who appears to be a bit out of his league coming from a “lower-upper-middle class” family who does not take a liking to JR’s poorer and homely background. The “situationship” with Sidney escalates to a multi-year long, on-again-off-again love affair that results in JR being dumped nine times.
At one point, his Uncle Charlie is having a conversation with a slighting intoxicated JR at the bar about his constant chase of Sidney. Uncle Charlie brings to JR’s awareness that Sidney’s return to his life was actually a check-in to see if he “had his sh-t together.” JR, clearly perplexed by Sidney’s actions, laughs at the sentiment when Uncle Charlie reminds him of his profound “male sciences” theory, in which he believes that a man is required to take care of the women in his life, and have a job, a car, and “stashies” in his wallet, so that he “can be independent, and then somebody might want you.”
“You don’t wanna? This is when you push. Right now. This is when you bet it all. When you got nothing.”
-“Uncle Charlie” (Ben Affleck)
“Read Orwell on the lower-upper-middle classes. They’re the ones who really suck. Once you understand that, you can operate in America — if you also have a car.”
-“Uncle Charlie” (Ben Affleck)
Although the advice is a superficial, veneer solution to JR’s problems, it helps him to prioritize his priorities. In order to have a job or car, he realizes he needs money — so, he resolves by securing a job at The New York Times. Just when he thinks he has it all figured out, he discovers that Sidney is unavailable.
Tender Bar is a touching, universal story that many can find relatable. The film takes the time to explore how JR’s relationship, or lack thereof, with his biological father parallels with his choices in the relationship with Sidney.
The most prevailing message of all comes from the generational impact of decisions among the patriarchal lineage of the family, and the will to have a progressive perspective of life despite the circumstances. The chemistry between Uncle Charlie (Affleck) and young JR (Ranieri) proves to be an endearing foundation as an older JR (Sheridan) is no longer protected from the ills of life, but because of his roots is able to navigate difficult circumstances without having a complete meltdown.
“What are you gonna do without the bad guy in your life? You’re set.”
-“The Voice, Johnny Michaels” (Max Martini)
Probably one of the least talked about qualities of this film — but the most notable — is the diverse cast. Sidney (Middleton), JR’s college friends Wesley (Rhenzy Feliz) and Jimmy (Ivan Leung), Yale professor Van Dyke (Ezra Knight), and Officer James (Daniel Washington) are all people of color, to the praise of the filmmakers. The added distinction of a diverse cast benefited the telling of this story and added to its authenticity and appeal. Even though some critics might be “agita” by JR’s apple of his eye being a woman of color, they can just suck it!
The film is so good that it wouldn’t be surprising if reviews at the top of the week read that Tender Bar should’ve went into more depth as the story is portrayed in the book. What the critics really mean to say is that they want more. More, as in a whole series? Maybe.
“It may be possible to kill me, but it is not easy.”
-“Uncle Charlie” (Ben Affleck)
Watch the Trailer for ‘Tender Bar’ Below:
