10 YEARS

US, 2011, 100 minutes, Colour.
Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan- Tatum, Justin Long, Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac, Chris Pratt, Ari Graynor, Scott Porter, Brian Geraghty, Aubrey Plaza, Aaron Yoo, Kate Mara, Lynn Collins, Anthony Mackie, Rosario Dawson, Ron Livingstone.
Directed by Jamie Linden.

10 Years did not receive much theatrical release – surprising insofar as it was produced by Channing Tatum and had a strong name cast.

Its narrative is fairly straightforward, a group of young people coming for their 10 year high school anniversary, a range of characters, both men and women, eight aged around 28.

The film takes place over the evening and night of the reunion. Various friends arrive, meet each other, compare notes? There is a focus on Jake and Jess (Channing Tatum and his real life wife, Jenna Dewan), he wanting to propose to her but still wanting to settle his relationship with Mary, 10 years earlier (Rosario Dawson). A number of the friends go to the house of Curry and his wife, Sam, who have two children. Curry is rather boisterous (Chris Pratt and Ari Graynor). Two friends also arrive, considered to have been successful in their lives (Justin Long and Max Minghella). They both have memories of the glamorous Anna (Lynn Collins). There is also Garrity and his wife Olivia (Brian Geraghty and Aubrey Plaza). Scott Porter plays a friend and there is a group of students who were bullied by Curry at school.

In some ways the evening goes as might have been expected, a lot of talk, a lot of bravado, a lot of drinking, a lot of false memories. However, as the film continues, there is some more depth, Jake and his meeting up with Mary and her husband (Ron Livingstone) and sorting out his relationship with her – or, rather, she reminiscing very sensibly and giving some sound advice to Jake. Sam has to put up with her husband drinking, singing karaoke, getting sick, making a fool of himself with over-and-over apologies to the group that he bullied at school. More moving is the unexpected story of Marty and A.J. who have their own emotional tangles, have pretended to be more successful than they are, who follow her home and discover that she has two children and they settle down with all of them telling the truth with young children at table over a meal cooked by A.J.

In this way, the film rather improves as it goes a long, the characters becoming more interesting, and the interrelationships a touch deeper.


1. 10 years reunion story? All the characters aged around 28? The life experience so far, flaws, expectations of the reunion? And their behaviour?

2. The New Mexico sitting settings, mainly the homes, the reunion hall, Pretzels, the supermarket, Anna’s home? The musical score? The songs, especially that for Reeves?

3. The setting, around 2000, young 21st century American types? Men and women?

4. The characters, their interactions, the dialogue, self -revelation?

5. The rivals, meeting, after 10 years, the amount of time since each had seen the other? In themselves, their partners, waiting for Mary to arrive? Families?

6. At the reunion, everybody arriving, the tags, the complementary photo, meetings, all taking photos, the happiness, meeting people again, the talk, the drinks, the tables and places, the revelation of the bullying and Curry and his apologies? The crises at the reunion? People going off to Pretzels, more drinks, the karaoke, the singing, the two men going to Anna’s house, Mary wanting to dance with Jake?

7. The story of Jake and Jess, Channing Tatum and his real-life wife as Jess? Their time together, love, his having the ring but not having the confidence to propose? Jess as an observer, not a past student? The situation with Mary in the past? The friendship? Discussions, with the other men and the conversation about the proposal and the ring? Jess wanting to leave, giving Jake the opportunity to meet Mary? Her arrival, their talk, watching the photos, memories? The past, the facts about the prom, in hospital with her father? Paul and his presence? Mary married? Paul, the outsider, communicating with his business friends, wanting to leave early? Mary and Jake at Pretzels, her giving him advice about marrying Jess? The dance? Jake, getting the ring, coming home, Jess knowing him better than he knew himself?

8. Curry and Sam, their home, the children, the visitors, the children coming out? Sam and her statement about Curry’s drinking? Curry and the past, the bullying, the Chinese student, the others in the group, his drinking and his over apologising? His singing karaoke, Sam attempting to drink, Curry and his being sick, going home? What would the aftermath be?

9. Marty, his success, yet the truth about his small apartment and his not having money? Pretending to be the man about town? The friendship with A.J.? The years and comparisons? At the reunion, uncomfortable, looking at Julie, looking at Anna? A.J..and his infatuation with Anna? Her glamour at the party, her dress, the photos, talking about the glow she had in the past? Hoping she still had it? Her going home early? The decision to follow her, at the supermarket, buying the toilet paper, putting it all over the trees outside her house? Her finding them, identifying them? Their coming in, her making them clean up the mess? Their concern about her mother, sound sleeper? The sound of the child, discovering that Anna had two children, unable to speak about the fathers? The change in atmosphere, the reaction of the two men, the telling the truth, Marty about his poverty and his apartment? And his relationship with women, the sole model? A.J. and the truth about his wife leaving him, his pretension in having the boat he could not say hell?

10. Porter, cheerful character, the songs, working in the bar?

11. Garrity, Olivia, married, the awkwardness at her watching Garrity with the boys, Olivia just watching, his doing the gymnastics and spinning on the floor, her surprise and smile?

12. Reeves, being quiet, the fact that of his success as a musician and performing, the women praising his song?

13. Elena, arriving, alone, the photo, her being on the edge? Meeting with Reeves, going for the long walk, the talk, the memories, her yellow shoes? The photo with herself on the outer? At the table, his singing, realising the song was about her, the reference to the yellow shoes, the girl he never had? Her appreciation? The end, her phone number in case he came to the town again?

14. The girls, glamour, flirting, dancing?

15. The bullied group, together, the Chinese man, Curry and his overbearing apologies? His talking with Sam? Her attempt to have a drink?

16. The comparison of this film and treatment with other reunion films? This one quiet in comparison? With touches of depth?