Note: This is a spoiler-free Tag movie review
We should all be lucky enough to have friends like Hoagie, Callahan, Randy, Sable, and Jerry.
These five hooligans have been playing the same game of tag for 30 years, without fail, to keep from growing old. It sounds like a great way to go through life, and it’s executed in a great way on screen.
Tag is 100 minutes of quality laughs, bringing a true story to the big screen in a way that entertains how a comedy should.
In other words, when your friends and family are choosing who to see this movie with you want to be “it”. GET IT!? Ha.
Here are five reasons why Tag is the movie to see this weekend.
Look at that cast
If you’re trying to convince someone to see Tag all you need to do is rattle off a few names. Whoever you’re talking to is sure to recognize at least one of Jon Hamm, Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner, Isla Fisher, Hannibal Buress, and Jake Johnson. If they don’t, they may have never actually seen a movie or TV show before.
The cast is star-studded, but I’m sure you want to know who stands out. I’m a full-blown Hammerhead (that’s my self-proclaimed name for my self-proclaimed fan group. Hasn’t quite caught on yet), so you know I think Jon Hamm puts on a great performance. Helms is a well-established funny man and the main focus of the film. He gives the performance you’d expect, which is a good thing. Johnson’s wheelhouse is the slapstick/airhead type of comedic relief, and his character in Tag plays right into his hands.
The unexpected scene-stealer is Hannibal Buress. Buress constantly displays perfect comedic timing and nails every line he has in the film.
Buress is the best example, but really the key to Tag’s laughs is the timing from everyone. Renner is more known as a serious actor, but even he knows when to deliver his jokes. Kudos to the actors, but also writers Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen.
It can be difficult for a cast with this many big names to have good chemistry, but that’s not an issue for this crew. They all come across as believable friends on the screen, which is vital.
You can turn your brain off
There’s a lot going on in the world these days, right? Some issues actually are very serious. Other issues seem serious but aren’t. Either way, stress levels are HIGH right now.
A good movie, and particularly a good comedy, makes you forget about the outside world for a while. Tag opens with a funny scene and never looks back from there.
There’s also a plotline to the movie, and it makes perfect sense, but it’s not particularly important to the movie. Really the film is just a bunch of funny scenes put together in an order that makes sense, with the main goal of making you laugh.
The point is the movie is entertaining from start to finish. Don’t worry about how you got there. Just turn off your brain for a while and enjoy the laughs.
You’re the target audience
I’m well aware there is another movie coming out this weekend. I will be seeing that movie as well eventually—and it may indeed be incredible—but it has a very different audience than this “R”-rated comedy.
An abundance of cursing? Check. Slapstick violence? Check. Raunchy Jokes? Check. Marijuana use? Check. Brief nudity? Check.
Tag has pretty much everything an adult comedy requires in 2018.
In fact, I would say the movie almost goes too far with the crude humor at a certain point. There’s a joke made about a certain topic toward the end of the film that I’m guessing will draw some heat from critics. Then that topic is joked about again. And again… and again. Personally, I don’t think it worked. But the people making the movie certainly went for it.
Other than that, all the adult humor landed and it’s fun to laugh at a bunch of jokes not safe for children.
Let’s get nostalgic
While a comedy being rated “R” is a requirement these days for adults, there’s no doubting the topic of Tag is childish. It’s about a bunch of adults playing tag, after all.
Where one person sees childish another can see nostalgic, however. The movie does a nice job of illustrating how long these guys have been friends, and how good of friends they are. That’s a positive for the story, but really what it does is help you remember that you like your friends.
Everyone has that core group of friends they consider their closest. Tag showcases the ridiculous adventure of these five friends, but also harkens you back to the good times with yours. That emotion lets the lighthearted laughter flow. You may even want to hang out with your friends after!
Build a community
Speaking of getting together with people, the movies is one of the few places where people go with a common goal. In this case, it’s all about being entertained. This weekend is your best chance to get a full theater while watching Tag, and it really does add to the experience.
Laughter is contageous, and Tag provides it for the entire audience.
Remember that time you heard an awkward/inappropriate joke and weren’t sure if it was OK to laugh? You don’t have to worry about that during this movie, because someone around you will be laughing. Or maybe you’re the one who laughs first and makes it OK for someone else to laugh. Either way, you’re making a new friend! And they have the same sense of humor as you! Congrats.
Should I go see Tag?
I feel like the answer to this question should be clear at this point. If you’re not looking for an “R”-rated comedy with some crude humor, this movie is not for you.
If adult comedy is your type of comedy, head over to the theater to watch Tag and laugh while remembering the old days.
For more, check out our All Movies section!
(Featured Image via Teaser Trailer)
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