Taxi

Plot synopsis:
Taxi portrays director Jafar Panahi as he courses through the streets of Tehran while pretending to be a share taxi driver. He wants to hear a piece of his passengers' life and declines any payment for the services. His earliest passengers include a conservative-minded man who supports capital punishment and a woman supporting its abolition, a pirated video vendor named Omid who once lent foreign films not available in the country to Panahi, an injured man and his wife who both insist on recording a last will due to their panic, and a pair of superstitious old women wanting to release their goldfishes to a holy spring.
Eventually, Panahi picks up his niece Hana at her school. She discusses about filmmaking and wants Panahi's advice on creating a short film for a school project; her teacher has said about several rules on creating films in Iran, including the avoidance of siahnamayi, or portraying a dark image about the country. However, Hana's teacher also stated that people should create film as they see fit. The two stop near a coffeehouse where Panahi meets with a family friend he has not seen for 7 years. The latter inquires about a burglary he recently experienced and his dilemma of not informing the authorities about the thieves, whom he personally knows, as they are poor and have nothing else to lose. Meanwhile, Hana films a case of siahnamayi herself when she spots a boy who steals money from a couple of newlyweds and refuses to return them.
Finally, Panahi and Hana meet with Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer about to see the imprisoned Ghoncheh Ghavami and possibly convince her to give up her hunger strike. While adjusting her seat, Hana stumbles upon a purse belonging to one of the old women with the goldfishes. Sotoudeh decides to leave early so Panahi can deliver the purse, but not before giving him a rose as a goodwill for filmmakers. Panahi and Hana proceed to the springs and are able to return the purse; at the same time as this happens, a pair of thieves ransack the taxi, before the film cuts off.

Tags: comedy, humor

Review:
Go see this film with an open mind and you can't fault it simple easy clean storyline lets the movie flow and move easily and when you stack on the petrolhead action on top of the layer of humour (which was okay) and put between good start sequence and highly amusing plot ending bread, you've got a veritable good movie sandwich.
Here goes...The movie was written and produced by Luc Besson, director of such films as Leon (aka The Professional in the USA), The Fifth Element (with Bruce Willis), Kiss of the Dragon (with Jet Li and Bridget Fonda) and Nikita (aka La Femme Nikita in the USA).The story follows Daniel, a moped pizza delivery guy who has worked to fulfill his dream of becoming a Marseilles taxi driver.
I don't want to give the game away so I'll leave it there!The film is a fast paced thrill ride that crosses the boundaries of action, comedy, romance, farce and buddy movie amongst many other genres.
Also the car chases are mostly pretty simple and not full of the excesses of Hollywood movies where everything MUST crash and everything MUST blow up in big style.It's got style and it's got speed.What more do you want?.
The acting is highly convincing, the direction is fresh and modern and the film is easily the best car movie in years.
Written by Luc Besson (director of 'Léon' and 'The Fifth Element') this French film is funnier and with better action than most American blockbusters.
Daniel, for example, was a pizza delivery boy before he started his job as a taxi driver and the early scenes that deal with this fact are a lot of fun to watch.
I have to admit there are plenty of funny moments, every scene between Daniel and Lilly is terrific, the action looks good and the cinematography for this kind of movie is perfect.
The thing that make them so great is that they are filmed on the road in citys and not on closed racing tracks.Not only the driving is superb,but the way it is filmed just makes you wanna stand up and shout "bravo".The down side of the movie is that it has a very bad plot and some boring scenes.But it is all worth it when the car scenes come.
The dialogue is sometimes very funny and so is the french police.So if you like fast cars and incompetent police officers then this is the movie for you..
I normally avoid action films and car chases bore me, but I watched Taxi on a friend's recommendation and have to say that it is one of the best films I've seen in a long time.
The premise of the film is beautifully simple - a speed-freak taxi driver Daniel and an inept policeman have to work together to catch some bank robbers.
They aren't out to save the world or stop evil for the good of all mankind (as is too often the case in American action films), but both want to stop the criminals for their own purely selfish reasons.
Both characters come across as real people, flawed, but likeable, especially the roguishly charming Daniel.Despite being an action film, special-effects are kept to a minimum and although they are a large part of the film, the high speed car sequences are never self-indulgent,  peppered with humour and brilliantly directed so as to hold the attention of even of the most "seen it all before" viewers (i.e. me).
The movie is developed in Marseille where a pizza delivery named Daniel, (Sami Naceri) drives a scooter, though he ultimately gets his wishes, a taxi license.
They pursue a gang of violent German banks robbers and when they are on the heels of the band , the crooks drive a speed demon pursued by the taxi in a fast and furious race cars.
That doesn't matter though - this film isn't about cerebral entertainment, it's about car chases and jokes, and humour is something the French do very well.
Sure it may not have the high budget thrills that Hollywood seem to think are necessary in such films but for breathtaking action and some hilarious comedy moments Taxi is amazing.
The movie is entertaining throughout, though the storyline remains a bit on the thin side.Conclusion: It is an OK French comedy/action.
It is an extremely well made film, It really has great script, which Luc Besson mastered and made this action comedy movie, just a fun to watch.
Russians tend to dub more French films then America.The story is of a useless cop who freezes when he gets behind a car's wheel, and then on the other side we have Daniel who was a pizza legend driver of scooters until he finally got his taxi license and decided to become a taxi driver, as the two meet in a lucky circumstances Daniel is forced work for Émilien.
People usually are sceptic about watching films witch aren't from Hollywood, that's why many great French comedies were remade in Hollywood, but I think that people should give it a try, maybe those movies are made on a lower budged, but that doesn't mean they are less entertaining.
There is a playful attitude to film-making in France that make their movies enjoyable even when the plot is paper-thin and the premise far from fantastic.The Taxi-driver Daniel dreams of becoming a race-driver.
But still this movie is an entertaining ride, filled with both good portions of comedy as well as car-chases.
Bernard Farcy as the police captain is hilarious though.I recommend this to people who like watching car-chases and fast-paced light comedy.
This film is one of the best action-movies I've seen for the last few years.
The comedy is funny , the action is sharp and precise but the dialogue might be a little shaky and also there is an underdeveloped bonding plot which lets be honest not Luc Bessons best work.
I speculated that since it was written by Besson we'd be seeing a very violent thriller but that's not what TAXI turned out to be since it's an entertaining comedy Pizza delivery boy Daniel Morales drives his own unlicensed taxi and one day makes the mistake of driving ( In his own illegal manner ) Emilien to his place of work which is bad news for Daniel because Emilien is a police inspector .
Daniel is given the choice of helping the police catch a bunch of German bank robbers dubbed " The Mercedes Gang " or lose his driving license Did I say this was entertaining ?
One thing that did annoy me is Daniel and Emilien sharing a joint which is a scene that certainly wasn't needed in the filmBut I saw several films the day I saw this and TAXI was undoubtedly the best movie I saw that day .
Not a film to be taken seriously, its played for laughs and you don't really need the subtitles as most of the dialogue just flies by beneath the wheels of speeding Taxi's police cars and criminals on the Run.Think Cannonball Run meets BMX Bandits meets Touring Car racing and you've got the drift..
The somewhat pathetic police inspector is complemented well by the wisecracking, fast-driving taxi driver whom he is forced to work with (because he himself can't drive at all).Some may say that the movie has to much gas and not enough brains - so what?
The comedy is very european so I doubt many people will get it and this may be the films down fall.The plot is simple, the super cool taxi driver, loses his driving license (for speeding).
This proves that the french can do it, and with much better results: although the plot is paper thin, you won't really care when you see it, since you'll marvel at everything: Daniel's engaging personality, Emilien's cool silliness, the titular Taxi, which will make your jaw drop with its passive / agressive beauty, and that amazing finale, which made me rewind and see it again.
Samy Naceri and   Frédéric Diefenthal are a great double act as Daniel the savvy, sexy speed demon taxi driver and Emilien the handsome but hapless non-driving cop.
Marion Cotillard is drool inducing as Daniel's long suffering girlfriend Lilly and the aptly named Bernard Farcy is excellent as the prejudiced police chief with a penchant for stupid operation monikers.The film is very tightly shot with plenty of action (car chases and the like) but the witty script and great performances make it far more than your standard actioner.
The main character has a great personality and is a great actor, the cop is as funny as a guy can be, the car scenes are on point, it is fun and funny at the same time, altho the plot is very shallow.
Wells, it's miles better silly Hollywood remake that was turned this action movie in into kind of chick flick.I thought the movie was decent at all, there were some great funny moments that made me laugh out loud.
I did think there would be a lot more action in this movie, there some actions in scene , which were good but nothing really stood out.The acting was decent wasn't all that great6 out of 10.
But what is a police officer without a car.Traveling to work one day Emilien meets Daniel, recommended as 'the perfect taxi driver' by his Mother.
The movie tells us about a delivery boy, Daniel, who then turned out to be a taxi driver in Marseilles, France.
The humour is refreshingly non-PC (i.e. French!): for example Emilien (the cop) defends his profession's reputation by claiming "Not *all* police are drunkards, beating up immigrants!"The end of the film is very clever with an unexpected little twist - Daniel ends up with his ultimate embarrassment (which I won't mention).All in all, I would recommend this film to anybody, although especially to Jackie Chan/John Woo Hong Kong movie fans as a lot of the action sequences have a similar hyper-real feel to them (lots of single takes and no slo-mo).9/10.
Taxi was a refreshing change from the usual onslaught of Hollywood's big budget action thrillers and the deluded notion that "bigger and more extravagant is better." Personally, seeing a well filmed car chase sequence involving actual driving is more rewarding than watching actors pretend to drive in front of a green screen as CGI-rendered vehicles explode on contact left and right.
We watch those two try to catch some German bank robbers in order to succeed to their own goals.I liked this movie and I found it really hilarious because of the plot and the storyline.
About the taxi I want to say that i found it beautiful and it reminded me those cars that we have watched on the James Bond movies.
However, recognising that Daniel may just have the kind of high speed car knowledge that can track down the Mercedes Gang, Emelien teams up with Daniel in what is the greatest car chase film of all time.Forget Bourne for good car chases, after becoming familiar with the "Taxi" series of films I was left feeling that the chase in "Bourne Identity" was anything but impressive, in this film you feel every corner as the vehicles hurtle around it, every straight that allows the cars to accelerate beyond what you think is possible.
Action and humor make a perfect combination, and it works in this film also.Director Gérard Pirès keeps Luc Besson's (Léon, The Fifth Element, Nikita) tale moving right along.
If you look closely, the tales in the films mentioned above are pretty thin also.Daniel (Samy Naceri) is a delivery boy that wants to be a race driver.
That is, when he isn't with the lovely Lilly (Marion Cotillard) who manages to give us a quick view of her roses in the film.Caught speeding by the detective Emilien (Frédéric Diefenthal), he is recruited to help the police catch a German gang.
These two work well together and we will get to see them again and again.Of Course, we would be remiss if we didn't mention Petra (Emma Wiklund), who manages to steal every scene she is in, and is the object of Emilien's desire.There is a lot of Pink Panther in the police portrayal as they bumble about relying on Daniel to save the day.The action through the city streets is pure fun and a delight to watch.This is entertainment at its best.
Good looking car (Peugeot 406 V6) and an even better looking girl-Lilly played by Marion Cotillard who is also very strong in performance.All in all a great film that keeps you smiling from the start line to the chequered flag..
or even love.The story is about how a nice young man (Daniel Morales played by Samy Naceri), who just wants to be a taxi-driver, got caught up with an idiot cop (Émilien, played by Frederic Diefenthal) who's trying to impress his boss (played by Sabine Bail)  a busty blonde  by catching the feared and frenetic Mercedes Gang of bank robbers who have now invaded Marseilles to clean out all the local banks.
It was much, much better.Daniel Morales (hilarious Samy Naceri) is a pizza delivery guy who is just planning to cross over into the world of taxi driving.
It was better than good,it was absolutely fantastic.The film is directed by Luc Beeson,who was involved in gems such as Leon and Nikita.The story evolves around Daniel,a pizza delivery guy who aspires to be a cab driver in his souped up Peugeot 406.After taking a fare on a top speed ride,he discovers that he is a cop and he gets nicked.To save any more grief,he ends up working with the copper on a case that involves apprehending a gang of German bank robbers called The Mercedes gang.I would hate to ruin the plot and story line for any one who has not seen it,so if you get the chance to see it,then do,it will be one of those films that you will want to watch again and again.It also stars the very highly desirable Emma Sjoberg,who is not that well known in the UK,but should be,she is a great actress.There are 2 further films that accompany "TAXI",there is "TAXI 2" and "TAXI 3",but unhappily Taxi 3 is not available to buy in the UK,but can be got on Ebay or specialist DVD providers.Happy Viewing,Cheers Nick..
Yes its cliched,yes its simplistic,but dammit its just too good!well rounded instantly likeable characters,and enough quaintly french action to keep anyone happy!Its not the most intellectually challenging film but what it lacks in subtlety It more than makes up for in quality visuals and a more intellgent brand of action.It has luc besson in every shot and is as good a work as the fith element,in terms of the entertainment,and visual expertise.Quality all round entertainmentwith a little bit of gallic flair!.
Filming, direction and editing are all very good, and I must say that this is Besson's best movie for years!9 out of 10!.
but Taxi is what I love to call a "pop-corn" movie, and hell it is a great one, 'cause the humor is 'so french", 'cause the cars are magnificient and especially because of Nacéri and Diefenthal two great young dynamic and ambitious actors who are ready to take you through the streets of Marseille in a second, Enjoyable entertainment..
With Luc Besson's name attached to this movie, you would think that Taxi would be an action movie like the great "The Professional" (aka Leon) or "The Fifth Element".
Yes, there are some gunfights and car chases, but they are NOT portrayed as tense or thrilling like in most action films.
I usually liked any Besson work, and hate french films, but this is a good comedy/action one.
But the thin B-movie plot (loser cop Émilien hires speedy cabdriver Daniel to save Marseille from bad German bank robbers) doesn't match the quality of the breathtaking car chases.
Taxi, however, is a severely enjoyable romp, which I can find myself watching on a frequent basis as the film is just so damned entertaining.A Luc Besson script, but not directed by him, presents us with our two main characters, Daniel the greatest pizza delivery boy turned Taxi Driver, and Emilien the most bumbling police officer since Inspector Gadget.
Taxi looks at fighting fire with fire in utilising Daniel to help catch the thieves; I think we come to like the rouge driver that-is Daniel by the end, and want him to get away with escaping with his licence intact, but there's nothing really going on around him to get involved in and the chases are pretty unexciting as a whole - Taxi isn't a disaster, it's dumb B-movie fun which will work for some, but isn't really good enough on the whole..
Produced by Luc Besson, Taxi is a lightweight action comedy in which Daniel (Samy Naceri), an unsuccessful cop, joins forces with speed-freak taxi driver Émilien (Frédéric Diefenthal) to catch a gang of German bank-robbers.With plenty of crazy car chases, jumps, crashes and smashes, but little in the way of a decent plot, Taxi is the kind of undemanding fluff that has been done countless times before, and with far better results.
Marion Cotillard, as Émilien's sexy girlfriend Lilly is also rather good, but for entirely different reasons; even if you're not particularly into cars, this Gallic hottie makes the film worth watching!A major success in France, Taxi has spawned several sequels and, of course, the obligatory US remake..
When I rented this movie, I expected it to be as silly and juvenile as many French comedies are, but hoped that a lot of well shot spectacular car chases would make it worth watching.
There are in fact very few car chases in this film, so if you are into that you'd better watch "Ronin" instead (which isn't a good movie either, but it contains a really spectacular high speed pursuit on the French motorways).