A Comedic Chase Worth Every Tag
The adventures of a tag game stretching over 30 years revolves around the lives of friends, all of them male. Alone, Jerry, the undefeated champion, decides to quit the game, when he gets married and his friends take to chasing him on a relentless crusade to finally make it. The comedic elements and their bond are what show just how this simple game has become a litmus test for how long their friendship will last. The film moves from tense Denver, Colorado, to packed Portland, Oregon; even to a hospital. And despite being a madcap movie, Tag is sweetly funny and has a bit of energetic nostalgic charm to it, at its heart, its a story about the age-old friendships, the nostalgia of childhood games and the madness of staying tradition alive in adulthood. Thematic topics covered include male camaraderie and the extent people will go to in order to retain with them memories. It is a funny, and a little bit sentimental, kind of tinged with heartfelt ties you can only develop with someone you spend so much time on earth with. Tag has a situational and character driven humor, telling a sort of comically absurd and all at the same time relatable narrative.|The Tag cast includes a star studded franchise consisting of Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Jake Johnson and Jeremy Renner. It really is a who’s who of comedic talent, and in doing so, manages to be quite funny whilst adding the odd emotional undertone in various parts. Pulled together by cool intelligence and the warm reciprocation that it implies, its cool intelligence pulled together, that of Jeremy Renner’s Jerry, the elusive target of the tag gang in particular, who stands out here. Despite being an energetic and smartly bugged up movie, the chemistry is grounded and funny between Jon Hamm and Jake Johnson as Chase, and Isla Fisher brings an animated and spirited influence that propels the chaos even further as Anna.
Tag is directed by Jeff Tomsic, and pays attention to the whimsy of its high octane premise. Tomsic is able to handle the ensemble cast with an impressive balanced approach, ensuring the comedy and the emotional beats of each character always come through. The simple childrens game is given proper direction in Tag which hands the action packed spectacle without watering down the films core fun and nostalgia.|In Tag, the musical score matches the films lively atmosphere through tracks that support the adrenaline and camaraderie. None of the pieces are selected to build a sense of suspense to a tag scene or to highlight a poignant moment of heartfelt reflection, but paired with the comedic and emotional contrast the film exhibits all the more.
With the physical comedy, and the action sequences that come into play, the cinematography is designed literally taking on as well. The cinematography, with fast, dynamic camera work that tracks the frenetic chase scenes — but also follows Jeremy Renners superhuman stunts particularly well — allows for a visually engaging pace thats hurry but intelligible. Widely across this vast American game of cat and mouse, Tags production design captures vast American landscapes, including offices in Denver and libraries in Portland, and cleverly concocted traps and set designs that amplify the stakes. Tag succeeds in the settings, the mundane as well as the extraordinary of the last decades of playing the game of tag, and in keeping the creativity of keeping the nostalgia alive.
The special effects in Tag are subtly effective, mainly to enhance the comedy without drowning it. Tag contributes to the high octane sense of adventure found in scenes of daring escapes, slapstick set ups and generally helps maintain the comedic tone throughout.|Editing Tag, skillfully loops segments of each characters storyline into the motion of the story overall. Complementing the slapstick humour and the urgent quest of the comrades pacing is crisp, rapid editing that helps move the audience along without losing its way in narrative coherency.
Pacing is one of Tags strong suits. Its best moments are when it leans into the rapid, comedic pursuit but also halts long enough to reflect on friendship; you get to catch your breath and digest the playful minutia of these forever friendships.
It’s the banter of characters who know each other, steeped in a shared history, that’s both teasing and authentic. But the amplification of the humor paired with the sense of familiarity embedded in the group of it make it a comforting story.|Tag is fun and warmth in a funny movie, but slapstick humor may be too simple for the audience looking for a deeper tale. In some parts, the film opts for comedy over character development which feels a little unbalanced for those wanting deeper emotional connections. Of course, Tag does well enough for the style and genre of its intent, though.
We had so much fun diving into the whimsical bonds of friendship between men that was laced with humor and action in Tag. I was both amused and touched by the lightheartedness of the narrative and the emotional underbelly it had. Tag is a great cinematic experience that reminds audiences of the magic of clinging to the childlike joy in a world filled with adult complexity.
