Sydney Film Festival Review - Daddio

 

“You are a surprising person.”

Raw, honest and genuine, Daddio is an unfiltered and uncensored cab ride conversation that’s direct, coarse, prickly, earnest, open and heartfelt, with fantastic natural performances from Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson, and witty writing that combine for a deeply engaging experience.

Discussion Points:

Daddio is a film that cuts to the chase, and doesn’t bat around the bush. It’s direct, honest, and raw as its central cab ride conversation covers a myriad of tricky, tender, tense and complex topics. It simultaneously slices through any pretence, and yet still maintains a level of empathy and compassion. Sean Penn’s Clark is a cabbie who runs his mouth, calls peoples bluffs, and unapologetically pokes peoples buttons. Dakota Johnson’s unnamed passenger is a mysterious young woman, obviously capable and independent, and yet struggling and deeply confused. Through their earnest and uncensored conversations, the two break down each others barriers and have a deep continuous heart-to-heart that really engaged me. It’s also beautifully shot for a film that’s predominantly in a cab for 95% of its runtime, with great editing and use of lighting. One of the most pleasantly surprising films of the festival.