Tape, 2024.
Directed by Bizhan M. Tong.
Starring Adam Pak, Kenny Kwan, Selena Lee.
SYNOPSIS:
Three former classmates reunite in Hong Kong after 15 years and are forced to confront difficult memories of the past.
It’s been fifteen years since high school, and three old schoolmates are in a Hong Kong hotel room, forced to confront the buried truths. Jon (played by Kenny Kwan), a filmmaker, is back in his hometown for a festival screening. Wing (Adam Pak), meanwhile, juggles his life as a part-time lifeguard with a more illicit occupation: drug dealing. As well as wanting to drink and smoke with a pal, Wing has an ulterior motive for inviting Jon to hang out, and it quickly becomes apparent when the conversation steers towards his first love, Amy (Salena Lee). The atmosphere in the room shifts dramatically, and when Amy herself arrives, the true reasons behind Wing’s invitation snap into sharp focus.
This film is a searing, stylish, and powerful update of Richard Linklater’s 2001 film, Tape, brilliantly exploring the complexities of confronting the past. Both Linklater and original writer Stephen Belber are involved in this remake, but a key addition is the story input of Salena Lee, who also portrays Amy. The shift in setting from the United States to Hong Kong is far from a mere gimmick; it provides a distinct contextual climate that enriches the narrative considerably.
The film resonates deeply at a time when women still often fear speaking out against abuse due to potential judgment and career repercussions. Anyone interested in Asian cultural dimensions and gender psychology will find a wealth of insights within this movie. It skillfully delivers emotive storytelling and dramatic depth in real-time, pulling viewers into the characters’ raw experiences.
While watching the 2001 film beforehand isn’t essential, it’s intriguing to observe the significant updates introduced by directors Bizhan M. Tong and Salena Lee. The most notable difference, without giving too much away, is the inclusion of an intro and outro featuring the characters fifteen years prior. This could have easily detracted from the original’s “film within one location” setting, but it’s handled with remarkable success. The reason it works so well, in my opinion, is that it refocuses the narrative squarely on Amy, a graduating high school student with vibrant hopes and dreams for the future.
By incorporating these glimpses into the past via camcorder tape, the new Tape effectively becomes a story about two tapes: one from 2009 and another from 2024. This clever device highlights the shifting nature of memory and how it can be informed and “re-edited” with new information, adding a fascinating psychological layer to an already intriguing project. This thoughtful exploration of memory and perspective makes for a compelling watch.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk
