Taxi
1998 · Directed by Gérard Pirès
Original language: French
- action
- comedy
- crime
- adventure
The story
In Marseilles a skilled pizza delivery boy Daniel who drives a scooter finally has his dreams come true. He gets a taxi license. Caught by the police for a huge speed infraction, he will help Emilien, a loser inspector who can't drive, on the track of German bank robbers, so he doesn't lose his license and his dream job.
What it’s like
Bright Mediterranean sunlight bouncing off whitewashed Marseille streets, sun-bleached sidewalks, crowded café terraces and the tight, grimy clutter of a working city, all shot with quick handheld energy that keeps the camera bouncing along with the chase. The sound is a constant rush of engines, honking, scooter whine and a jumpy, horn-heavy pop score that barely lets up. The vibe is buoyant and scrappy, a loud, good-natured streetwise caper with rowdy slapstick and nothing much below the surface. Pacing is brisk and relentless, with each set piece tumbling into the next, and the emotional register stays light: an overconfident delivery rider and a clumsy, nervous cop slowly becoming an unlikely team, their friction softening into affection. Action and crash sequences are frequent and energetic, with cartoonish car wrecks and some scuffles, but the violence is mostly comic and bloodless, and there is some mild crude humour and no sex or real menace. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a easy comfort watch, or a rowdy group movie night for people who want fast, silly, car-chase fun with a warm, cheeky heart.
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