The Tender Bar is unpretentious and warm. This coming-of-age drama (based on the memoir of JR Moehringer) may not be devoid of cliché, but what makes it worth watching is Ben Affleck’s performance.
As Charlie Maguire aka ‘Uncle Charlie’, Affleck puts in his career best performance. There is so much ease and an inherent sense of ‘cool’ in Affleck’s portrayal that 10 mins into the the film, you would want to have an Uncle Charlie in your life.
Another highlight is little Daniel Ranieri who plays 9 year old version of JR. Daniel is natural, innocent and simply adorable. His chemistry with Affleck is heartwarming.
The film does have its share of drawbacks as well. I did not enjoy the overall story arc as it did not seem to have a high point. The narrative remained at a easy pace, but never moved above it to engage me more. The other issue was JR’s writing. I would have loved to know what and how he wrote. It would have given me a much deeper understanding of his character and how his mind worked. Even his big moments (College and Job) are not shown. You are left to assume that he nailed it. The Tender Bar would have been a much better film for me if these things were taken care.
Watch The Tender Bar for Ben Affleck’s finest acting work and the adorable Daniel Ranieri.