Tape is a 2001 drama film directed by Richard Linklater and written by Stephen Belber based on his play of the same name. It stars Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, and Uma Thurman. The entire film takes place in a motel room in a single evening, as the three characters argue about their personal versions of past events.

Synopsis

Tape is set in a motel room in Lansing, Michigan. Vince (Ethan Hawke), an outgoing drug dealer/voluntary fireman, who is in town to support his old high school friend’s entry into the Lansing film festival, documentary filmmaker Jon Salter (Robert Sean Leonard), rents the room. Jon soon joins Vince in his motel room and they begin to reminisce about their high school years, ten years prior. They get on the subject of Amy (Uma Thurman), Vince's former girlfriend. It appears that, while they went out for a while, Vince and Amy never had sex. However, after they broke up, Amy had sex with Jon, Vince's best friend at the time, at a party. Naturally, Vince was hurt even though he and Amy had broken up some time previously. Vince then claims Amy had told him that Jon had raped her (whereas he probably just assumed this, thinking that Amy would never "betray" him in such a way). Vince becomes obsessed with getting a verbal confession from Jon about the alleged date rape, and eventually succeeds in getting Jon to admit doing it. Immediately after Jon's admission, Vince pulls out a hidden tape recorder that had been recording their whole conversation, much to Jon's surprise. Vince then tells Jon that he has invited Amy to dinner with him and that she would be arriving shortly. Eventually, Amy does arrive and, even though all three of them feel awkward, begin to talk. Amy explains that she is now an Assistant District Attorney in the Lansing Justice Department. Eventually the three discuss what actually happened between Jon and Amy that night at the party. Amy claims that it was merely rough sex and that Jon did not rape her, leading Jon to believe that she is in denial. After Jon becomes annoyed that Amy is refusing to accept his apology, Amy makes a call with her cell phone to the local police. She asks for a squad car to pick up one person in possession of drugs (Vince) and one with a verifiable rape (Jon). When she is done she warns the men that they only have about four minutes to make a run for it. In order to prove to Amy that he is truly remorseful, Jon decides to stay and wait for the police. Vince, realizing that there is nowhere for him to run, flushes his small fortune in narcotics down the toilet. Amy reveals that she didn't really call the police, and leaves.

External links

2001 films | Drama films | Films shot digitally | Films directed by Richard Linklater