Loved the idea, based on a true story, the advertising was interesting and the cast is a talented one (Jeremy Renner, Isla Fisher and John Hamm particularly have shown themselves to be more than capable in a lot of things). 'Tag' had the potential right off the bat to be a fun and intriguing film, regardless of its mixed critical reception.

'Tag' turned out to be just that, fun and intriguing with some over-the-top excitement and a few tender moments. It is far from perfect and it is not great or one of those unforgettable films of the ages films, with content that is not going to be for all tastes, but it did make me smile and laugh and a lot of effort went into it. Neither one of the best films of the year or the worst, instead it's somewhere in the middle which is not too bad a position to be in.

It looks good, slick, stylish and sometimes clever, never incoherent. The music appeals on the ear and is hardly ill fitting. The direction shows an ease with the material and allows the cast and their chemistry to shine. Much of 'Tag' goes at a lively pace and the cast are stellar mostly, Jeremy Renner and Isla Fisher being particularly good.

A good deal of the film is very funny and often hilarious. Am actually not always a fan of lowbrow comedy, am more a sophisticated, witty and subtle (and also dark and screwball) sort of person myself, but there are times where it's done well thanks to the wit, the sharp timing and the comic timing of the cast and 'Tag' is one of those examples. A few touching tender moments too and it makes the game of tag interesting and exciting.

However, 'Tag' is not perfect. The flimsiness of the story does show in moments of slack pacing in some extraneous scenes (namely the dramatic ones). The film sometimes goes overboard on the sentimentality, the tacked on (or that's how it felt) ending, as well as the over-the-topness.

While most of the cast are fine, Leslie Bibb's overacting does get too much quite badly that it gets tiresome. Didn't see the need for Jake Johnson's character when nothing is done with him, merely an example of a just there stereotype. Do agree that some of the content is distasteful, am not surprised actually at the offense the miscarriage jokes/parts have garnered (can be known to find things found controversial blown out of proportion in film, not this time with it being one of the worst things one can go through).

Summing up, an uneven film but an enjoyable one. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Wall Street Journal reporter Rebecca Crosby (Annabelle Wallis) is interviewing businessman Bob Callahan (Jon Hamm) when they're interrupted by Hoagie Malloy (Ed Helms) in disguise. The guys explain that they've been playing the same game of tag since childhood in the month of May. Rebecca is immediately more interested in the tag story and joins them as they set out to tag the untagable Jerry Pierce (Jeremy Renner) who has never been tagged in 30 years. Jerry is marrying Susan Rollins (Leslie Bibb) and the group heads home to crash the party. The group includes Chilli Cilliano (Jake Johnson),Hoagie's wife Anna (Isla Fisher),and Kevin Sable (Hannibal Buress). Jerry invites Bob and Hoagie's childhood love Cheryl Deakins (Rashida Jones) to distract them.

I really like this group of actors and they have a fun chemistry together. This is fun for awhile but the stakes are so low that it fails to gather any tension. The momentum fades and I'm not sure how to get it back. The heart of this movie is the group dynamics. From the first moment of Helms and Hamm, I'm in on this group. I'm less convinced about Wallis. She's a little bland and if she's that way, then she has to be a romantic interest for somebody. Fisher has a couple of funny outbursts as she is known to do. Renner is almost playing the villain which may be too dark for this light inconsequential subject matter. Rashida Jones comes in later but the love triangle wilts on the vine. The first tag scene with Renner has a fun action thrill but the subsequent ones doesn't have the same punch. Overall, this is a fun bunch but the fun in the movie does fade.

Tag is based on a true story.

When a Wall Street Journal reporter interviews businessman Bob Callahan (Jon Hamm) he is interrupted by Hoagie Malloy (Ed Helms) who was in disguise as the office cleaner, all so he can tag his buddy Callahan.

Callahan tells the journalist that his group of friends have played the same game of tag since childhood in the month of May. It is what keeps their friendship together.

The one person they have not managed to get in all these years is Jerry Pierce (Jeremy Renner) who no one has tagged in 30 years.

Hoagie finds out that Jerry is getting married and plans to crash his wedding preparations in order to finally tag him. The journalist tags along as this is the more interesting story.

This is a concept film that cannot always sustain its aims. It is good but uneven slapstick fun. It does not always make sense but the cast seem to be enjoying themselves with the madcap fun.