The Tender Bar is an acceptable attempt at a solid subgenre. The coming-of-age story has merit but is overdone, making it difficult for new installments to stand out. So, even though The Tender Bar means well, it is missing a selling point to make it memorable. Ben Affleck excels in his supporting role and the soundtrack is strong, but that isn't enough to produce a hit. Primarily, this is because the story is stale. It explores ideas of manhood, self-efficacy, and success, yet not in particularly special ways. Despite some decent quotes, most of The Tender Bar is eclipsed by previous films in its class.
Meanwhile, the filmmaking of The Tender Bar is proficient yet underwhelming. The cinematography uses movement, zooms, focus, and color pallets, but rarely incorporates meaning or a specific style. Similarly, the editing utilizes inserts, yet almost never elevates a scene. Even though the sound is enhanced by J-cuts, it barely impacts the experience. Finally, the production design embodies the time period, but isn't overly elaborate. Ultimately, The Tender Bar doesn't have a weakness and doesn't have enough clear strengths. It's firmly good, not great: a fine movie for fans of the genre, yet hardly a must-see.
Writing: 6/10
Direction: 7/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Acting: 8/10
Editing: 7/10
Sound: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10
Production Design: 8/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 6/10
Overall Score: 7.2/10
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