Taxi Blues

1990
7.3| 1h50m| en
Details

Ivan is old Russia: thick, dour, hard-working, often brutish; he misses Communism. He drives a taxi and one night meets Alexi, a new Russian, a musician, an alcoholic, irresponsible. Alexi stiffs Ivan for the fare, so Ivan tracks him down and a love-hate relationship ensues. When Alexi lets the bath water run over in Ivan's flat and Ivan must pay 500 rubles for repairs, he tries to force Alexi into day labor to repay him. It's hopeless. Then, suddenly, Alexi is discovered, goes on a jazz tour of America, becomes a celebrity, and returns in triumph. Ivan longs to renew the friendship, and it looks as if he may get what he wants.

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Also starring Natalya Kolyakanova

Reviews

Karry Best movie of this year hands down!
Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!
Console best movie i've ever seen.
andreygrachev Pyotr Mamonov is one of the brightest representatives of Soviet new wave music scene. He is both rock musician, poet,performer and well-known actor. Here he plays a sax player, who is leading a life of alcochol addict and looser, who is begging for money playing drunk in the streets of Moscow. Ivan is an opposite character- He is hard-working taxi driver, who pays respect to laws and social rules. When he meats Selivestrov (Mamonov) he dislikes him a lot. Selivestrov is spending all money on vodka and tries to cheat a taxi driver, escaping to pay for taxist's work. But Ivvan finds a looser sax player and tries to teach him be honest, hard-working and successful in life. It is very hard for Selivyostrov to start new life, but he manages to do it in the end and becomes world famous star. Great score by legendary free jazz Vladimir Chekasin, perfect acting, best views on Perestroika times and a lot of good humor one can see here Highly recommended for those who are exploring Russian underground music scene of 80s.www.myspace.com/neizvestnostlab
BobaMetallica After I watched Taksi-Blyuz I`m again convinced that Russian cinematography is spectacular, always has been and always will be. I would recommend listening to music by Charlie Parker ("Bird") as an alternate soundtrack to this film.Me again. Rasto is a man of few words. However, he likes the movie, and his word is good. I haven't seen it yet, but probably will. Rasto has spoken!
grob248 Besides this, I have only seen one movie by Pavel Lungin, namely Luna-park, which also comes off highly recommended. Taxi Blues is an excellent work all in itself. Lungin very well transcends the chaotic atmosphere in Russia during the late Perestroika period, and prior to the break-up of the Soviet Union itself. The tumultous relationship between two main characters represents bipolar parts of the Russian society, and shows degradation of the social fabric. Piotr Mamonov (who is also the leader of the well-known Moscow rock-band Zvuki Moo) turns in an impressive performance as Lyosha - a westernized, alcoholic Jewish mucisian. The rest of the characters are equally picturesqe, be it the strong willed, conservative, nationalistic taxi driver, or his neighbor, an old man of the Stalinist generation. The film's unsettling pacing and incessant moodswings further contribute to the overall picture. An excellent film from one of Russia's leading directors.
bgrady Pavel Lungin's film Taxi Blues explores many different aspects of contemporary Russian life. Set against the cultural malting pot of Moscow, the story unfolds as two men compare and contrast their lots in life, each admiring what the other has and wishing they could have it as well.The film begins with a taxi driver, driven by the hardships in life and accustomed to the dark side of life in Moscow. He picks up a group of musicians after a night out on the town, and after the last one has been dropped off, he is stiffed on the bill. Enraged, the taxi driver stalks the last musician out of the taxi, corners him, and steals his saxophone. In return, the musician is thus forced to perform manual labor for the taxi fare, and to get his saxophone back! The conflict in the film is evident through the two characters involved here. The taxi driver is a dark, strong-willed character, and the musician is a thin and weak soul. They see each other as complete opposite, almost as enemies. But, they somehow manage to find a friendship through their encounter. Gradually, each becomes dependant upon the other, and this is essentially the film's theme. What Lungin is attempting to convey here is that sometimes the bleakest situations in our lives can provide our best opportunities for self-improvement. Both characters are lost, but in different capacities. They are alone, frustrated, and tired, but both experience these things on different levels; the working class level, and the creative/artistic level. Through their experiences together, both men help one another to achieve something greater for themselves, and their friendship is a testament to that.