Review of Tape (2001) by Tim M — 29 Apr 2008

I love this movie. I watched it agoin recently and I enjoyed it as much as ever. The interplay between the characters as the audience tries to work out what really went on captivates you depite the slow pace and long running time and it will prompt debate for sure.

The performances of all three are assured and seem totally real. None are particularly likeable. Ethan Hawke is charismatic but also a self pitying drug dealer. Robert Sean Leonard seems mature and charming by comparisson but is pretentious and condescending. Whether he remains a good guy throughout I have yet to decide. Uma Thurman has the "victim" role but perhaps not...

SPOILER ALERT.

I reckon that the whole point here is how you view an event is entinrely subjective. The sex between Leonard and Thurman at the end of high school was for her the consummation of a major crush and the betrayal was not the sex itself (which was consensual) but that there was no relationship. For Leonard it was a way to get one over on is friend and so had negative, dominant connotations. Apologising and facing punishment is all part of how he views himself, not out of any major sense of obligation to her. And Hawke is jealous and heartbroken because she had sex with him and not her.

At least that's how I see it.