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Tag (15)
Starring: Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress and more
Director: Jeff Tomsic
The Plot: Childhood friends Hoagie (Helms), Bob (Hamm), Kevin (Duress), Randy (Johnson) and Jerry (Renner) have been playing the same game of tag for over thirty years - now, as middle-aged men, they devote the month of May every year to the game, often using elaborate disguises or interrupting important events to tag one another. However, in all the time they've been playing, Jerry has never been tagged once, and with Jerry's wedding approaching he plans to retire from the game undefeated - but Hoagie has other ideas. Gathering the others and accompanied by Hoagie's wife Anna (Isla Fisher) and reporter Rebecca (Annabelle Wallis), who is writing a story on Bob's company, the group descend on the wedding to try and finally tag him - but Jerry is ready and waiting . . .
Check out the trailer for the film here.
If you hadn't already gathered from the plot or the trailer, this is a very silly film that doesn't take itself seriously at all, and sometimes that's exactly what you're looking for. As the marketing and the beginning of the film itself tells you, it is actually based on a true story - you see footage of the real people who have been playing this game of tag since they were kids, and were featured in a national newspaper - and that kind of makes it even better, as what a brilliant, harmless thing it is for a group of friends to do.
The film is extremely funny, which is the most important thing for it to get right. The cast have a good chemistry together, and the actual scenes where they attempt to tag Jerry (who has skills that wouldn't out of place in a Bourne film . . . hey ,wait a second) are some of the funniest of the film as they go into slow-motion with Jerry expertly dodging and dispatching his friends as his internal monologue describes the action ("Hoagie throws himself at me in a pussy-like manoeuvre"). There's some crudeness to it (Jerry and his wife faking an abortion is a low point) but it ends with a warm-but-serious vibe that serves to remind how important friendship can be.
This isn't a film that's going to win any awards, or one that attempts to tell a serious story, so it would be unfair to judge it on that. It's a very funny, enjoyable piece of nonsense though, and an ideal distraction from the horrible shit going on in the world today. One final note of interest - Jeremy Renner broke both his arms on the third day of shooting this film, so in 90% of the footage of him he has CGI arms. That's one hardcore game of tag.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
A highly enjoyable, deeply silly film that makes no pretence about what it is. It doesn't try to be serious (regardless of the message at the end) and most importantly, it's extremely funny throughout and has a great cast who bounce off each other well. Sometimes a good laugh is what we all need, and Tag does a good job of providing it.
Take me home . . .
Leave No Trace (PG)
Starring: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie
Director: Debra Granik
The Plot: Army veteran Will (Foster) suffers from PTSD and lives off the grid in a national park in Portland, Oregon with his thirteen year-old daughter Tom (McKenzie). The pair are content with their routine, isolated life, living off the land, however when Tom is accidentally spotted by a hiker, the authorities come for them and force them to accept a regular house, a job for Will and school for Tom. While his daughter begins to enjoy some of the new experiences, Will is unable to cope with this new existence and takes Tom out into the wilderness again in search of a new place to live, on a dangerous journey that threatens to break the strong bond between them . . .
Check out the trailer for the film here.
Review: Wow. Just, wow. I was absolutely blown away by this film and I can tell you now that this will be in my top ten of the year - at the moment it's a close contender for number one. The film is on a limited release and was only in my local cinema for a week, and I'm so glad that I caught it - if it's still playing near you, I urge you to go and watch it.
Debra Granik's last film in cinemas was in 2010 with the excellent Winter's Bone, a bleak tale that featured a great performance from one Jennifer Lawrence. Granik has excelled herself here with Leave No Trace, a film that she co-wrote, adapted from a novel by Peter Rock. It's a powerful, beautiful, heartbreaking story that deals with the themes of love, familial bonds and mental disorder without going over the top in the way they're presented, and it's grounded by two incredible performances.
Ben Foster has, over the years, forged a career in playing extreme characters, but here he gives what is in my opinion his best performance to date. Will, like his daughter, is a quiet and reserved character, whose PTSD is something that they never discuss but are clearly both aware of. Foster's portrayal of the symptoms and of his aversion to "modern" life is both believable and sympathetic, and the chemistry he shares with Thomasin McKenzie is wonderful. And boy what a find this young actress is - she's absolutely brilliant. Tom is, like Will, quiet, but much more curious about the world, and McKenzie plays this flawlessly. She tugs at your heartstrings throughout the story and her character's gradual transition from utter devotion to her father to the painful realisation that they may not work together after all is masterful. The scenes they share together are powerful, particularly the conclusion, and the bond between them is completely believable.
Some parts of Will and Tom's story are left deliberately vague - we don't learn much about Tom's mother, for example, or how they began to live in their reclusive way - but when you have a story that's as powerful and engaging as this one is, these things don't detract. It's a beautifully shot and presented film with strong direction by Granik, and it left its mark on me. It's a stunning film.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
A strong contender for film of the year. A powerful, heartbreaking story that's beautifully written and presented, and features two incredible, stand-out performances from Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie. This one almost slipped under the radar, as some films do, but I urge you to seek this one out if it's still playing at a cinema near you - it's incredible.
Ben Foster has, over the years, forged a career in playing extreme characters, but here he gives what is in my opinion his best performance to date. Will, like his daughter, is a quiet and reserved character, whose PTSD is something that they never discuss but are clearly both aware of. Foster's portrayal of the symptoms and of his aversion to "modern" life is both believable and sympathetic, and the chemistry he shares with Thomasin McKenzie is wonderful. And boy what a find this young actress is - she's absolutely brilliant. Tom is, like Will, quiet, but much more curious about the world, and McKenzie plays this flawlessly. She tugs at your heartstrings throughout the story and her character's gradual transition from utter devotion to her father to the painful realisation that they may not work together after all is masterful. The scenes they share together are powerful, particularly the conclusion, and the bond between them is completely believable.
Some parts of Will and Tom's story are left deliberately vague - we don't learn much about Tom's mother, for example, or how they began to live in their reclusive way - but when you have a story that's as powerful and engaging as this one is, these things don't detract. It's a beautifully shot and presented film with strong direction by Granik, and it left its mark on me. It's a stunning film.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
A strong contender for film of the year. A powerful, heartbreaking story that's beautifully written and presented, and features two incredible, stand-out performances from Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie. This one almost slipped under the radar, as some films do, but I urge you to seek this one out if it's still playing at a cinema near you - it's incredible.
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