Taxi (2004 film)

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Infobox film Taxi is a 2004 action comedy film directed by Tim Story and starring Queen Latifa, Shania Twain, Jimmy Fallon, Gisele Bündchen in her film debut, Jennifer Esposito, and Ann-Margret. An incompetent New York City police officer is banned from driving and comes to rely on a talented taxi driver to help him solve a series of bank robberies. The film is a remake of the 1998 French film of the same name.

The film is set in New York City. In the film, a demoted police detective convinces a taxicab driver to help him track down a Brazilian gang of bank robbers, and to find out how the gang transports the stolen money. The detective is soon fired for insubordination, but the duo proceed in confronting the gang.

The film was released by 20th Century Fox on October 6, 2004, in the United States. The film was panned by critics.

Plot

Bicycle courier Belle Williams earns her taxi license and installs a supercharger in her custom-built 1999 Ford Crown Victoria taxicab. Her first customer offers her a $100 tip if she can make it to the airport in fifteen minutes. She does, with incredible speed and skill in the process, maneuvering through the streets of New York City.

Meanwhile, bumbling detective Andy Washburn crashes his partner's car while on a mission to apprehend a group of robbers, and is demoted to foot patrol duty by his boss Lt. Marta Robbins, who is also his ex-girlfriend. Hearing of another bank robbery, Washburn flags down Belle's taxi.

They arrive at the bank just as a quartet of female Brazilian robbers leave in a BMW 7-series. Belle recognizes them as models she saw earlier at the airport. Police arrive and mistakenly apprehend Belle and Washburn. Her cab is impounded, and she is questioned. Washburn promises to get her car back if she helps him solve the bank robberies.

Washburn takes Belle to his home after her boyfriend Jesse kicks her out for missing a special dinner date. Washburn's constantly drunk mother brings up embarrassing moments of his past and talks about why he is such a bad driver.

Washburn convinces the impound cop to return Belle's cab. The duo realizes the gang robs banks just before the garbage collection is due, placing the money in the trash, which the garbage man then collects.

Washburn is fired for disobeying orders, and Belle is given a final warning for reckless driving. Belle teaches Washburn to drive, and they figure out which garbage collector is acting for the gang, discovering they have kidnapped his wife. The duo recover his wife and the money.

Figuring out which bank is next to be hit, the police ambush the robbers. As they have taken a hostage, Robbins offers to take his place, which they accept. As they escape, Washburn and Belle follow in her cab. Belle calls on the help of her bicycle courier friends to pinpoint the car.

Negotiating a trade with the thieves, they organize to swap the robbery cash for Robbins. This exchange, the hostage for the money, is to be done while driving down the highway. So, Washburn leads the robbers towards a long bridge under construction.

The robbers' leader Vanessa fires her gun at them, wounding Belle. While the police arrest Vanessa, Washburn drives Belle to the hospital, singing "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)". He crashes into the hospital entrance, so Belle can be attended quickly.

Belle achieves her dream of driving in NASCAR, sponsored by New York banks. Washburn is reinstated for foiling the robberies, going undercover with Robbins as a couple. They and Washburn's mother attend Belle's first race to cheer her on. Jesse proposes to Belle via Jumbotron. As Belle begins the race, Jeff Gordon pulls up as a challenger.

Reception

Box office

Taxi was released on October 6, 2004, in 3,001 theaters and opened at #4 at the box office with $12 million in the opening weekend. It went on to gross $36.9 million domestically and $34.4 million from other markets for a worldwide total of $71.3 million, against a production budget of $25 million.

The film was released in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2004, and opened on #5.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Critical response

Template:Rotten Tomatoes prose<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Metacritic film prose<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">Template:Cite web</ref>

Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote: "How one likes Taxi has everything to do with how one responds to the hapless cop character, played by Jimmy Fallon." LaSalle was also critical of the car chases, calling them "lackluster and fairly unconvincing."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "This thoroughly repetitive, ill conceived and poorly executed effort—with an emphasis on the word 'effort'—defeats these two talented people more often than not."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Robert Koehler of Variety called the film "embarrassing evidence that even a ragged French original can be better than its American remake. Failing to improve on the inept but hugely successful 1998 Luc Besson vehicle."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times stated "Oh, this is a bad movie" and "only gets worse as it plows along."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Megan Lehmann of the New York Post dubbed the film "Taxi Drivel" and said: "This witless action comedy begins to insult the audience's intelligence from the opening scene."<ref name="nypost">Template:Cite web</ref>

Claudia Puig of USA Today wrote: "A surprisingly funny, female-driven romp—as long as you don't question too many plot particulars."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Accolades

Year	Ceremony	Category	Recipients	Result
2005	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie: Villain	Gisele Bündchen	Template:Nom
		Choice Movie: Female Breakout Star	Gisele Bündchen	Template:Nom
		Choice Movie: Rockstar Moment	Jimmy Fallon sings "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)"	Template:Nom

External links

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