44/33
That’s why the meter doesn’t change
Tale
A woman taking a taxi from JFK talks to the cabbie about the important relationships in her life. According to the director, the film was shot in chronological order. Clark says it’s a flat rate from JFK. Clark: I’m not saying I’m a Sherlock or anything, just a guy who pays attention.
They have an intense conversation
Referenced in Amanda the Jedi Show: I ALMOST Walked Out | The Best and Worst of TIFF 2023 (2023). My Heart Beats for You / Qalbi Daq Elak Written and performed by Ahmad Khalil Courtesy of Forman Bros. Recordings in association with Levantine Music. Girlie (Dakota Johnson) arrives in New York at JFK and boards a yellow cab driven by Clark (Sean Penn).
This is one of those two-way conversations
The actors are mostly in a confined space alone. Girlie is constantly texting someone and that person is almost a third character in the play. It’s a rich cinematic tradition with films like My Dinner with Andre. In some ways, this is more engaging because they start out as strangers.
Instead, he lets it float
The audience discovers them as they go along. There are some ups and downs in the conversation, though one twist falters in my opinion. She’s telling the story about her father and Clark doesn’t press her at the end. That’s a human instinct, but for the drama, he needs to press it.
The script seems smarter than that
There are obvious implications and he needs to voice them. It’s also a moment in the story where the tension needs to keep building until the climax. At the end, they never really consider what I was thinking and that’s a little disappointing. Still, it’s a very engaging ride by the end.