★★★½ Tape

[Gino: 3.5 sp]

Gino says: 'Given that I don't love Richard Linklater films, I have seen quite a few of them. You can expect a lot of talking, and there is a good chance the average viewer will hate the thing. This one was a very low budget affair: It had Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, and Uma Thurman and that is it. And the whole thing takes place in one hotel room. I think if I had known more about it beforehand, I would have given it less stars. I.e. there was some interest added by the fact that I had no idea what the film was about. So I won't elaborate on the plot. It's not a pleasant film, but it at least did have me paying attention throughout. It's based on a play and very much felt like it. Sometimes that can kill a film, but sometimes the intimacy it adds can be absorbing. '