DADDIO – A Review by Jenn Rohm
As time passes, the world changes. People my age have watched music become portable, from cassette tapes to CDs and now to audio files. The older versions still exist; they just are not common. With the addition of mobile apps and rideshare, the era of the yellow cab could very well be a dying art. In her directorial debut, Director/Writer Christy Hall touches on this in a unique way at the start of Daddio.
A blonde woman, Dakota Johnson, gets into a cab at JFK to head home; this film is about the ride from the airport to her place in midtown New York. Clark, Sean Penn, is a man who has seen a lot of life. He is rough around the edges with a marshmallow center. Unapologetic about his conversation, he wants to connect with his passengers on a human level. The woman, given the name Girlie in the credits, could use an unbiased opinion on her life now. The driving force of making a connection with other people and the desire to understand them keeps the conversation going even when one has offended the other.
From the premise alone, I was hesitant about this film. However, the more I watched, the more I appreciated it. The pacing of the film was exactly what it needed to be. When I checked my watch, it was over an hour in. The haunting piano used sporadically in the film helped keep my interest and feel what Girlie was feeling. Keeping motion within such a limited space should have been challenging. However, the cinematography by Phedon Papamichael makes it seem effortless. The use of focus and the rearview mirror, along with switching shots to show Clark, Girlie, both characters, and the city of New York, felt natural. Enough light was provided to allow the smallest of movements by Penn and Johnson to be noticed, yet it was obvious that it was nighttime.
Penn does a wonderful job of being that man many women know. He says what is on his mind, and while it isn’t meant to hurt your feelings, it can be sharp enough to sting. All the insight comes from a place of care, wanting to get us to think for ourselves and do better as we deserve better. I am not able to think of anyone else who could have given this strong and impassioned performance to the role. Johnson holds her own as a younger woman who will not take gruff from most. The text conversations with her boyfriend show some of what dating him has become, and her reaction to some of the requests is more common than the sender believes.
I encourage seeing this piece in the theater as it will add to the experience of discomfort in having rather frank discussions with a stranger.
Director: Christy Hall
Written By: Christy Hall
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn, Marcos A. Gonzalez
MPAA Rating: Rated R for language throughout, sexual material, and brief graphic nudity.
Genres: Drama
Selig Rating: 4 stars
Runtime: 1 h 41 m
Release Date: June 28, 2024
Trailer: Daddio Official Trailer
Website: Daddio Official Website
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
