RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Tape
Tape

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Tape (2001)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
76 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:89

Fresh:68

Rotten:21

Average Rating:6.7/10

Consensus: Taking place in a hotel room, Tape has the feel of a play, but its engrossing psychodrama allows its stars to shine.

Runtime: 89 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Richard Linklater, known for directing films that take place over a one-day period (SLACKER, DAZED AND CONFUSED, BEFORE SUNRISE), magnifies that concept even further with TAPE. Adapted from the... Richard Linklater, known for directing films that take place over a one-day period (SLACKER, DAZED AND CONFUSED, BEFORE SUNRISE), magnifies that concept even further with TAPE. Adapted from the Stephen Belber play, TAPE takes place in a Lansing, Michigan hotel room, where two old friends reunite ten years after graduation. Vince (Ethan Hawke), a lackadaisical fire fighter who pays the rent by selling pot, and John (Robert Sean Leonard), a self-assured filmmaker whose debut feature is set to screen at the Lansing Film Festival, greet each other with smiles and hugs. But as their conversation becomes more personal, Vince brings up an old grudge from the past, which confounds John. Vince is convinced that on the night before graduation, John date-raped his ex-girlfriend, Amy (Uma Thurman), and he won't rest until John tells him what really happened. Eventually, John admits the truth, evoking a shocking response from Vince. John must finally confront the demons from his past. When Amy arrives at the hotel room and joins the old friends, she detonates the explosive situation, accusing both Vince and John of being selfish, heartless cowards, which they actually are. Shot on digital video all in one location, TAPE is a character study that features strong performances by all three leads. [More]

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Robert Sean Leonard

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Robert Sean Leonard

Director: Richard Linklater

Director: Richard Linklater
Producer: Anne Walker-McBay, John Sloss, Gary Winick, Alexis Alexanian
Studio: Lions Gate Films

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 5

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Tape

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato
3/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 30 2006 08:54 AM

Empire Magazine

N/R

Geoff Andrew

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 24 2006 03:31 AM

Time Out

N/R

Alexander Walker

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 15 2003 05:11 PM

This is London

N/R

Christopher Tookey

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 15 2003 05:11 PM

Daily Mail [UK]

tomato
4/5

Matthew Turner

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 30 2002 08:22 AM

ViewLondon

tomato
4/4

Ian Waldron-Mantgani

The screenplay features nothing but talk, but this is one of the most tightly wound films of the year.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 24 2002 02:53 PM

UK Critic

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 19 2002 08:17 AM

Guardian [UK]

tomato

Paul Arendt

'It turns out that Ethan Hawke can act after all. Who knew?'

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 15 2002 07:30 AM

Teletext

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 14 2002 08:16 AM

FilmFour.com

tomato
3/5

Laura Bushell

Engrossing and dynamic viewing thanks to convincing dialogue and lively acting, most notably from Hawke.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 09 2002 01:53 PM

BBC

N/R

Rich Cline

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 10 2001 06:32 PM

Shadows on the Wall

N/R

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 29 2009 03:16 AM

Cinema Crazed

N/R

Urban Cinefile Critics

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 08:58 AM

Urban Cinefile

N/R

Dennis Harvey

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 20 2008 03:15 AM

Variety

splat

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Though I admired the idea behind the film, the execution, and the performances, the material doesn't seem to add up to anything.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 26 2006 03:16 AM

Combustible Celluloid

tomato
3/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:42 PM

Film Threat

tomato
3/4

Derek Smith

Linklater is testing the boundaries of what can be done with digital video, thematically as well as visually.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 23 2005 03:36 AM

Cinematic Reflections

N/R

Andrew Rodgers

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 25 2004 04:35 AM

Zap2it.com

tomato
4/5

Spence D.

Tape brilliantly mixes sex, lies, and videotape-esque quirks with some supreme mental fornicative twists to produce an engaging chunk of film.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 10 2004 02:37 PM

IGN Movies

N/R

Mark Freeman

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 24 2004 08:09 AM

Critical Eye

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for Tape

July 06, 2006: Critical Consensus: "Dead Man's Chest" Is Overstuffed; "Scanner" Shines Darkly
This week at the movies, we've got pirates back for more box office bounty ("Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest") and a journey to the center of the mind... More...

July 21, 2005: Critical Consensus: Critics Do the "Hustle," Escape "Island" and "Bears"
This week's wide releases share a theme of Escape. Escape from The Game, escape from the bottom of the Little League standings, escape from a futuristic Philip K. Dick-esque... More...

March 29, 2005: Howard & Grazer Snag Another "Power" Pitch
The always-busy team of director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer have just snagged the rights to yet another project they really dig. This one's called "The Power of... More...

March 03, 2005: Universal Wins Heated "Duff" Battle; No, Not THAT "Duff"
More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
18
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
126
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
181
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
90
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
63
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
62
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
61
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
44
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
38
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
22
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
6
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
21
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Tape at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Tape at IGN
  • Tape at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.