Daddio, 2024
Written and Directed by Christy Hall
Starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn
SYNOPSIS:
A woman taking a cab ride from JFK converses with the taxi driver about the important relationships in their lives.
In what feels like a plea for human connection in an age increasingly overpowered by our inclination toward technology, writer/director Christy Hall’s Daddio is a single-location two-hander following Dakota Johnson’s Girlie (that’s how the role is credited) conversation-filled cab ride home with driver Clark (Sean Penn.) They discuss everything from current grievances regarding his profession, gender dynamics, relationships, family baggage, and some third-act surprises I won’t reveal but will say feel pulled from thin air as a failed and unnecessary attempt to add more dramatic heft to the complicated life of one of these characters.
As soon as Clark (an indisputably outstanding Sean Penn conveying the world-weariness of this man, also cursing up a storm and talking with a blunt directness fitting for someone with his lengthy life experience) begins ranting about his observation that riders generally tip less now under the assumption that debit cards and computer screens cause people to be stingy with their cash since the device requires a specified chosen amount of money rather than someone frantically reaching into their wallet to hand over whatever they have, it’s obvious that he is a man who values interacting with the people that end up in his backseat and that this film also wishes people hadn’t become so distant and removed from the fine drivers performing this public service.
There is a respectfulness underneath Clark’s boldest or occasionally inappropriate comments, which renders him pleasant to converse with, even when Girlie and the viewer might vehemently disagree with some of his cynical, somewhat regressive beliefs. He rambles with a friendliness that makes buying into this young woman engaging with whatever topic arises easy. Working in Clark’s favor is that the woman’s married-with-children boyfriend is not giving her stimulating conversation through text on the way home from JFK airport, drunk and pathetically spamming her begging for nudes without so much as one sincere gesture toward asking about her trip back home visiting her older sister.
As the conversation shifts from the tough times of cabbie life to more personal discussions, Clark proves himself capable of correctly psychologically profiling aspects of Girlie’s life, which sometimes feels plausible given what he has likely seen and experienced across decades on the job, to more convenient instances playing up a clichéd woman with daddy issues. The man she is texting – conflicted on whether or not to satisfy his desires – is an older, wealthy type whom she genuinely loves and believes to be a wonderful father to his children, uncertain of whether or not he is going to reciprocate it or if the dynamic is destined to remain something blurring the lines between casual and serious.
Stopped by a car accident on the highway (the entire drive proceeds in real-time), this gives Clark time to open up about his past relationships and the jaded way he believes those dynamics function. What’s frustrating is that the script also seemingly sides with his backward beliefs. Regardless of whether or not the man will say “I love you” back, his behavior aligns with Clark’s perspective on what men want and likely won’t strike any viewer as a man who sincerely cares about this woman. Nevertheless, there are also moments where Girlie is allowed to push back and incite some introspection on behalf of Clark.
Even if one isn’t on board with how some of these conversations pan out, Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn have absorbing back-and-forth chemistry. The former is a mixture of shyness and assuredness, wise beyond her years, which the latter’s character immediately notices. Girlie is comfortable hearing Clark out but also not afraid to stand her ground when the opinions get exceptionally chauvinistic. There is a proper balance of playfulness and seriousness in both excellent performances.
From a cinematic standpoint, it’s also smart to bring in cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, as he knows his way around the interior of a car, having also shot Ford v Ferrari and is aware of how to vary the angles and camera positionings. That’s not to say someone couldn’t get the gist of the film by only listening to it (there is a part where Clark briefly leaves the car to pee, and the viewer could similarly go to the bathroom and not miss a thing), but the effort is there to give the proceedings a cinematic flair.
Despite that, there is also no denying that Daddio occasionally drags. If anthology films have a story or two that don’t work, the same could be said about a couple of conversations here. Girlie happens to work as a computer programmer, meaning there is some talk about 1s and 0s, and by the end, it will certainly feel like there should be more than two 0s at the end of this 100-minute running time. For as solid as Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn are, there comes a point of diminishing returns for this otherwise engaging conversation-driven feature. In the end, there is an earned, rewarding sensation that these two have broadened the outlooks of each other.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
