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Tape

Play trailer Poster for Tape R Released Nov 2, 2001 1h 23m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 100 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A three-character ensemble piece set within the confines of a tawdry motor lodge in Lansing, Michigan. After 10 years apart, three disparate people come together to play out the unresolved drama of their final days in high school. Intrigued, we watch as layers of denial are slowly peeled away. Suspense builds as each character is provoked into revealing his or her true nature and motivation. Mesmerized, we are drawn into their lives as they choose which cards to play and which cards to hold.
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Tape

Tape

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Critics Consensus

Tape's stagebound feel is balanced by the engrossing psychodrama of its storyline, which allows a committed cast to shine.

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Critics Reviews

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Dennis Harvey Variety Three actors yakking in a single drab interior, shot on HD video: It's unlikely this poverty-program recipe has, or ever will again, yield results quite as entertaining as "Tape." May 20, 2008 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 3/5 Dec 30, 2006 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out This makes good on that old Dogme promise by discarding the crutches of conventional movie drama and concentrating on the raw essentials of character and story. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review B. Ruby Rich The Nation It's a wonderfully tense tale, played out with humor and sarcasm. Feb 25, 2020 Full Review Kaleem Aftab The List The humor gives Tape a quirky edge, but the film falls flat whenever the dialogue drifts to allow for a theatrical set piece or joke rather than to further investigate the central dilemma. Rated: 3/5 Apr 17, 2019 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed Fascinating and engrossing character study with strong performances from the cast... Apr 29, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mason M Tape is a wonderful addition to Richard Linklater's filmography, it being one of his only thriller films. But it was still great seeing him use his skills and styles to make one of his both most unique and fully Linklater films. Even though it all takes place in one room, Tape never fails to keep me entertained by the riveting dialogue and plot. It's amazingly written, and puts as much plot and character as it can into one room. The two leads also do a great job playing their respective parts in a believable manner. Many could criticize the film for its bad digital video quality, but I loved it. I love the look of this era's digital video, and the small camera allows for a loose and more realistic feeling to this film, and some of Linklater's most interesting cinematography. Tape may not measure up to Linklater's masterpieces, but it's still a very strong film and a great watch for any Linklater fans. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/06/25 Full Review Audience Member Not what I was expecting, but the plot was interesting for the most part Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/28/24 Full Review Audience Member 99% of the budget went to the three actors. Linklater is clearly a very capable filmmaker but he (and his performers) strain their abilities here and the end result is certainly not stellar. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member One could I guess call this a very well crafted example of the "Dogma" style. It touches (among others) upon a delicate issue -that of sexual misconduct and its consequences- with great intelligence and elaboration, bringing to light the often oversimplified or ignored complexities of certain experiences in which even the meaning of the word "consent" becomes problematic, and in which the defense of the victims is finally another mask of selfish interests or unrelated frustrations. The acting is very intense and full of emotions. The atmosphere is that of a good theater play. Very recommended. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Tape is a good "movie in a single location" movie which focuses on dialogue to hold our sway. It's filmed in real time and the acting is solid from all involved- Ethan Hawke especially. Many critics have compared it to a play and it feels so. Richard Linklater is both an auteur and a risk taker- similar to Steven Soderberg and this is another film where he showcases his talent. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Though the cheap camerawork is unnecessary, the acting and pacing make this a surprising good story in real time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Tape

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Movie Info

Synopsis A three-character ensemble piece set within the confines of a tawdry motor lodge in Lansing, Michigan. After 10 years apart, three disparate people come together to play out the unresolved drama of their final days in high school. Intrigued, we watch as layers of denial are slowly peeled away. Suspense builds as each character is provoked into revealing his or her true nature and motivation. Mesmerized, we are drawn into their lives as they choose which cards to play and which cards to hold.
Director
Richard Linklater
Producer
Alexis Alexanian, Anne Walker-McBay, Gary Winick
Screenwriter
Stephen Belber, Stephen Belber
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
Tape Productions Inc., InDiGent Entertainment
Rating
R (Language|Drug Content)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 2, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 6, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$490.5K
Runtime
1h 23m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)