Tamara (2005)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Jeremy Haft

Writer (WGA):

Jeffrey Reddick (written by)

Release Date:

3 February 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

Karma's a bitch.

Plot:

Tamara, an unattractive girl, who is picked on by her peers returns after her death as a sexy seductress to exact revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Witchcraft | Revenge | High School | Spell | Prank

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jenna Dewan	...	Tamara Riley
Katie Stuart	...	Chloe
Chad Faust	...	Jesse
Bryan Clark	...	Shawn
Melissa Elias	...	Kisha
Gil Hacohen	...	Patrick
Marc Devigne	...	Roger
Matthew Marsden	...	Bill Natolly
Claudette Mink	...	Alison Natolly
Chris Sigurdson	...	Mr. Riley
Sarah Blondin	...	Freshman Girl #1
Magally Zelaya	...	Freshman Girl #2
Ernesto Griffith	...	Cop #1
Brian Davisson	...	Security Guard
Brandy Jaques	...	Receptionist

MPAA:

Rated R for sequences of strong bloody violence, language, sexuality and teen drinking.

Runtime:

98 min | Philippines:95 min (cut)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | USA:R | Germany:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Philippines:R-13 | Australia:MA | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Integrated Films & Management

Trivia:

Patrick's insult to Tamara early in the film, "trailer-trash whore", was ad-libbed by the actor. This was not in the script since writer Jeffrey Reddick himself grew up in a trailer.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tamara is performing the love binding ritual, she pulls a strand of hair out of her head. However, when she places it on the napkin, an entire lock of hair appears there.

Quotes:

Bill Natolly: I'm sorry if I misled you.
Tamara Riley: Did you?
Bill Natolly: [pause] I didn't...
Tamara Riley: Look at me Mr. Natoli.
Bill Natolly: [pause] Look it was a...
Tamara Riley: Look at me.
[pause]
Tamara Riley: It's getting wet.
Bill Natolly: What?
Tamara Riley: The table...

Movie Connections:

References I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Soundtrack:

Long Enough To Pretend

Crawl on me, sink into me, die for me . . . living dead girl.

You know how it goes. It's always the members of the higher social order in High School USA that ends up doing the most damage. In this case, a bunch of teens accidentally cause the demise of the shy misfit known as Tamara, after a malicious prank goes horribly wrong, and set about covering it up. Things get a bit socially awkward when the very same girl returns to school the next day, no longer that shy and looking hot as . . . . well, hell. And what Tamara now likes more than anything (with the exception of the teacher she has a massive crush on, played by Matthew Marsden) is exacting revenge with judicious use of irony.

Yes, it's Carrie meets Prom Night meets Charmed and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. But that doesn't mean that it's bad just because it's derivative. Things rattle along at a decent pace so there's never really a dull moment, the acting is all decent enough (Marsden is not a favourite of mine but he did okay here and Jenna Dewan is great in the title role) and the moments of vengeance are all nasty fun for horror fans. It may be too tame for some and too teeny for others but you could do a lot worse if you're after an undemanding little slice of hokum to pass 90 minutes with. If you're a girl then you should perhaps get more from the movie and if you're a guy then this may well be the one horror that your other half does not mind watching with you (a way to ease her into the genre, if you like).

See this if you like: Carrie, Charmed, Jennifer.