TAG

US, 2018, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Isla Fisher, Hannibal Buress, Nora Dunn, Steve Berg, Jeremy Renner, Leslie Bibb, Rashida Jones.
Directed by Jeff Tomsic.

Writing a review? Perhaps not, because this film is too silly for words.

However, it alleges that it is based on a true story. And, lo and behold, in the final credits, there are all kinds are sequences where these middle aged men carry on with taking one another. And then there is the photo of the group who have been playing tag for 23 years – and one of the members in a clerical shirt in the front row.

Boys will be boys. Men will be boys. But for how long? And what does this say about them – possibly playfulness at first. But then obsession and rivalry? Competitiveness, taking off the whole month of May from their work to play tag across the whole of the United States, money and costs no obstacle.

Then, there is a distraction about American politics, especially since the film was released in the second year of Donald Trump’s presidency. The distraction leads to thinking about the Whitecap house, Donald Trump himself and his equivalent of tag, especially with the great turnover of his staff and officials. Perhaps in American politics there is a lot of boys will be boys.

The cast actually give it all that they can. Ed Helms, in various disguises, completely obsessed, urged on by his rather rapid wife, Isla Fisher, promotes the tag game every year. Jake Johnson is something of a Stoner but nevertheless joins in. Hannibal furious is Kevin Sable, one of the more stable members of the group. Jon Hamm looks as if he is just stepped out of Madcap men and is a business executive who can let it all go for the sake of tag. And the target is played by Jeremy Renner, who has never been tagged, was about to get married, his fiancee, Leslie Bibb, in on the game and, surprisingly abetting Jerry in a false miscarriage defence.

Also along for the ride is Annabelle Wallis as a journalist interviewing Hamm but is abandoned for the tag game but she thinks that there is a better story in following through (and, of course, involved in the game at the end). Rashida Jones is also there the object of affection and attention by Jake Johnson and Jon Hamm.

The climax is at Jerry’s wedding – which leads to a hospital sequence and good-natured (we hope) taking all round.

1. Boys will be boys? Adult men will be boys? And how long? US men? Universal?

2. Based on a true story, the clips at the end, the photo of the men playing tag, 23 years?

3. The status of tag? The children? Are adults? This group? For so many years, the month of May, travelling the US, the expense, the intensity? Hogan and his wife and her participation?

4. The tone of the opening, Hogan, his qualification, the interview to be a cleaner, amazement? His cleaning, Robert and his interview with the paper, hoping and his disguise, tag? The journalist and her amazement? Joining because of the different story?

5. The scenes of the boys and their games? The adults and their different occupations? Hogan, his wife, that? Robert in business? Chilli and his ex-wife, being high? Sable, his work, stability? Jerry, his never having been tagged?

6. The situation, the month of May, Hogan and his desperation, persuading Robert, rounding up Chilli and Sable? Jerry and the impending wedding?

7. The scenes establishing each of their characters, obsessions? The contrast with Jerry, his fiancee, the preparations for the wedding, the AA sessions? His ingenuity determining what was happening, each of the characters and the vocalising of their thoughts?

8. The various scenes of tag, excessive, the travel, the disguises? Tying up the friend, paying him thousands of dollars for the information? The AA meeting?

9. The women, the journalist and her observations, the fiancee, the miscarriage sequence, Jerry trapped, the group letting him out, a fake situation?

10. Cheryl, the attraction to Robert, to Chilli, the meetings, the discussions?

11. Desperate, Hogan’s wife urging him on? Going to the wedding? Hogan and his imagination and taking Jerry? The reality and the fiasco?

12. Hogan, his collapse, in hospital, everybody around him, Jerry coming, letting himself be tagged?

13. The ending, forever tagging, and showing the group in reality?