Year: 2024

Runtime: 101 minutes

Writer/Director: Christy Hall

Stars: Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn

By Tom Moore

The feature directorial debut of writer/director Christy Hall, “Daddio,” is a dual character study that puts two undeniable talents into a New York City taxi cab and simply lets them immerse viewers into a conversation full of laughs, tears, and inner reckonings. 

The simplicity of “Daddio” is where it immediately impresses as it follows a young woman (Dakota Johnson) who steps into a cab driven by Clarke (Sean Penn) – a born and raised New Yorker. In the long ride from JFK Airport to Manhattan, the two strike up a conversation that lasts the entire trip and touches on personal issues, past trauma, and lingering perspectives on the world around them. While that might sound like a pretty basic and potentially dull film, it taps into viewers’ innate desire to “people watch,” and Hall crafts an immersive setting for this experience. 

Despite these characters and the audience rarely stepping out of the cab, Hall adds in shots and audio of things happening outside to build up the atmosphere. From wide shots that showcase stunning NYC lights against the night sky to small glimpses of what these two are looking at through the windows, Hall makes NYC a meaningful part of the journey. These check-ins keep viewers in tune to where they’re at and ultimately add to the shifting tones of their conversation. Also, with Johnson and Penn being the only two credited actors in the film, everything outside the cab seems real – adding to the authentic feel Hall tries to capture. 

With the setting so well-characterized, the stage is set for this conversation between two strangers to unfold. As Johnson’s character – who’s only referred to as “Girlie” by Clarke – enters the cab, viewers can instantly relate to the experience that unfolds. That moment when you hop into a cab or an Uber and you find yourself debating that awkward decision – do I make casual conversation with the driver or stay quiet? Luckily, Clarke breaks the ice first and the early parts of their discussion elicit these warm, welcoming vibes. There’s something about Clarke detailing his interactions with the people that jump into his cab that’s instantly compelling and draws you into the scene. It just comes off so natural and inviting – largely thanks to Hall’s direction and writing – and never drifts into being overly philosophical or forced. 

Still though, there are a couple bumps in the road that hinder the first half or so of “Daddio.” Despite Hall’s strong writing, she does struggle to maintain the realness of these characters. With Girlie, she tends to come off overly snarky in ways that totally take viewers out of the moment. The way she playfully repeats some of Clarke’s lines back to him eventually becomes annoying and really doesn’t come off realistic. Also, the eventual sex talk and profanity ridden conversation that develops between Clarke and Girlie for a short time just doesn’t come off as real. The approach feels right for two characters in a movie but not for two actual people in this situation – which goes against Hall’s intentions. 

Even with these distracting instances though, “Daddio” is a masterclass of storytelling and dialogue from Hall. Throughout the film, Hall finds fun ways to subvert expectations and change your perspective on these characters. There’s a text conversation that Girlie has when she enters that cab that takes such a wild turn and alters the entire experience. It initially starts out pretty somber, but then takes a drastic turn that completely changes your view of her and heavily impacts the conversation with Clarke. There are shifts like this all throughout “Daddio” and it’s what makes the ever-changing experience so engaging and rich. 

Not to mention, Girlie and Clarke are just such enjoyable characters that are further elevated by Johnson and Penn’s performances. Johnson thrives in making Girlie a fun and relatively open person that viewers can side with at times – especially as she holds her own against someone as blunt and self-assured as Clarke. Johnson’s line-delivery has never been more on-point and her ability to become raw in her emotion is spectacular. Girlie’s heart-breaking truths and personal reckonings carry real power and weight because of how vulnerable Johnson allows herself to be. It’s a deeply emotional performance that flexes Johnson’s range incredibly well and gives the incredibly talented actress a deserved standout moment. 

For Penn though, this is an all-time classic performance that audiences will love. Clarke is a character tailor-made for Penn’s distinct screen presence, line-delivery and personality. He flourishes in Clarke’s blunt delivery and off the chest honesty that is characteristic of any New Yorker. Yet, there’s some good emotional depth that comes through as Girlie breaks through his hard outer layer. He’ll definitely cause some misty-eyes in the film’s final act and equally brings a vulnerability that viewers will relate to. For those that haven’t really seen Penn in the spotlight lately, this performance will be a refreshing return and reestablish why he’s so special in front of the camera. 

Frankly, everything comes together flawlessly in the film’s second half as the performances and Hall’s vision form a beautiful sense of heart. As Girlie and Clarke’s conversation shifts into personal issues that cut them deep and continually haunt them, the film totally wraps you in heartache – to the point where you’re constantly holding back tears. To some degree, it would’ve been nice to see the film explore Clarke a little more deeply since Girlie’s story encapsulates most of the conversation. But they do enough for him to make his story satisfying and frankly, what’s done for Girlie is genuinely astonishing at times. 

The way her personal life – which involves her dysfunctional upbringing and the inappropriate relationship she’s currently in – is touched on in this film is truly must-see storytelling. Hall doles out these big emotional turns with ease and constantly evolves the conversation to create more depth. The film moves between tender laughs and heart-breaking confessions so well that it’s tough to see anything coming – which results in big surprises at every turn and meaningful reactions. Girlie’s story is humanity at its finest and there’s nothing more captivating than watching her and Clarke just be open about themselves. By the end, there’s this fulfilling arc that’s completed and the final interaction between Clarke and Girlie is unforgettable. It’s a reminder of how small instances can have a big impact and it truly feels like the lives of these two are forever changed – which translates to the viewers themselves. 

“Daddio” is a special debut that you don’t see often and Hall defines her talents in creating compelling dialogue that’s bolstered by top-tier performances. Penn and Johnson are truly on another level in this film and viewers will be thoroughly stunned by how Hall manages to turn a simple cab ride into an enthralling and emotionally-charged viewing experience.