{"id":335,"date":"2018-06-21T01:14:04","date_gmt":"2018-06-21T01:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.granitecitynow.com\/?p=335"},"modified":"2018-06-21T02:24:04","modified_gmt":"2018-06-21T02:24:04","slug":"tag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.granitecitynow.com\/?p=335","title":{"rendered":"Tag"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New Line Cinema<\/p><\/div>\n

Why would Hogan \u201cHoagie\u201d Malloy (Ed Helms) interview at Bob Callahan\u2019s (Jon Hamm \u2013 meow!) place of business in the hopes of landing a job for which he\u2019s severely overqualified?<\/p>\n

Well, because Hoagie is \u201cit,\u201d of course, and he\u2019s looking to pawn that curse off on Bob \u2013 with a simple \u201cTag.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just never stopped playing,\u201d a voiceover explains, while images of kids playing Tag circa 1983 slowly lay the foundation for this ridiculously lively flick.<\/p>\n

The movie tells the tale of lifelong friends \u2013 Hoagie and Bob, along with Randy \u201cChilli\u201d Cilliano (Jake Johnson), Kevin Sable (Hannibal Buress \u2013 love<\/em> this guy!), and Jerry Pierce (Jeremy Renner) \u2013 who have been taking part in this playground game for 30 years.<\/p>\n

For real.<\/p>\n

And the premise of \u201cTag\u201d is \u201cinspired by a true story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, for real. Cool, right?<\/p>\n

During the month of May for the past three decades, these five friends have traveled to different cities or states and have donned elaborate disguises to tag each other and keep the game going.<\/p>\n

But now\u2026 \u201cJerry\u2019s retiring,\u201d Hoagie tells the others. There\u2019s a good chance he\u2019ll exit with a clean record and \u201cmake us all look like fools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jerry, with his ninja-like skills, has never been tagged; the explanations and visuals accompanying this revelation are hilarious, by the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a real shot at Jerry this year,\u201d Hoagie squeals with childlike enthusiasm, because he knows exactly where the elusive Jerry will be and when.<\/p>\n

Game. On.<\/p>\n

\u201cTag\u201d isn\u2019t just<\/em> about the game, but it\u2019s during those moments that the movie is at its funniest.<\/p>\n

Director Jeff Tomsic blends slowed motion with real-time action, often alternating between the two speeds in the same scene \u2013 and those visuals, along with descriptive-movement narration, delivers some riotously funny moments.<\/p>\n

And one of my favorite scenes has Chilli, Hoagie and Bob standing in a small circle, quickly and repetitively tagging the next guy after being tagged by the other (no tag-backs!).<\/p>\n

Tomsic spins the camera around the trio in the direction opposite the rotation of their incessant tags, and I dare you to not laugh.\u00a0It\u2019s trippy and stupid and hilarious, and it fully expresses the playful nature around which this flick is based.<\/p>\n

Ed Helms is a great choice to anchor this crew because he\u2019s naturally funny. I mean, \u201cThe Office\u201d and \u201cThe Hangover\u201d? C\u2019mon!<\/p>\n

And I looooove<\/em> seeing the often-serious Hamm in goofy comedic roles. That chair scene had me on the floor.<\/p>\n

Buress\u2019s relaxed demeanor and composed delivery always<\/em> is a treat; his casual comedy is truly hypnotic.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be real, though: Every one of these guys is upstaged by Hoagie\u2019s wife, Anna (Isla Fisher). Her intensity for the game, despite not actually being a participant, is like nothing I\u2019ve ever seen, and her outrageous outbursts crank the funny factor to 11.<\/p>\n

\u201cTag\u201d is more than hilarity and hijinks and a super competitive game; \u201cIt\u2019s not about trying to get away from each other; it\u2019s a reason for us to stay in each other\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The movie is filled with silly humor and absurd physical comedy, and it once or twice sacrifices tact for a laugh (which I\u2019m fine with, for the record). But watching these guys joke with one another and reconnect over 105 minutes is as enjoyable as watching them run around playing the game itself.<\/p>\n

Will Jerry get tagged? Only one way to find out.<\/p>\n

Tag; you\u2019re it!<\/p>\n

You have just enjoyed the insights of Movie Addict Mel, a cinema dork and conversational writer. Follow her on Twitter\u00a0@movieaddictmel<\/a>, and \u201clike\u201d her Facebook page\u00a0www.facebook.com\/movieaddictmel<\/a><\/em>. You also can email her at movieaddictmel@outlook.com<\/em>.<\/p>\n