One thing about me is that once I get comfortable and start talking, I might talk a little too much. When my daughter was born I used to do Lyft to make extra money and enjoyed talking to my passengers as I drove them to their destination. It was great to learn about who they were and where they were coming from or going to. When you talk to other people you tend to learn new things, see things from different perspectives, and sometimes end up with a story to tell.
Daddio is that rare movie that shows us that human interaction is missing in this world. It holds a mirror to society and tells us that it is ok to talk to people and not just have your eyes glued to a screen. Dakota Johnson plays “Girlie” who just got back from a trip to Oklahoma and is heading home to Manhattan. She gets into Clark’s cab, played by Sean Penn, and after a few moments of silence, they begin talking. The conversation they have goes from talking about family to relationships, and modern-day simplicities. “Everything can be done on an app, nowadays!”
Now you may be thinking that watching two people talk in a cab for an hour and a half is boring. Just like it worked in the Before Sunrise series, the conversation here is anything but boring. Sean Penn has this charm that makes you want to listen to his rants. Johnson’s wit and playfulness help with the flow of the conversation and as the ride goes on we learn more about her character. While I won’t give away some of the aspects of her story it is interesting to hear Clark’s take on what she is doing and going through.
Final Thoughts: Daddio falls under the same vein as Before Sunrise, where we see two interesting people have an interesting conversation on their way to a destination. Dakota Johnson’s Girlie is so whipsmart and playful that it pulls you into the conversation. Penn’s Clark has views that might not be acceptable to others, but he does make you think about things differently. This movie will create some great conversations afterward with all of the topics that are discussed.
Kid-Friendly: This might be great for kids to see that they don’t have to always be on their phone when driving somewhere and enjoy conversation with those around them. The talk of infidelity might not be something for younger kids to listen to and younger kids might get bored from the movie’s pacing.
Violence: There is no violence but there is talk about being tied up by older siblings.
New York City. JFK airport. A young woman jumps into the backseat of a yellow taxi, the cabbie throws the vehicle into drive as the two head out into the nights toward Manhattan, striking up the most unexpected conversation resulting in a single, epic remarkable journey.