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Taxi (2004 film)
Encyclopedia
Taxi is a 2004 American remake of the 1998 Luc Besson
-penned, Gérard Pirès
-directed French film of the same name
, starring Queen Latifah
, Jimmy Fallon
and Gisele Bündchen
, and directed by Tim Story
.
) is a talented driver and auto mechanic who dreams of driving in NASCAR
. As the film opens she celebrates her last shift as a bicycle courier by performing a crowd-pleasing sequence of bicycle stunts as she passes through New York City, breaking a speed record in the process. She has won her taxi license. Belle neglects her boyfriend Jesse (Henry Simmons
) and has bestowed much love on her custom-built cab over the past five years. This evening, having skipped her dinner date, she installs a supercharger into the cab.
The next day, her first customer offers her a $100 tip if she can make it to JFK
in fifteen minutes. She makes it in nine, making the passenger sick in the process. Meanwhile, a group of beautiful women exit the airport.
The action cuts back to New York City where undercover detective Andy Washburn (Jimmy Fallon
) is about to bust a phone card ring from Cuba. He makes up a street name in Havana, which blows his cover, and a gunfight develops. Washburn's partner is wounded in the arm and the Cubans escape. Trying to follow them in his partner's car, Washburn starts it in reverse and crashes it. Back at the precinct station, Lt. Marta Robbins, (Jennifer Esposito
) confiscates his driver's license and demotes him to Foot Patrol duty.
Later, hearing of a bank robbery, Washburn in plainclothes tries to flag down a car in the middle of a street, causing dozens of civilians, and their cars to crash into each other, resulting in a major pile-up. He flags down a taxi cab, which turns out to be Belle's. He commandeer's the car which transforms into the street car from before. They arrive at the bank just as the four robbers depart in a BMW. Washburn accidentally shoots out one of Belle's windows and they end up cornering the BMW in an alley. The BMW driver cleverly gives Belle the slip, but as the car passes she recognises the occupants as the same models from the airport. Their leader is Vanessa (Gisele Bündchen
). In a misunderstanding, police arrive and hold up Belle and Washburn.
Belle's cab is impounded as evidence and she is taken in for questioning as a witness to the robbery; she is upset as it means the loss of two weeks' earnings. Washburn promises to get her cab back if she will join him on his beat—thus solving the problem of his confiscated license.
Belle and Washburn pursue the robbers, getting close once or twice. Washburn takes Belle home. His mother (Ann Margret) is constantly drunk and always has a margarita going in the blender. She brings up embarrassing moments of Washburn's past and why he's such a bad driver.
Later, Washburn talks to the impound cop (Patton Oswalt
) and eventually convinces him to give him and Belle the cab back. They realize that the gang always robs banks just before the garbage collection is due. The robbers take the money, put it in the trash and the garbage man collects it. However, things haven't gone well, and Washburn is fired from his job. Later that night, Belle teaches him to drive. They discover that the garbage collector on the bank round has been performing collections for the gang because they have kidnapped his wife. They trace the kidnapper and recover the garbage collector's wife and all the loot.
The police learn which bank is next to be hit, and they lie in wait for the robbers, who take a hostage. After a hostage swap, the gang escape with Lt. Robbins as hostage, followed by Washburn and Belle in her cab. Belle calls on the help of her former bike messengers to pinpoint the location of the car. Using the cash from the garbage truck they pinpoint the operation HQ and negotiate a trade. Belle transforms the cab and during the ensuing chase they continually try to swap the hostage for the money while driving down the highway. Washburn forces the robbers down a long bridge he knows is under construction. With the robbers trapped on a section of the long bridge, Washburn and Belle laugh victoriously. Enraged, Vanessa fires her gun at them and wounds Belle. Immediately afterward, Washburn drives Belle to the hospital singing "Everlasting Love".
In the final scene, Belle is in NASCAR, fulfilling her dream, sponsored by New York banks. Washburn (recently reinstated back into the NYPD), Robbins, and Washburn's mother cheer her on. Jesse makes his proposal to Belle. Jeff Gordon
, driver of the 24 car in NASCAR's top series, makes an appearance.
described it as "dismal" and "wall-to-wall idiocy". Despite this, Taxi was released on October 6, 2004 in 3,001 theaters and opened at #4 at the box office. It grossed $12,029,832 in the opening weekend. It went on to gross $36,611,066 domestically and a further $32,284,369 from foreign markets contributed to a worldwide total of $68,895,435. Its budget meanwhile, was $25 million.
As of November 25, 2011, it has a rating of 10% at review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes
, showing the film's negative reviews despite its financial success.
Luc Besson
Luc Besson is a French film director, writer, and producer. He is the creator of EuropaCorp film company. He has been involved with over 50 films, spanning 26 years, as writer, director, and/or producer.-Early life:...
-penned, Gérard Pirès
Gérard Pirès
-Filmography:* Guo bao zong dong yuan * Les Chevaliers du ciel * Double zéro * Steal * Taxi...
-directed French film of the same name
Taxi (1998 film)
Taxi is a 1998 French action-comedy film starring Samy Naceri, written by Luc Besson, and directed by Gérard Pirès.- Plot :The film takes place in Marseille, France, and involves an aspiring racecar driver named Daniel , who initially works as a pizza delivery boy, but changes jobs to become a taxi...
, starring Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
and Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Caroline Bündchen is a Brazilian fashion model, occasional film actress and goodwill ambassador for the UN Environment Programme.In the late 1990s, Bündchen became one of the first in a wave of Brazilian models to find success...
, and directed by Tim Story
Tim Story (film director)
Timothy Kevin Story is an African-American film director. Born in Los Angeles, California, he attended Westchester High School in Los Angeles with jazz pianist Eric Reed and actresses Regina King and Nia Long. He was senior class president at Westchester High. He graduated from the University of...
.
Plot
Belle Williams (Queen LatifahQueen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
) is a talented driver and auto mechanic who dreams of driving in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
. As the film opens she celebrates her last shift as a bicycle courier by performing a crowd-pleasing sequence of bicycle stunts as she passes through New York City, breaking a speed record in the process. She has won her taxi license. Belle neglects her boyfriend Jesse (Henry Simmons
Henry Simmons
Henry Oswald Simmons, Jr. is an American actor.-Life and career:Simmons was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Aurelia, a school teacher, and Henry Simmons, Sr., an IRS agent. He is one of three children, including his twin sister, and another sister...
) and has bestowed much love on her custom-built cab over the past five years. This evening, having skipped her dinner date, she installs a supercharger into the cab.
The next day, her first customer offers her a $100 tip if she can make it to JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in fifteen minutes. She makes it in nine, making the passenger sick in the process. Meanwhile, a group of beautiful women exit the airport.
The action cuts back to New York City where undercover detective Andy Washburn (Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
) is about to bust a phone card ring from Cuba. He makes up a street name in Havana, which blows his cover, and a gunfight develops. Washburn's partner is wounded in the arm and the Cubans escape. Trying to follow them in his partner's car, Washburn starts it in reverse and crashes it. Back at the precinct station, Lt. Marta Robbins, (Jennifer Esposito
Jennifer Esposito
Jennifer Esposito is an American actress, dancer and model, known for her appearances in films such as I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Summer of Sam and Crash and in television series such as Spin City, The Looney Tunes Show and Samantha Who?.-Early life:Esposito, an Italian-American, was...
) confiscates his driver's license and demotes him to Foot Patrol duty.
Later, hearing of a bank robbery, Washburn in plainclothes tries to flag down a car in the middle of a street, causing dozens of civilians, and their cars to crash into each other, resulting in a major pile-up. He flags down a taxi cab, which turns out to be Belle's. He commandeer's the car which transforms into the street car from before. They arrive at the bank just as the four robbers depart in a BMW. Washburn accidentally shoots out one of Belle's windows and they end up cornering the BMW in an alley. The BMW driver cleverly gives Belle the slip, but as the car passes she recognises the occupants as the same models from the airport. Their leader is Vanessa (Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Caroline Bündchen is a Brazilian fashion model, occasional film actress and goodwill ambassador for the UN Environment Programme.In the late 1990s, Bündchen became one of the first in a wave of Brazilian models to find success...
). In a misunderstanding, police arrive and hold up Belle and Washburn.
Belle's cab is impounded as evidence and she is taken in for questioning as a witness to the robbery; she is upset as it means the loss of two weeks' earnings. Washburn promises to get her cab back if she will join him on his beat—thus solving the problem of his confiscated license.
Belle and Washburn pursue the robbers, getting close once or twice. Washburn takes Belle home. His mother (Ann Margret) is constantly drunk and always has a margarita going in the blender. She brings up embarrassing moments of Washburn's past and why he's such a bad driver.
Later, Washburn talks to the impound cop (Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
) and eventually convinces him to give him and Belle the cab back. They realize that the gang always robs banks just before the garbage collection is due. The robbers take the money, put it in the trash and the garbage man collects it. However, things haven't gone well, and Washburn is fired from his job. Later that night, Belle teaches him to drive. They discover that the garbage collector on the bank round has been performing collections for the gang because they have kidnapped his wife. They trace the kidnapper and recover the garbage collector's wife and all the loot.
The police learn which bank is next to be hit, and they lie in wait for the robbers, who take a hostage. After a hostage swap, the gang escape with Lt. Robbins as hostage, followed by Washburn and Belle in her cab. Belle calls on the help of her former bike messengers to pinpoint the location of the car. Using the cash from the garbage truck they pinpoint the operation HQ and negotiate a trade. Belle transforms the cab and during the ensuing chase they continually try to swap the hostage for the money while driving down the highway. Washburn forces the robbers down a long bridge he knows is under construction. With the robbers trapped on a section of the long bridge, Washburn and Belle laugh victoriously. Enraged, Vanessa fires her gun at them and wounds Belle. Immediately afterward, Washburn drives Belle to the hospital singing "Everlasting Love".
In the final scene, Belle is in NASCAR, fulfilling her dream, sponsored by New York banks. Washburn (recently reinstated back into the NYPD), Robbins, and Washburn's mother cheer her on. Jesse makes his proposal to Belle. Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
, driver of the 24 car in NASCAR's top series, makes an appearance.
Cast
- Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
as Isabelle "Belle" Precious Williams - Jimmy FallonJimmy FallonJames Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
as Det. Andrew "Andy" Washburn - Gisele BündchenGisele BündchenGisele Caroline Bündchen is a Brazilian fashion model, occasional film actress and goodwill ambassador for the UN Environment Programme.In the late 1990s, Bündchen became one of the first in a wave of Brazilian models to find success...
as Vanessa Scherzinger - Henry SimmonsHenry SimmonsHenry Oswald Simmons, Jr. is an American actor.-Life and career:Simmons was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Aurelia, a school teacher, and Henry Simmons, Sr., an IRS agent. He is one of three children, including his twin sister, and another sister...
as Jesse - Jennifer EspositoJennifer EspositoJennifer Esposito is an American actress, dancer and model, known for her appearances in films such as I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Summer of Sam and Crash and in television series such as Spin City, The Looney Tunes Show and Samantha Who?.-Early life:Esposito, an Italian-American, was...
as Lt. Marta Robbins - Ana Cristina de Oliveira as Redhead (Second Robber) aka Francisca Bündchen
- Ingrid VandeboschIngrid VandeboschIngrid Vandebosch is a model and actress who won the Elite Look of the Year Award in 1990. She is the wife of NASCAR racecar driver Jeff Gordon.-Modeling career:...
as Third Robber aka Blair Lima - Magali AmadeiMagali AmadeiMagali Amadei is a French fashion model living in New York City. She was featured regularly during the '90s on the covers of Vogue, ELLE, and Marie Claire, as well as several other top magazines with global distribution...
as Fourth Robber aka Adrianna Mölling - Ann-MargretAnn-MargretAnn-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
as Washburn's Mom - Christian KaneChristian KaneChristian Kane is an American actor and singer/songwriter of Native American descent. He currently stars as Eliot Spencer on the TNT series Leverage. He is best known for his roles in the television shows Angel and Into the West, and the movies Just Married and Secondhand Lions.He is the lead...
as Agent Mullins - Boris McGiver as Franklin
- Adrian Martinez as Brazilian Man
- Joe LisiJoe LisiJoe Lisi , also credited as Joe Lissi, is an American television actor. He appeared in the NBC television show Third Watch as NYPD Lieutenant Swersky from 2000 to 2005...
as Mr. Anthony Scalia - Bryna Weiss as Mrs. Scalia
- John KrasinskiJohn KrasinskiJohn Burke Krasinski is an American actor, film director, and writer. He is most widely known for playing Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom The Office...
as Messenger - Jeff GordonJeff GordonJeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
as himself (cameo appearance)
Reception
While the movie was a financial success, grossing almost three times its budget, it was universally panned by critics. Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
described it as "dismal" and "wall-to-wall idiocy". Despite this, Taxi was released on October 6, 2004 in 3,001 theaters and opened at #4 at the box office. It grossed $12,029,832 in the opening weekend. It went on to gross $36,611,066 domestically and a further $32,284,369 from foreign markets contributed to a worldwide total of $68,895,435. Its budget meanwhile, was $25 million.
As of November 25, 2011, it has a rating of 10% at review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, showing the film's negative reviews despite its financial success.