Tag

I had very low expectations for this film based on the very astute assumption that the movie is based on a childhood game most of us all played, tag (I wonder if this will open the door to the overlooked hop-scotch and jungle-gym lava pit).

However, it’s not all bad and there are various laugh-out–loud moments and the ensemble cast was well stacked with above average actors in Ed Helms, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Jake Johnson and the stunningly beautiful Annabelle Wallis, who’s sole role in the film was eye-candy journalist that provided exposition for the audience (how did this start? What are the rules… etc).

Oh yeah. This film is based on true events as stated in the beginning of the film. Funny though, because once you allow yourself to believe that basically everything that you are seeing is in fact fabricated, it’s actually easier to buy into it.

Just imagine grown men in their forties scaling buildings, Tom-Crusing though windows off two story houses, taking a swinging log to the face… snare traps, so on so forth. This did not happen as the ending credits show you the real men and their “daring” tag traps (btw… there’s actually no black friend in the real life Tag Game. Cough. Cough… This is called creative license :D).

So when you just let the film play out and let your mind debate did this really happen or is this just a Hollywood screenwriter ploy it’s easier to let go of the absurd and follow the story of four childhood friends crashing their other friends wedding in order to finally tag-him after 20 plus unsuccessful years of trying to nab him (Jeremy Renner).

The dude literally has a spider-sense or Max Payne Bullet-mode capabilities, which actually is one of the better plot devices in the movie.

Stupid yes, but kind of endearing too as this game has kept these friends in contact throughout their adolescent and adult years. It’s a reason to take work off every May (the only month a year it’s allowed) and go harass your old mates, sometimes in almost psychopathic ways…. But yeah that’s the gist of it.

It is what you see in the previews. A movie about grown men acting like children but it does bring back a childhood sense of nostalgia about simpler times with each character being entirely different (alcoholic turned successful businessman, mid-life crisis, CEO of corporation, medical professional and dead-beat stoner), so the audience has at least one person to identify with (cheeky Hollywood screenwriters).

Has a bit of a Hangover feel to it but often stagnant and repetitive. Definitely not the comedic hit of the summer audience should be looking forward to.

Has heart but not even close to Game Night or Blockers.