Movie review: Tag

Much like the game at the heart of this movie, Tag is simple and uncomplicated fun.

It's about a group of childhood pals who have kept their friendship strong through adulthood via their annual game of highly competitive tiggy. This year, however, a permanent end to their game looms as one of the gang prepares to walk down the aisle.

The movie follows the gang in their increasingly desperate efforts to tag "the untaggable" Jerry, the one player who has never, ever, been It, before time runs out for good.

Aside from the easy comedic chemistry between its stars, Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Jake Johnson and Hannibal Buress, what makes Tag so much fun are its many full-on action set pieces.

It's strangely pleasing to see so much spectacle and stunt work attached to something as stupid as a game of tiggy. There's daredevil foot chases, high-speed golf cart duels, a bone-crunching fight in a mall, a survival horror-esque elimination sequence... the list goes on.

As Jerry, Jeremy Renner brings the full force of his Avengers, Mission: Impossible and Bourne franchise action background to the role, completely selling the "untaggable" concept as he dives out of windows, uses parkour to scoot up walls and uses a granny's handbag as a makeshift nunchaku to fend off all those outstretched tagging hands.

The humour's largely improvised and while some of the jokes don't land as hard as they could, the movie's good spirit and the camaraderie of its leads - and those scaled-down blockbuster set pieces - keeps you involved throughout.

Based on a true story about a group of mates that really have been playing the same game of tag for decades, the movie hits some surprisingly poignant notes on friendship and growing up, without growing old.

It's not the sort of movie that will win awards or top critic's "Best of the Year" lists, but if you're after a breezy, funny watch, then Tag is it.

Cast: Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm
Director: Jeff Tomsic
Running time: 100mins
Rating: M (offensive language, sexual references, drug use)
Verdict: Simple and uncomplicated fun, much like its namesake.