WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

sunriseinyoureyes I'm a Linklater fan. Waking Life is among my top five favorite movies. The Before Trilogy awakened me to the true power of dialogue in film. This Linklater film, however, was way more frustrating than satisfying to watch, and the dialogue was, far too often, a mind-gamey labyrinth of petty sarcasm, passive-aggressive antagonizing, manipulation, and verbal circumnavigation. There were so few moments of clarity, if any, which to the writer's benefit, may have been the point. The prospect of this being the intention, for me, was the only redeeming factor of this movie.Ten years out from high school, old but distant friends Vince (Hawke) and Johnny (Leonard) reunite in a hotel room in Lansing, MI for the debut of Johnny's first independent film at a nearby film festival. Vince is a somewhat volatile and immature Oakland drug-dealer who recently broke it off with his girlfriend of 3 years; his character is the defensive screw-up whose misery loves company. John is his foil, apparently more stable, idealistic, but whose sense of self isn't very concrete but can still come off inflated, especially when in the same room with Vince. Amy (Thurman) is an old fling for both male characters, but in a way that, whenever brought up, inspires ancient unresolved tensions centered on a nebulous incident in high school, the exploration of which drives the majority of the movie. I think the dialogue was smart from the standpoint of it demonstrating the emotional and manipulative power that words can wield and the haziness of recollection, but in the broader scope of the movie, over time even the characters themselves got lost in what they were talking about! This is when even an iota of clarity could have saved the movie for me. But for me it never came, which felt unjustified because these are supposed to be ADULTS talking, and none of them can seem to muster a straightforward statement. Hence, this film left me resentfully asking the same question plaguing the characters to the end, "What are we even talking about?"

jaredmobarak I don't think anyone does small, dialogue-heavy indie film like Richard Linklater. He is the master of them and that only makes me madder when he remakes movies like Bad News Bears. Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are beautiful films shot simply and effectively, showing that cinema can rely on words and actors without the need for cranes or effects. Tape is one that works very well with those as a darker companion. Adapted by Stephen Belber from his own play, Linklater gives us a claustrophobic account of three old friends' psyches as past pains are dug up to devastating effect. This is one intense film from all angles and very powerful, leading one to remember things they have done it the past that they may regret. But do we ever truly recall them how they actually happened, or just how we have seared the events into our minds? No one can know the real objective truth, just his own subjective outlook.Brought about by one man's insecurities on why his first girlfriend in high school would not sleep with him, yet as soon as they broke up did so with his best friend, the night starts out light and snowballs into more than he ever could have anticipated. Planning the entire evening in order to entrap his oldest buddy into admitting something that may or may not have happened, not even he could have imagined what emotions would be stirred up getting the two participants into the same room ten years later. Both Vince—the orchestrator—and Jon—the accused—are self-absorbed in a way that they can't see for themselves. One has not grown up and seems to be in the same rut he has been since graduation while the other has made something of his life, yet it appears somewhat shallowly and not as important as he may want to believe. Always in competition with each other to show how they differ while the other attempts to explain how they are the same, this night is no different. Neither of them has any stake in others and truly is only out to save themselves. Whether we are shown apologies, happiness, truth, or lies, every moment is self-serving, full of empty words spoken to assuage their guilt and not to instill regret or compassion for those they wronged.The title of the film is that of the device used as the catalyst for everything. Vince planned it all to perfection in his head, gets buzzed and sets up the motel room as though he was wasted (drink one beer, dump another down the drain, and throw both cans across the room). The room is made so that Jon feels a bit more open to talk, exactly what is wanted as the tape recorder listens to it all. A confession sounds a lot different when uttered than when heard from a tape. What is said in the heat of the moment can be a sobering experience when listened to and can make you think things that may or may not be true. Whether Jon truly did what he eventually confesses to is subject to opinion, and when the "victim" enters into the equation, you can throw all you thought was true out the window. Did she see the incident in the same way? Did she know exactly what she was doing? Only they know for certain, but the mind is a fickle machine, evolving over time, changing events to mirror the memory instead of the reality. One man's moral crusade, his attempt at gaining closure for himself while possibly also for his friends, finds that his selfishness not only could destroy the one relationship he truly relies on, but also the lives of the three involved.With an intense script to begin with, it all becomes more so from the setting and film style. Trapped in a small room for the duration, the stakes rise higher and higher as we are shown a slowly uncovering past. The camera begins to film more close-ups and we never get to go outside the door nor into the bathroom—the room gets smaller and smaller until it is stifling with the addition of our last character. A big part also is the real life relationships between those involved. The three actors, as well as the director, have a bond that allows them to be as real as possible on screen, making it all believable. You have Ethan Hawke as Vince, his real-life wife at the time Uma Thurman as Amy, and I'm assuming friend Robert Sean Leonard (I guess this because he does so little work and co-starred with Hawke in Dead Poets Society that maybe he joined the cast as a favor to his friend), and close collaborator Linklater, whom Hawke has worked with extensively. Each is phenomenal in their execution and once the climax comes to a boil you finally see the true self of all. Maybe the victim is actually the strongest and maybe the self-righteous accuser is the weak link to the group, always running and always hiding. It is really up to the viewer to decide what is true and what isn't. Just because a confession is on tape does not mean it is truth. That is in the eye of the beholder.

Chris Giampietro My roommate and I were just chilling one night and this movie came on, and throughout the whole movie, we could not remove our eyes from the screen. I honestly don't know what it was about it that made me watch it, but we both agreed that there was something about the movie that put us in a trance. After it ended, we both looked it up and couldn't believe it. I never thought a movie containing 2 actors and 1 actress in a single hotel room could hold my attention. Great film, I agree with the previous commenter, it's a hit or miss, you like it or you don't. I would definitely recommend the film to anyone who seems the least bit interested. It's an interesting story and an interesting look at life. I would try to relate to other titles, but I honestly can't think of any. Don't think of this movie like another "phonebooth" movie though, that movie was just dumb. Peace.

lastliberal Writer/Director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset) gives us an interesting film that only has three characters, but has enough emotion for a whole room full of people.Vince (Ethan Hawke) is p*ssed that he never got to make love to Amy (Uma Thurman) before she dumped him in High School. He finds out that Jon (Robert Sean Leonard) and Amy did get together on the last night and then he goes off to pursue his life. He feels hurt and sets Jon up to admit that he raped Amy, only Amy doesn't want to remember it that way and gets her revenge on Vince.Sounds simple enough, but there is so much in this battle among the three that it was just too fascinating to turn away from. I generally can't just watch 86 minutes of talk, with little or no action, but this had me so intrigues and fascinated that I just couldn't quit.Uma Thurman had the smallest, but most powerful role in the film. When she was on screen, it was like you were waiting for an explosion and, when it happened, ever so slowly and sweetly, it took your breath away. But, like an earthquake, there was an aftershock that was so sweet.