Cinema - "Daddio: In a cab with Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn
A Taxi, Two Actors: This is the setting of the new drama "Daddio - A Night in New York" by director Christy Hall ("I Am Not Okay with This"). The film stands out not only for its star-studded cast with Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn, but also for its atmospheric density: in a taxi. Deep questions, honest answers, and appropriate silence lead through 101 minutes full of emotions.
A Woman (Dakota Johnson) lets herself be driven from the New York airport to Manhattan by taxi driver Clark (Sean Penn). Small talk is followed by longer dialogues. "I had a tough day. Short escapes and nothing special", says Clark and begins to open up. The young woman, played by Dakota Johnson ("Fifty Shades of Grey"), listens attentively. "It's nice that you're not on the phone", says Clark. A statement that will not prove true for the film. For she keeps getting text messages from her affair - a married man with three children. But taxi driver Clark also has his secrets.
A Meeting of Two Strangers
The acting duo Johnson and Penn convincingly show how two strangers reveal themselves to each other. For about half an hour, they only have eye contact through the rearview mirror. It's only when they get stuck in a traffic jam and the young woman tells him about her childhood that he turns around for the first time.
"Mystic River" star Sean Penn convinces as the emotionally charged taxi driver. He also holds strong opinions, which resonate with his passenger - and vice versa. Themes range from human relationships to seemingly trivial things like tips. Silent scenes give time to process the spoken words.
Director and screenwriter Hall aims to achieve something with this film. "This film is also a tribute to the power of human connection, especially in today's time. We forget what it means to simply talk to each other, and we lose the art of conducting a conversation with someone who sees the world differently", Hall said in 2023 at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Like an "emotional chess game"
For Hall, the journey from the New York airport to Manhattan is not just a character, but another figure that shapes the film. Therefore, New York City architecture recordings form a kind of red thread throughout the entire film.
For the filming of the taxi ride, Hall decided against filming on the street. The ride was filmed uniquely with eleven cameras, and these recordings were then projected onto large LED panels built around the taxi in a studio, as Hall explains. So the 16-day shoot was neither dependent on weather nor traffic conditions.
A film with only two actors and a confined setting could run the risk of being boring, but "Daddio" manages to take the audience on a journey. What happens next? What's behind these characters? "It was in a way like an emotional chess game", describes Dakota Johnson in an interview about her feelings during filming. "It was as if one were exploring the depths of a very, very small room that is only one centimeter wide and a mile deep."
Despite the film's hard-hitting themes and strong emotions, it also has (black) humor. A small chamber play can thus become a big film. In this case, it's just a taxi and two actors.
Daddio - A Night in New York, USA 2024, 101 Min., FSK 12, by Christy Hall, with Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn
- Director Christy Hall, renowned for "I Am Not Okay with This," is behind the new drama "Daddio - A Night in New York," which features notable actors Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn.
- Dakota Johnson's character, a woman from the USA, hails a taxi in New York and shares a ride with driver Sean Penn's character, spending time in the confined space of a cab.
- The theatrical release of "Daddio - A Night in New York" is scheduled for June 27, offering an intimate portrayal of their journey.
- Interestingly, Sean Penn's character Clark engages in a deep conversation with Dakota Johnson's character, sharing personal stories and discovering commonalities.
- In an interview, Dakota Johnson referred to filming as an "emotional chess game," highlighting the intense and intricate dynamic between the two characters.
- The film's atmospheric density, set in a taxi, takes viewers on a journey across New York City, utilizing cityscape recordings as a central visual theme.
- The film, titled "Daddio - A Night in New York," will premiere in Berlin and New York cinemas, showcasing the stellar acting duo and director's unique approach to storytelling.
