Daddio

Greetings again from the darkness. "MY DINNER WITH ANDRE in a NYC taxi cab." That's my description of writer-director Christy Hall's first feature film. Of course, that's an over-simplification, as her film deals with gender roles, socio-economic topics, and a big ol' dose of emotional baggage. It's what's known in the business as a two-hander. We have two characters and one setting and a whole bunch of talking. Casting being crucial here, filmmaker Hall did choose wisely with Dakota Johnson and two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn.

Johnson's character (billed only as "Girlie") arrives at JFK airport and catches a cab to midtown. She and the driver, Clark (Penn) exchange generic banter, but soon enough Clark breaks the barrier by stunning her with his analysis of her situation, based on observation skills honed through 20 years of driving a NYC cab. He's been around the proverbial block a few times and Penn is permitted to work in a monologue about his disappointment with humanity, commerce, and technology. We learn he views himself as a common man 'Vinny', and we learn she's a coder by profession - as well as a nail biter who's texting a mysterious man - a man not shy in pleading with her for a sext.

A traffic jam on the highway stalls the trip, but accelerates the conversation. Clark gets more inside info from the woman he's determined "can handle yourself", and their quasi - quid pro quo spills more beans than either would typically open up about in normal circumstances. Her recent two-week trip to Oklahoma was to visit her estranged half-sister ... a trip that holds yet another twisty secret that she's surprised at herself for disclosing. Clark is not shy about dishing out armchair psychology advice, much of it based on his own past mistakes. Cheaters, specifically the difference between adulterous men and women, is a topic close to both of these folks, and Clark rambles on.

Dakota Johnson (thriving in indies) is truly at her best when she has minimal dialogue, and much is demanded of her facial expressions and body language (this is a compliment). Sean Penn thrives in a role where he is doling out free advice, and keeping score based on personal details provided. These two actors are the reason this film works, however, it seems clear this movie fits neatly into a festival circuit, while likely having little mainstream appeal.

Opens in theaters on June 28, 2024.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Despite being confined to the setting of a taxi, the movie never felt tedious. The storyline may not be to everyone's taste, but if you are open to a dialogue-oriented film and everyday themes, you can certainly appreciate what this film has to offer.

For me, it was an engaging film that captured a variety of themes: generational differences, digital versus analog communication, "daddy issues," and the importance of human connection, to name a few. Ultimately, the film thrives on the authentic performances of its two main actors. *Daddio* is a thought-provoking and intimate exploration of human connection that proves sometimes the most profound conversations can happen in the most unexpected places.

Girlie (Dakota Johnson) arrives in NYC at JFK and boards a yellow cab driven by Clark (Sean Penn). They have an intense conversation.

This is one of those two-handers. The actors are mostly in a confined space by themselves. Girlie does constantly text with somebody and that person is almost a third character in the play. It is a rich cinematic tradition with movies like My Dinner with Andre. In a way, this is more engaging since they start out as strangers. The audience is discovering them as they do. There are some great ups and downs in the conversation although one turn falters in my opinion. She is telling the story about her father and Clark doesn't push her at the end. Instead, he lets it float away. That is a human instinct, but for the drama, he needs to push. There are obvious implications and he needs to give them voice. It's also a time in the story where the tension needs to keep building all the way to the climax. In the end, they never considered what I was thinking and that's a little disappointing. The script seems to be smarter than that. Still, it's a very engaging ride all the way to the end.

8.0 stars.

This is a film that everyone must see at least once. This is where you take your troubles and dreams and talk to someone you love and trust, and tell them about a person in your life called Daddio.

What a compelling story about a complex woman and a down-to-earth taxi driver. As they continue to talk, he pulls all of her sorrows out of her and it's all on the table for discussion and healing. But she is not just an ordinary woman, she's also a person of great empathy and she will win this game of honest discourse and reparation of the soul.

I was profoundly touched by these two wonderful actors.

Movies, of late, have been boring me after about 20 minutes. It's either a remake or slightly different from an old movie. I usually am able to predicts how they end. Not this movie, sean penn and Dakota Johnson were amazing. Great chemistry. An entire movie filmed in a taxi. Normally I don't like Dakota Johnson but she was great with Sean Penn. Movies with good scripts, good actors and good directors are hard to find now, even with all the TV we have now. If you have the time, you will not be disappointed if you watch this flick. It did at times gives me collateral vibes. If you like that movie you'll like this one.