TAG is a movie that has an interesting premise from the very start. It is based on the Wall Street Journal article which revolved around of group of friends who play the same game of tag for almost 30 years. The movie was initially developed for Will Ferrell and Jack Black, but we didn’t get to see that (potentially more exciting) version. Instead, we got the one with Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress, Jon Hamm, and Jeremy Renner.
Of course, in well-known Hollywood manner, the original story was twisted a bit in TAG to give audience more drama. The movie focuses on Helms’ character, who gets the group to join forces and try to tag Renner’s character, who has never been tagged in 30 years. It is needless to say that if you buy into this part, you’ll be able to buy into everything else. And of course, they will try to do it during his wedding, all accompanied by a WSJ journalist.
The main remark to this movie is that the final product serves a story that tastes like something cooked in the Hollywood factory and not one about true friendship it supposed to be. Then, there is no big laugh, something you would expect from this kind of movie. Also, Annabelle Wallis’ character Rebecca, a Wall Street Journal journalist, doesn’t seem to fit into the film at all, and you get a feeling like it was forced into it with her appearances on the screen out of nowhere.
On the other hand, Isla Fisher, who plays Anna, the wife of Helms’ character, is a refreshing part of the movie. Although also not part of the original story, Anna dominates the screen when she is on it with her fiery personality. Fisher gets the thumbs up for this awesome performance. It wasn’t like the rest of the cast didn’t do well; it’s just that their chemistry seemed a bit off.
Despite all the lows, TAG also has its bright sides. It can be a fun watch if you don’t think much about specifics, and the action is good. There are plenty of exciting moments that will keep you going through the movie, so once you begin to watch it, you’ll be able to stay with it. Finally, in case you are for some mindless fun on a hot summer night, this movie will definitely do.
