Competition or Cooperation in Richard Linklater's "Tape" (2001) and Sophie Hyde's "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande" (2022)

In Richard Linklater's "Tape" (2001), written by Stephen Belber, Vin (Ethan Hawke), Jon (Robert Sean Leonard), and Amy (Uma Thurman) gather in a motel room and compete to control the story of their school days together. The actors also seem to compete with each other – with Uma Thurman always winning. In Sophie Hyde's "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande" (2022), written by Katy Brand, Nancy (Emma Thompson) and Leo (Daryl McCormack) meet in a London hotel room to cooperate in the creation of a mutual story of teaching and learning. The actors also seem to cooperate instead of compete, with a superb Thompson playing off an equally brilliant performance from McCormack. (Andrew Shields, #111words, 6 November 2022)