Tag (2018)

A small group of former classmates organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that requires some to travel all over the country.

Director:

Jeff Tomsic

Writers:

Rob McKittrick (screenplay by), Mark Steilen (screenplay by)

Stars:

Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, Jake Johnson

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ed Helms	...	Hogan 'Hoagie' Malloy
Lil Rel Howery	...	Reggie
Jon Hamm	...	Bob Callahan
Annabelle Wallis	...	Rebecca Crosby
Jake Johnson	...	Randy 'Chilli' Cilliano
Isla Fisher	...	Anna Malloy
Hannibal Buress	...	Kevin Sable
Nora Dunn	...	Linda Malloy
Steve Berg	...	Lou Seibert
Jeremy Renner	...	Jerry Pierce
Leslie Bibb	...	Susan Rollins
Rashida Jones	...	Cheryl Deakins
Indiana Sifuentes	...	Mexican Jerry
Trayce Malachi	...	Young Boy in Mall
Jock McKissic	...	Security Guard at Mall

Storyline

Childhood friends Jerry (Jeremy Renner), Callahan (Jon Hamm), Randy (Jake Johnson), Sable (Hannibal Buress) and Hoagie (Ed Helms) have been competing in the same game of tag for 30 years. When Jerry gets married, he attempts to retire from the intense annual game without ever being "it," causing the other four to band together and go to extreme lengths to finally tag him. Directed by Jeff Tomsic. Inspired by the Wall Street Journal article "It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It."

---

Plot Keywords:

tag the game | friendship | wedding | fake pregnancy | hand job | 

---

Taglines:

Based on a True Story. We're Not Kidding.

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language throughout, crude sexual content, drug use and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was filmed in metro Atlanta.

---

Goofs

Incorrectly regarded as a goof: before the men run out of the hospital room, Jerry's wife is seen to step to the side of the doorway inside the room so she would not be visible in the next shot from the hallway as the men come out.

---

Quotes

Randy: [to Jerry] Yeah, you're really good at tag.
Hoagie: Yes, but you've kind of missed the point. I mean, it's not about trying to get away from each other. It's actually about having a reason to be around each other. You know?
Jerry: [Quietly] Yeah.
Hoagie: I mean, Ben Franklin said it best. Am I right? "We don't stop playing because we grow old."
Hoagie, Randy, Callahan, Anna Malloy: "We grow old because we stop playing.""

---

Crazy Credits

Though the film opens with a caption stating it is inspired by a true story, and even closes with an image of the actual Wall Street Journal article, the credits do include the standard disclaimer about the film and its characters being fictional.

---

Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movie Scenes You Didn't Realize Were CGI (2020)

---

Soundtracks

Back in the Day (Remix)
Written by Redfoo, Ahmad Lewis, Gip Noble (as Gip Noble, Jr.), Cecil D. Womack (as Cecil Womack) and Linda M. Womack (as Linda Womack)
Performed by Ahmad Lewis
Courtesy of Giant Records/Warner Bros. Records
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing
Contains a sample of "Love T.K.O."
Performed by Teddy Pendergrass
Courtesy of P.I.R./Legacy Recordings
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

User Reviews

A summerly comedy. I kinda liked it.

Based on a true story. For one month every year, five highly competitive friends organize no-holds-barred game of tag they've been playing forever - risking their necks, jobs and relationships to take each other down with the battle cry "You're It!"

This time, the game coincides with the wedding of the gang's only undefeated player, which should finally make him an easy target...

Starring Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner, John Hamm, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress, Isla Fisher, Leslie Bibb, Rashida Jones, Annabelle Wallis et al.

I mentioned all these people that may be hard to remember just by name, because "Tag" comedy is essentially a team comedy, an effort where the success depends very much on the flow and synergy between actors.

The good news is, since they're all professionals who do this kind of thing all the time, there's no trouble here. Basics are solid.

Even the best-known names, such as Helms, Hamm (of "Mad Men" fame), or Renner are here for the team, nobody's in star position.

Except maybe Helms, a versatile comedian offering his usual mix of sweet, sensitive and funny. The problem with him is that he does the same thing all the time, so any movie will feel a bit more generic just by having him.

But it's not just all comedy. "Tag" is also kind of an action movie, although in unusual way. There is only little amount of actual, you know, action, although the handbag fight is a standout part.

But the clever use of slow motion gives the scenes of grown-ups playing tag a distinct feel of an action movie, with all the amateur parkour and dangerous stunts to get away from being tagged. Nicely done.

For an R-rated adult comedy, "Tag" is also refreshingly obscenity-free. There's only character who has a bit of a foul mouth (a female, by the way) and the amount of dirty jokes is less than average.

We still have a constantly pot-smoking character but no modern comedy would be complete without drug-jokes.

In summary, "Tag" is more about atmosphere and flow than heavy on laugh out loud moments. You may not remember it that well in couple of day's time but it's breezy fun while it lasts.

For a bit of escapist entertainment released during summer season, I've seen a lot worse.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

15 June 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Tag Brothers

Filming Locations:

Spokane, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,947,396, 17 June 2018

Gross USA:

$54,730,625

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$78,130,625

Company Credits

Production Co:

Broken Road Productions, New Line Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1