Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-24 01:51:05

Hellcab is cool!

Don't be misled by the title, cover art, or log line: "Dare You Pay The Fare?" HELLCAB is not a horror film.HELLCAB is a boring art film. It's about the depressing day in the life of a Chicago cabby. Each passenger gets one or two minutes of screen time, including "star" Gillian Anderson, who struggles with an Italian blue-collar accent.Film is a series of vingettes; nothing is ever resolved. We see the passenger, their situation set up, then go on to the next passenger.

anonymous 2012-05-23 09:37:53

Great acting, weak plot...

Although the acting throughout this entire film was great, there was littleplot-- cab driver picks up odd and/or troubled fares; fares demonstratetheir weirdness and talk about their troubles; the end. The box for thismovie was highly misleading-- something about "the night from hell","unusual passengers" "unfathomable events"... making it appear more like anepisode of X-Files and less like what it is: a day in the life of a cabdriver. But if you're in it more for the acting than you are the storyline,it's worth a rent.

tomimt 2012-05-20 02:48:18

A taste of life

I saw "Chicago Cab" by accident, while flipping through channels. Soon Inoticed I was stuck watching this seemingly plotless movie about a guy,whohas driven a taxi in Chicago for about 4 months.A plotless movie might sound boring, even waste of time, but with greatwriting, good actors and good director "Chicago Cab" dwells up to benicelycut slice from a population of big city, in example, religious family,married couple pregnant with their first born, etc.Acting is overall very good, but Paul Dillon makes outstanding job in therole of Cab Driver. Without his subtle performance this whole movie couldfall in pieces."Chicago Cab" balances between drama and comedy. Some things in this movieare so surprising and well thought of, that they made me laughing outloud.Some things made me sad, or feel compassion towards the Taxi Driver or hiscustomers.This is a movie, which can be recommend for people, who want to see littledifferent kind of drama/comedy or are just fed up with all regular actorsofthis specific genre.8/10.

SpiceLux 2012-05-19 07:21:54

Yet another bad title change....

Here's another decent drama worth renting on video despite a horrendoustitle change. It's a straight-forward enough drama with a huge revolvingdoor for characters to come and go. Among the best: John Cusack (if onlyhe'd have this much fun in his 'real' films!) and (I hope this is correct)Reginald Hayes (the last guy the cabbie picks up). He's in the last 10minutes or so of the film and his performance is so gentle, so measured,sotouchingly-perfect that if I were a casting director I'd hire him withoutreservation. If you rent this film and don't care much for it, fastforwardto the end. You'll really be missing something if you miss hisperformance.OVERALL FILM GRADE: B

cap51182 2012-05-17 03:08:27

Great movie

This amazing movie uses both humor and drama to keep the viewer interested.Some of the fares the cab driver pick up are just funny, some scary, andsome just plain sad. All of them show the range of human emotions and getthis cab driver to realize that yeah, life does suck sometimes, hell, mostof the time even, but there are some moments that just make you love lifefor all of the crap it throws at you. It's one part Taxi Cab Confessionals(without all the sleaze) and one part American Beauty, showing you that lifehas meaning, no matter how small a part you play in it. Watch thismovie!!

Poochie 2012-05-16 13:42:29

Pointless and DULL

A day in the life of a dimwitted cab driver sometime aroundChristmas:The cab driver picks up a fare...they have a 'really insightful'interlude...he drops off the fare...he picks up another fare...anotherinterlude...and so it goes on like this for 90 friggin' minutes...none ofitconvincing (or interesting) for even one minute...SKIPIT!

screamer-13 2012-05-15 05:27:58

Worthy if a little limp

Though this film may be pretty light on story, it raises somethought-provoking situations and might even make the viewer reflect on theirown life for a brief moment just like the main character does in the finalscenes.The material is deftly handled and there is a gradually increasing sense ofunease throughout the film that something terrible is going to happen sooneror later in the cab. Well, I don't want to spoil it; something does happen,just not exactly what we might have been expecting. An interesting twist tothe tale.I must say Paul Dillon was very good. I spent the whole film weighing up hischaracter and trying to decide whether he was a bit slow, extremelyreserved, or terminally depressed. In the end not everything is revealedabout his character; it's kind of left up to the viewer's interpretation.Nice. He was certainly unlike anyone I've ever known.It's just a pity that some of the episodes in the cab were a bit flat anddidn't gel too well with each other. Maybe with a slightly more experiencedteam behind the scenes, and the same general premise and character arc, thiscould have been a bigger hit.

Frankjwilliams 2012-05-15 00:30:26

The greatest movie to see alone, late at night, when it's Christmas-time

I saw this movie around Christmas 2002, it was about 02.00 am, I thoughtI'dmake one more walk around the channels. Then I saw a guy in a cab on BBC,and the colors of the movie seemed okay -You know, when a movie is reallydumb, or bad, it often has intense and bright colors-. I wasn't doinganything at the moment, so I left it on. Then I became more and moreinterested in it, and decided to turn of the computer and focus only onthemovie.I think this is a movie that truly represents the spirit of Christmas,although I am still not sure what the hell that may be, I'm sure this isit.Paul Dillon, whom I did not know beforehand plays his characterbrilliantly.He's a quiet guy, who somehow got into the job of cabdriver. He has toworkon Christmas-eve and he gets all these strange people in his cab who tellhim about what happened to them lately, and that's it! Fantastic. Fromthereyou see him trying to say the right things, and that maybe is the mostbeautiful thing about this movie.The movie is really easy going, you can just sit, do nothing, just watchandlet it pass by.Therefore, when watched alone, late at night, at Christmas-time, this istheperfect movie for the moment, and deserves 10 out of 10points.

2012-05-13 02:27:23

I'm repulsed, but I can't look away

If you pick up this film expecting a horror movie, you will be disappointed. What you will get is an artsy cameo filled flick. HellCab follows a Chicago cab driver as he makes his rounds, picking up junkies, freaks and rape victims. You should know that you can pick up a helluva alot of fares in an hour and a half film. Most of the actors are on screen no more than 5 minutes and often less. So, if you see Gillian Anderson or John Cusack on the cover and that's your reason for choosing this film, you will (again) be sadly disappointed. At first I felt like there is no way that I will be able to stay awake long enough to see the credits roll. But honestly, I just had to see who climbed into the cab next. Also, I felt like all of this must tie in together somehow. Well, it doesn't. There is no resolution to any of the scenerios that are set up. Worth 2 stars for the fact that I didn't just turn it off. If you like Taxi Cab confessions, you may get some enjoyment out of this, but its different since you don't truly feel like a voyeur.

clif-moberg 2012-05-12 08:56:02

The cab driver goes slower than my fast forward sometimes in this film

As the years go by this cabdriver gets less and less for the rides he'sgiving. Lousey tips! Oooh! Seeing the movie for the fourth time nowprompts a review. This driver I always like; but riders in there withhim--quite a few, I don't. I must fast forward so as to not sit inthere sharing the same cab with these "inconsiderates".The cabbie is even-tempered and tries to help people, perhaps too much.One is a "Steve" who happens to be a deli chain executive fortunate tohave the full attention of his date. He seems responsive and only laterwhen she leaves does this man reveal the true intentions he has abouther--she is meaningless to him; she is being, classically, "used". Inthis film, the driver suffers the same fate: he is used... used by acrack head to score dope; used by a woman who has car trouble andcauses trouble for the driver of her cab. Then, too, a body shop wants$185 to put on a new rear door pull with ash tray, thus perhapstotaling more than Dillon the driver's total take for the day. Heboldly takes it upon himself to often assist. He buys a young woman adonut, informs "Steve's" date she is a plaything, and while a womanascends normal steps back to her apartment following a rape andsubsequent abrupt discharge from the police station, he sits in his cabstill serving her by watching until she's through the door. Sometimeshe's physically touched by his fares and hates it; but with thearchitect who sings Tannenbaum better than any German ever would heextends a handshake that seems never to end. This movie is telling he how I might be as a taxi driver. Those I'd tryto get to their destinations and away from at the soonest arepeople-types I, this time, found myself fast-forwarding through. Someothers I'd replay to hear certain phrases over again--for these folks Ido visiting! So he's a skin head grown up and can fantasy drum with the best ofthem! So he swears when little kids march by, smokes in the cab ofanother driver who sports a Malcolm X cap and doesn't allow smoking; sohe pulls out and just about creams the outside of his cab... he's stillan utterly decent guy. It's the horror of Christmas approaching thoselonely ones--for whatever reason--who is the "killer" in this movie.He tries to understand people yet not intervene in their lives; hecan't be considered a friend to any, and yet he tries, in his way, togive them whatever dignity and politeness they are attuned to receivingfrom this stranger. He's no actual confidant. I would ride in this man's cab. I would give him an extra $10 becausehe obviously has an enlightened soul, and, well, let's face it: it'sgetting close to Christmas!

2012-05-12 11:24:01

preserves a legendary Chicago project

HELLCAB ran for three minutes short of forever as a late-night play in Chicago. It featured Chicago rock'n'roll acting at its best: simple set, talented ensemble playing multiple parts, juxtaposition of drama and comedy, respect for a working person's perspective. The film retains much of this. Yes, instead of a handful of actors constantly slipping into different skins you have a larger cast playing a series of cameos -- but these are almost all acting gems. The cab driver becomes a representative of us in the audience: trying to make our way through a complex world without being swallowed up by it, trying to salvage moments of honor and grace in an environment oblivious to both. Would make -- yes -- a terrific companion piece to TAXI DRIVER.

LordBibingtonTheThird 2012-05-12 06:22:25

Superb

What an Exellent Film.Paul dillon was exellent.This Film is one of myfavourite films.I spent 70 English pounds,on getting one of the origionalpromo posters,thats how much i like it.Alot different than all the junkthatcomes out of hollywood,and alot better.Watch it!

Nathan 2012-05-10 01:38:47

Caught me waaay off guard

A friend and I picked this movie for our usual Crappy Movie Friday,It's called Hellcab, the back says something aboutunusual/mysterious passengers, so you can't miss, right?Well, it happened. Sure, we had planned for it, but we'd more or lessforgotten our plan. "What if," we had figured, "what if we rent a moviethatwe -mistake- for a crappy movie and it turns out to be good?" Thatsituationcame up. We watched the movie in relative silence (as opposed to our usualnonstop riffage) and in the end found we really liked it. It wasn't horrorat all. It wasn't anywhere near crappy. What to do?We still don't know. But what I know anyway was that I really enjoyed it.The Cab Driver is a great actor and his facial expressions speak volumes.Oh, and John Cusack is hilarious and very creepy as the Scary Guy. (Too badhis role is so brief!)Check this one out! Don't mistake it for a horror flick! 8.5 out of 10 onMyPersonal Scale.

King_Rat 2012-05-10 00:01:06

Video box writer should have written script...

I don't know if I hate this movie as much as I did when I watched it twoweeks ago, but if you're expecting the events described on the box, forgetit... that would have been a good movie. The great descent described onthebox is nothing compared to the descent into utter dispair that I tookviewing this movie.If you've seen HBO's Taxi Cab Confessions, this is the same thing, onlyfictional, and not even remotely as interesting. If you really want toseesomething interesting about a cab driver, check out the 20 minute shorttheyrun on Encore from time to time... it is actually worthwatching.I have never, ever asked for my money back for a movie until I saw this...thing.Boring, Boring, Boring.It does offer one unique trait, which is this: It leaves you to decidewhathappens to each of the passengers, letting your imagination fill in thegaps. Which would be great, if you actually cared about any of thesepeople. Instead I found myself yelling at the screen, weeping like achild,praying for either the end of the movie or my own death.The cab driver himself (though well played, considering) runs throughemotions seemingly at random, from sarcastic to sympathetic to raginglunatic to apathetic. Sometimes it is appropriate, most of the time it'sjust a display for it's own sake. "Dammit, I learned all these emotionsinacting class, and I'm gonna use them!"Now that I've been thinking about it again, I do hate this movie as muchasI did!

DisgorgedMenstrualSludge 2012-05-05 14:37:46

This really gave me a new respect for cab drivers... they are true Amercian heros

Damn, if you thought poor Travis Bickle had it rough then you shouldcheck out this sorry bastard. During winter solstice, the longest dayof the year, a lonely Chicago cab driver struggles to maintain hissanity which gradually decreases throughout the duration of hismiserable shift. Honestly, this man is never fortunate enough to pickup anyone even slightly normal. We are presented with a wonderfulcollection of nut jobs, junkies, drunks, and just plain shadycharacters that enter his taxi and ultimately make his day a livinghell. This flick is nonstop entertainment, filled with offbeat humorand some sad moments. The cast is perfect, fronted by Paul Dillon withappearances by John Cusack, John C. Reilly, Michael Ironside, andJulianne Moore as a poor, unfortunate rape victim. Most of these peopleare on screen for a real short time but are all memorable. I really digthese independent, slice-of-life movies that begin and then end,leaving a big impression by just showing something very simple. HELLCABdoes a great job of this and is definitely worth seeing. It'll surlymake any wannabe cab drivers think twice about getting into this fieldof work. hehehehehee

jw12 2012-05-05 04:38:14

the minutiae of small lives - bleak but ultimately uplifting

Excellent film with great acting. No real plot to it but a series ofincidents you make your own mind up about - some funny somemoving.I found the individual stories reminded me of the stories of RaymondCarver- the minutiae of small lives and how people live them. Though the filmwaslargely bleak I found it ultimately uplifting and the fact that it is setatChristmas made it a good seasonal film but without the sentimentality.(I watched this film on TV (titled Chicago Cab) intrigued by the shortdescription. Why anyone would change the title to Hell Cab and give it a'horror-esque' cover is beyond me - I wouldn't go near it in this box inavideo shop.)

2012-05-02 05:18:31

Needs a bit more Cusack, but otherwise pretty darn good

Who would have ever thought Cusack could play menacing? This is anexcellent adaptation of a play and everyone seemed very committed to thematerial. The plotline lacks momentum, but as a character study it'sprettyinteresting. Plus, if you don't like a scene, don't worry because it willchange in two minutes. And I agree with an earlier reviewer. The endingissurprisingly poetic.Much to my dismay, my Hollywood Video shelves this movie in the horrorsection!!!! Obviously nobody there has seen it.

dahlia-8 2012-05-01 22:19:04

sweet little movie

I caught this at 4:30 in the morning on cable, and was expecting the usual4:30-cable fare. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought this film was touching and sometimes pretty funny. (See JohnCusack as Scary Guy.) Mr. Dillon has an amazing face, and does a great jobwith minimal dialogue. Some of the vignettes bog down a bit, but overallthis one is definitely a renter.Look for the Muslim cabbies praying in the parking lot.

MovieAddict2011 2012-05-01 07:43:39

A surprising little low-budget film

I saw this listed in my TV guide and didn't think much of it - but thenI looked it up on IMDb to discover that John Cusack and Julianne Moore,amongst others, had cameos in it - so I watched it.I was surprised because the IMDb rating is deceptive - it's actuallypretty good. A bit flawed, yes, and the lead actor (who plays a cabbietraveling the city at night) could have employed a less cheesy NYCaccent, but otherwise I was entertained. The overall tone of the movieis more pessimistic than I would have imagined; the ending isbittersweet and surprising.Cusack's cameo is the best, as a secret service agent-type who istaking a ride in the cab in an effort to spy on someone. It's worthwatching for his scene alone.

2012-04-30 14:34:57

Taxi Cab Confessions

This film was ok but not really all that great. It's just ok. So Taxi Cab Confessions like. I wonder if HBO is laughing at this film.