“Daddio”

Character studies can be a tough sell, especially talky, artsy versions like writer/director Christy Hall‘s “Daddio,” which is set against the backdrop of a long cab ride in New York City. This story of human connection and conversation is as well done as they come, but the film’s mild, mid-level success comes from the strength of the two leads more than the forced, sparse script.

Clark (Sean Penn) is a cabbie who works the JFK Airport route. One evening, a young woman referred to as Girlie (Dakota Johnson) hops into the backseat of his yellow taxi for a ride back to her Manhattan apartment. With a traffic delay keeping them trapped together for far longer than each originally anticipated, the pair strike up a conversation that turns from casual to deeply personal turning their simple cab ride into an emotionally transformative journey.

It’s an intimate narrative that would become boring quickly if not for the magnetic performances from Johnson and Penn, both of whom show off their range and chemistry. His cab driver is worldly and wise, while her tech-savvy young professional has a tough, candid, and no-nonsense vibe with a delicate vulnerability. While there’s not a lot of substance to their respective characters, their banter and rapport feels genuine even when the dialogue is not all that compelling. The pair work well together and provide a good balance to the story, which helps make this film watchable even when it begins to languish under the in-your-face themes of modern communication, daddy issues, and the freeing nature of personal revelation. Their emotionally charged interaction is complex and personal, though, especially as Girlie and Clark come to the realization that each is helping the other discover more about themselves.

There isn’t a lot that happens here action-wise, as Hall sticks with a dialogue-driven, minimalist style. This is a movie with two characters in a cab, talking. The power dynamics shift and evolve between the two, and there’s not a lot of discussion about age, gender, or even romance. This is a story about pain, relationships, and regret, but most of all, the healing power of honest conversation and the transformative ability that some soul-searching advice from a stranger can provide.

Hall uses visual shots of text messages as a crutch, and there are too many instances of Girlie reading unwanted sexts from the back seat. Clark sometimes comes across as a grizzled Yoda caricature more times than he should, but luckily Johnson and Penn turn that right around with candid conversation.

“Daddio” challenges traditional narratives in an interesting enough way to mildly recommend. If you watch this, do so for the lead performances.

By: Louisa Moore