Tattoo, a Love Story

Tattoo: A Love Story is a courageous independent film that explores the lives of ordinary working people and how they influence each other. Richard Bean is a real up-and-coming director. I'd like to see him interpret a Kurt Vonnegut story in the cinema medium

(First, let me say that I think the folks who did not add a numeric rating have artificially depressed this film's score without realizing it. It would be nice if that could be fixed.)

This is a date movie, even if you don't have a date, because at its heart it is a tale about the kind of hope that arises when you stop, look at yourself and see the possibility of something new and better waiting to be let loose. It effortlessly captures a natural attraction between two people who hold the key to each other's soul, while defining the difference between manipulating, suffocating love and love that liberates. What's not to like about that?

I actually stumbled on this little gem when it was playing in theaters here and couldn't say enough for friends to see it; now I can buy it and show them what they missed!

I have never been in a movie where the audience consistently laughed throughout the ENTIRE movie (well, there was "Anchorman"...). It's an odd little masterpiece: the leading man is an overweight biker, the leading woman is stunning (but not yet famous in other films) somewhat unsure school teacher, a typical setting is a sushi bar in downtown Boise, Idaho -- and it charms and gets you laughing 'til you don't want it to end.

It's also a gentle film: you can show your parents this and they'll be laughing too, even though it's about tattoos and sex and rebellion... and rated "R". This is a world where the "Extra" who's rowing past in boat says "hi"; and the leads' friends keep popping up and had the theater roaring. Very original, quirky, surprising fun... glad my fav. little film is finally out to show others what I was talking about.

So now I can put it on my shelf now: a sweet little romantic comedy that's smart in its humor -- that nobody can say "I've seen that already."

You'll be loaning it to friends.

Christopher Lock Los Angeles

This is one of those small, quirky films that rarely see the day of light,and most of the time end up on a dusty video shelf. Pity for those who miss it, because "Tattoo, A Love Story" leaves a mark, with it's funny dialogue, fine performances and overall with it's honesty. Clearly this is not a film that tries to be great, but what it tries to do it does well, charm you and ever so often leave you with a smirk on your face. In a time where many films try to be too original or too smart for their own good, where many films just rely on a familiar name with cliché on top of cliché, "Tattoo, a love story" comes over like a good flirt, honest, charming, warm, funny.It is never really original, but for some magical reason it works, like a joke you've heard before, but cracks you up whenever you hear it. Don't miss, it's 90 minutes of fun.

It's not surprising that "Tattoo... A love story" won the award for Best Feature Film at the 2002 Florida Film Festival. For an indie film produced for under a million, Tattoo has a surprising amount of visual flair. The camera moves and production design will make you think it's a studio film.

The movie's total lack of recognizable actors eventually overcomes this somewhat. The lead actors are refreshingly new. Virgil, the romantic-at-heart tattoo artist is natural and likeable. Sara, the overachieving schoolteacher, is beautiful and overcomes a stiff first act with a strong second & third act performance. Some of the minor characters performances are rough around the edges, and that is the film's biggest weakness. Still, it's a great date movie, and offers five times the entertainment of Planet of the Apes at 1/200th of the price.