Tape (2001)

Tape
Talented director Linklater dares to sustain a drama on a single dingy set, and thanks to a biting script and superb performances, succeeds. Though Thurman expertly plays the pivotal role of Amy, less a victim than a detached female looking on with bemusement at two ranting males, the show is Hawke's and Leonard's, as the two men wage a savage battle of wits, with life-changing implications. Taut, holding, and clever, "Tape" is immensely satisfying fare.

Pretentious
This film is over-rated at 4 stars. It starts off slow and eventually gets to something that is interesting. But it's very pretentious and not very believable.

Duck Tape
If you see this movie heading your way, duck for cover. Tape is a film of almost unimaginable cruelty. Three very good actors, Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Robert Sean Leonard, (now seen on the excellent TV show, House), are trapped in a cheesy motel room for 83 minutes, more to the point, you are trapped in there with them. This is the kind of film that aches for an obligatory car chase, frat house bikini contest, or helicopter crash.

It's easy to affix the blame. Stephen Belber wrote the play and adapted it for film. (Note to Mr. Belber: Unless you're Samuel Beckett, do not attempt a three-person, one-room play, it's almost impossible to do well.) This horrific gaff would seem to explain it, but there's more. The film was directed by Richard Linklater, who gave us Waking Life, (also featuring Ethan Hawke). For those of you who have not seen Waking Life, let us simply say that, though it features splendidly original animation, the film is arguably the largest swamp-gas-filled-dirigible ever to cross the horizon.

One can easily see why Mr. Linklater would be drawn to Mr. Belber's play, both Tape and Waking Life feature almost identical dialogue, it goes something like this:

Why are we here? What? You know. You mean now? Yes, well, I think so. What? Stop kidding yourself, you know exactly what I mean. No I don't, honestly. What? Oh for God's sake, if you won't do it for me, do it for them. I'm not following you. But don't you see it? There are options, certainly. What? Would you like a beer? How many do you have left? Several, well, some, not as many as I thought I had, but enough to let you have one, depending on how badly you want one, do you want one? What? A beer. Is that why we're here, to talk about beer? No, of course not, it's what you might call polite conversation. Oh well that's just fine, our friendship has been reduced to the point of polite conversation, we no longer talk about real things, honest things? Great, now Mr. Smarty Pants wants to talk about real things, honest things, this is a very intriguing if not astounding turn of events. What? Since when are you interested in what's real, aren't you the one who spent years building a castle of lies, a fortress to protect you from feeling anything? I'm sorry, why am I here? Isn't that a question for you to answer? Perhaps, but you did, after all, invite me. What?

For 83 minutes - and you never leave the room.