Daddio (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – A woman taking a cab ride from JFK engages in a conversation with the taxi driver about the important relationships in their lives.

My Take – I think it is safe to say that we all have encountered at least one chatty taxi driver in our life, especially one who simply doesn’t stop asking questions. But while often the purpose of these conversations are purely transmission of information or to say, simply pass the time till the destination arrives. Sometimes, these conversations end up veering towards something deeper and more personal, if we manage to connect on some level with the driver. Even if it is just for a single car ride.

For her debut feature, writer-director Christy Hall, known as the co-creator of the short-lived Netflix series ‘I Am Not Okay with This‘, uses this relatively commonplace scenario to serve as a backdrop for a thought-provoking and intimate exploration of human connection, to make a case that sometimes the most profound conversations can happen in the most unexpected places.

Originally conceived as a stage play, before transforming into a Black List script and ushered to the screen by its star and producer Dakota Johnson, the film takes on admirable challenges by only featuring two characters and restricting them to a single, confined setting for the entirety of its 101 minute runtime.

However, with two powerhouse performers in the form of Johnson and two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn, the two-hander ends up resonating as a fascinating tour de force that relies heavily on dialogue and the cinematic capture of facial expressions.

Sure, it could have been a tad shorter, and some might find trouble adjusting to the film’s pace and literally plot-less screenplay, yet filmmaker Hall deserves all praise for being able to make one feel engaged with the characters along the journey, particularly with insightful conversations that provide some strong emotional connections.

Though not a major success, as a writer-director Christy Hall demonstrates enough talent behind the camera to leave us excited for what she does next.

The story follows a young woman billed Girlie (Dakota Johnson) who arrives at New York City’s JFK International Airport after a short trip away and catches a yellow taxi back to her apartment in Manhattan. Soon enough, she finds herself engaged in generic banter with the driver, Clark (Sean Penn) that is until he 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.

A traffic jam on the highway stalls the trip, but accelerates the conversation, and Clark gets more inside info from the woman he’s determined can handle yourself, and their quid pro quo spills more beans than either would typically open up about in normal circumstances. Developing conversations as they learn about one another and themselves in unexpected ways.

Their back and forth makes up the entirety of the film, as Hall’s script makes some worthwhile insights to digest about relationships, love, sex, and power dynamics. She makes great use of the confined space of a Yellow Cab.

There is a power dynamic, the ‘Driver’ in the front and the Passenger in the back. But with some clever conversation and wordplay, the script turns this into an ever-shifting, fluid, back-and-forth tussle and discovery. Clark is not always in charge, and Girlie is not always meek and demure. It is a very interesting set up.

The characters themselves pique your interest as well. Clark and Girlie are two very different people. They’re from two different generations, and have lived two very different lives.

There’s something naturally engrossing about a pairing like this discuss personal issues and relevant social topics. If it’s just two people who agree on everything, there’s no tension, no drama, nothing interesting there. But here, at least the film gives us two characters whose ideologies are often at odds.

Indeed, there are echoes of filmmaker Steven Knight’s ingenious 2023 thriller Locke, a film that saw Tom Hardy push us to the edge of our seats via a string of tense car calls, and filmmaker Michael Mann’s 2004 thriller Collateral where Jamie Foxx’s cab driver is forced into a violent partnership with Tom Cruise’s backseat assassin. However, this one is a far more grounded psychodrama with touches of comedy and a simple story of two people getting to know each other.

But, while I enjoyed how explicitly the film tackles the ideas, I also wish there was more of a dramatic conflict. As most of what is discussed in the film is meant to be viewed as agreeable with one single takeaway.

For example, there is a moment where Girlie and Clark discuss how differently men and women strive for love, and while the two have wildly different viewpoints on the matter, but instead of discussing it further, the conversation simply ends as she gets distracted by her phone. Moments like this made me wish the more effort was made to have the characters conflict with each other.

Nevertheless, writer-director Christy Hall is confident in her approach, which works well enough. Even when the film’s visual style isn’t reinventing itself, its execution is always incredibly impactful.

Performance wise, Dakota Johnson continues to be prove that she is going to be her magnetic self regardless of the material. Here, she has the more difficult role of the two, as she has the conversation with Clark while also texting/sexting with her lover throughout the ride. They’re two very different conversations, forcing her to constantly switch back and forth minute to minute. And even with minimal dialogue, she is exceptional even she has minimal dialogue, and much is demanded of her facial expressions and body language.

Sean Penn too thrives in a role where he is doling out free advice, and keeping score based on personal details provided. He lives up to his well-established reputation in a role that requires precisely the right tone and the right interaction with his co-star. On the whole, ‘Daddio’ is a captivating and compelling dialogue-driven drama anchored by its exceptional leads.