From Oscar-nominated director Christian Carion comes a film about a seemingly simple taxi ride across Paris that evolves into a meditation on the complex lives of grumpy driver Charles (Dany Boon) and his chatty fare, the impeccably dressed nonagenarian Madeleine (Line Renaud). Moving from the suburbs to a nursing home across town, she asks him to detour through the city and stop at the places that once figured prominently in her life. Her easy charm and warmth soon get them both talking, revealing his chronic worries and her shocking past. How ever did they film in Paris traffic? With some crafty multi-camera cinematography on a flatbed truck and virtual projections of that footage on screens for the actors to react to in real time. The city, of course, is another important character in this film.
“Driving Madeleine is held together by the funny and dignified performances of its two leads.” — Odie Henderson, The Boston Globe
Christian Carion
Cyril Gely, Christian Carion
Line Renaud, Dany Boon, Alice Isaaz
French (with English subtitles)
France, Belgium