39/36
That’s why the meter doesn’t change
Scenario
A woman riding in a taxi from JFK engages in a conversation with the cab driver about the important relationships in their lives. According to the director, the film was shot in chronological order. Clark claims that it’s a flat-rate JFK . Clark: I’m not saying I’m some Sherlock or anything, just a guy who pays attention.
They have an intense conversation
Mentioned in Amanda the Jedi Show: I ALMOST WENT OUT | 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 airport and gets into a yellow cab driven by Clark (Sean Penn).
It’s one of those two-handers
The actors are mostly alone in an enclosed space. Girlie is constantly texting someone, and that person is almost a third character in the play. It’s a rich film tradition with films like My Dinner with Andre. In a way, it’s more engaging because they start out as strangers.
Instead, he lets it slide
The audience discovers them as they do. There are some great ups and downs in the conversation, although I think one twist falls flat. She tells the story about her father, and Clark doesn’t push her at the end. It’s a human instinct, but in terms of drama, she has to push.
The script seems smarter than that
The consequences are obvious, and she has to give them a voice. It’s also a moment in the story where the tension has to build to a climax. Ultimately, they never considered what I thought, which is a bit disappointing. Still, it’s a very gripping ride right up to the end.