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movie review - Taxi Blues

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

This is a depressing Russian film which won raves at the Cannes film festival, but is just to grim and pointless to get into. The main character is a solid working man hero who drives a cab. His friend and project is an alcoholic Jewish saxaphone player. The cab driver first takes an interest in the musician when the latter ducks his fare. RThey become friends. Later, after having been straightened out by the cabbie, the musician finds himself in a world well beyond the cabbie, and they part.

The most interesting part of this movie is the backdrop, which is Moscow during the early years of the Soviet breakup. Things are violent and discordant, with corruption, poverty, and despair everywhere.

Recommended. For those with a strong constitution.