[yasr_overall_rating]
A small group of former classmates organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that requires some to travel all over the country.
Like a lot of people I know, when I first saw the trailer for “Tag,” starring Jeremy Renner and Ed Helms, I honestly thought it was fake. After all, why would Warner Bros. produce a feature-length movie about a bunch of grown-up men playing tag? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I still play games from my childhood and teen years but a movie? And then I read the article about the true story of a group of middle-aged men who had been playing tag for years and then the trailer made sense. On top of that, it has a great cast, including the aforementioned Mr. Renner and Mr. Helms, it also stars Hannibal Buress, Jake Johnson, Isla Fisher, and Jon Hamm.
The story centers on five friends, Jerry (Jeremy Renner), Bob (Jon Hamm), Hogan (Ed Helms), Randy (Jake Johnson), and Kevin (Hannibal Buress), men who are in their forties and living their everyday lives. That is, until, the month of May rolls around every year, and then it is “TAG” time. Come to find out, these guys have been playing the same game of tag since they were kids and because most of them live in different cities, one month out of the year allows them to hook up to try and tag each other, keeping their friendship intact. I honestly wondered how they were going to produce a movie that would sustain that premise for one hour and forty minutes but they actually succeeded by adding much-needed character development and story exposition. Director Jeff Tomsic, who before this, had only directed TV shows and stand-up specials, in his feature-film directorial debut, goes full throttle with his top-notch cast and takes full advantage of each of them, allowing them to shine and brandish their individual comedic styles.
Jerry has never been tagged, ever, and each year, Hogan, Bob, Randy, and Kevin do their damndest to deflower Jerry from his unconquerable status, but to no avail. He is fast, clever, resourceful, and always manages to stay one step ahead of them, each and every year. Hogan feels that this year is going to be the year, but as Bob reminds him early on, “you say that every year!” With Jerry planning on getting married to his beautiful fiancée Susan (Leslie Bibb), his four buddies seize the opportunity, assuming that the wedding will keep him occupied, and arrive in town, surreptitiously, waiting for their moment to pounce, but will Jerry anticipate and outmaneuver them again?
“Tag” boils down to a group of middle-aged men who have been friends since they were children and their game of tag has kept them in contact with each other over the years and over the miles. While many of us grow up with childhood friends, for the most part, we eventually go our separate ways and lose contact, maybe reconnecting on Facebook down the road, from different continents but the camaraderie between the five friends is evident from the very beginning. They don’t care what other people think, they just care about tagging each other, especially Jerry, and it is something they each look forward to every year. In the beginning, Bob, the CEO of his own company, is getting ready to sit down to perform an interview with Rebecca Crosby (Annabelle Wallis), a journalist from The Wall Street Journal and just as they begin, Hogan, dressed up as a janitor, surprises Bob and tags him. When he informs Bob that Jerry is getting married and that he plans on retiring from the game after this year, both men leave the office but Rebecca demands to know what is going on. Bob tries to persuade her from asking but Hogan is more than happy to oblige. After hearing their story, Rebecca states that she is coming with them as this is a “real story,” hence The Wall Street Journal article that this movie is based on.
For the first time in a long time, I actually laughed out loud and believe me, that is no easy feat. The film is rated “R” for language and violence but it all works within the confines of the story, thankfully never succumbing to mean-spirited or spiteful circumstances. Renner is perfect as Jerry, the unstoppable force who resorts to inner monologues so that his objectives are made perfectly clear, and then as he takes each of his friends down, he moves at such lightning speed the movie invokes slow motion, so we can savor in their repercussions. I’m sure “Tag” will find an audience and I would be more than open to the idea of a sequel because the story could take our hapless heroes anywhere in the world. Don’t forget to sit through the closing credits, you will see actual footage of the real-life men that this movie is based on and while there is no after-credits scene, there is a hilarious visual gag with Jeremy Renner that was one of the funniest in the film.
In theaters Friday, June 15th
