‘Daddio’ is a simple yet complex movie. It is focused on the lost art of two strangers engaging in conversation and the general themes include human connection, compassion and empathy.
Dakota Johnson’s character arrives at JFK airport and catches a cab. She and the driver, Clark (Sean Penn), exchange generic banter. A traffic jam on the highway hinders the trip but accelerates their conversation – Clark breaks the barrier by shocking her with his armchair psychological analysis of her life.
Like a bartender, a taxi driver is commonly seen as one of those people who have keen conversational and observational skills. Given the fact that he has been around the proverbial block a few times, Penn goes into monologues about the dimensionality of life. In fact, Penn reminded me a bit of Travis Bickle (“Taxi Driver” starring Robert De Niro) when he engaged in conversation with young Iris (Jodie Foster).
For me, Sean Penn was the highlight of the movie and kept my attention the entire time.
While this movie is not my favorite of the year, I think it was pretty decent.