Review of Tape (2001) by Jason Y — 04 Oct 2004

[center][size=3][color=red][b]THE PLAY'S THE THING[/b][/color][/size][/center].

[center]by JunkHead[/center].

:fresh: The sparsely populated single set movie adapted from a play, is, I would imagine, probably one of the hardest types of films to make work. If directed without interesting use of the camera, the results may be static and without purpose. If directed too kinetically, or if transported into larger and varied settings to make the film more "visually stimulating", the original theatrical intent will likely be washed out by the visual overcompensation, and the dialogue, which should be the primary focus of the thing, will be subordinated. So if you're a playwright looking to turn your little chamber drama into a successful film, what do you do? My suggestion: get ahold of Richard Linklater.

Judging from [i][color=red][b]Tape[/b][/color], [/i]Linklater's enormously successful adaptation of Stephen Belber's play, he should direct one of these things once every five years at least, because he's a bona fide pro. I can't remember the last time I saw a filmed version of this type of play (single or minimal settings, few characters) that had this much coiled tension, actors this adept, and such a complete cinematic confidence paired with an honest appraisal of the limitations of the chamber play aesthetic. Not since [i]Glengarry Glen Ross[/i] anyway, I think, and I saw that when it came out twelve years ago. Probably not a big point to make anyway, it's not like studios OR independents pump out this type of film all that often, but [i]Tape [/i]really made me appreciate the posible reasons why that is.

I wasn't too surprised though that Linklater pulled it off. Dialogue-heavy films are indeed his specialty. He know how to [i]write[/i] good dialogue, but more important than that in my mind, he knows how to [i]film[/i] it, a distinction that elevates him over such like-minded peers who specialize in dialogue heavy films, like say, Kevin Smith or Neil LaBute. I won't dispute the fact that either of those two guys knows how to "turn a phrase", but when it comes to connecting those phrases to a visual medum, which requires a certain maestro abilty in sensing the inherent theatricality of dialogue, and not just allowing characters to sit up on screen and yak, Linklater's got them by leaps and bounds.

TO BE CONTINUED.