MovieChat Forums > Taxi (2015) Discussion > Are any of the films main protagonists n...

Are any of the films main protagonists not acting?


This was billed from reviews I've seen as a "mix" between real life and acting. I'm well aware of the modern Iranian tradition of mixing real actors with spontaneous chance encounters with the public so I have a good reference.

To me though this particular film seemed to be completely staged. Sure, maybe the guy selling music CDs to Panahi through the window was real and other passers by, but were ANY of the main actors in the car not scripted?! I believe not, it felt totally constructed, every scene, especially how contrived all the dialogue with its references to cinema, films, even other Panahi films.

You can tell I was disappointed probably. Anyhow, I just wanted to check, does anyone believe anything of major importance wasn't staged? Because for me this was for all intents and purposes a scripted and staged film using incredibly little chance and real life... just the backdrop outside the car at most but nothing more.

Give me Kiarostami's Ten any day.

reply

I really wanted to watch the movie because I thought it would be spontaneous and I was a bit disappointed when I realized that it was completely staged. It is still a good movie and it shows some interesting things about Iran. Since it was the first Panahi movie I had the chance to watch I could not find any references to his previous films. But yes, all of the action that takes place inside the taxi seems to be scripted.

reply

Ok thanks for backing up this.

I hope you've had a chance to go see some of his other stuff now as that is really fantastic and this is like a pale imitation. In fact it reminds me of say an Early 2000's Woody allen film or someone just playing the same tricks over and over, a bit like "The Man from London" by Bela Tarr.

reply

You have to remember that Panahi has been effectively banned from making films and has been given a six year jail sentence for "colluding with the intention to commit crimes against the country's national security and propaganda against the Islamic republic", a sentence which hangs over his head and could kick in any time. As in his previous films This Is Not A Film and Closed Curtain the director nonetheless continues to make films in any way he can, and Taxi Tehran allows him to venture "outside" and make a film that addresses the concerns he feels need to be expressed, even though confined for the most part to a taxi cab. Kiarostami was lucky and left the country, not an option for Panahi. I have nothing but admiration for the director to continue to make films when he could easily have given in to the authorities. Oh a lot of the film may have been staged, but the director is only able to make films this way. Give me Taxi Tehran any time.


reply

Well this is my whole point, I don't feel he did need to stage the film. Quite the opposite! Whilst getting the results he wanted and being able to construct something with such a controlled message may not be possible by just filming real people not prompted with a script its so much more interesting. That was what was so good about "This is not a film" as we saw or even just heard interactions with his neighbours etc.

As I'm sure you know so much of the last decades of recent Iranian film (outside of popcorn entertainment films) has played with the contrast of reality vs fiction, often using chance and real people in un-staged events and of course its something he is particularly know for himself!

So to make something with such a fixed clear message which was in my opinion rather too contrived and forced felt very unsubtle. The film gives the pretence of being real and yet it shows very little reality, especially in comparison with his last few films.


So yes I'm glad he's still making films and I understand he has few options, but this was still a real disappointment. I would have loved a film with more real conversations and not such a forced message to it.

reply

I'm really not sure you can claim greater knowledge of what he can and can't achieve in that format and context. Surely, he's in a position to understand far more than you, what he could and could not achieve. Who knows: maybe he has hundreds of hours of quiet, boring, and rather typical tax rides. Which would say nothing except that Iranians are just like the rest of us, and don't share anywhere near as much about ourselves with taxi drivers as much as myth and movies tell us we do. Unless we're drunk, of course - which isn't a very Iranian pastime. Remember, too, there is a lot of fear in Iran - and a lot of suspicion. A pleasant and open, honest conversation with a Tehran taxi driver may well only be shared by the brave, the careless, the stupid, and those in authority looking to catch people out.

reply

You certainly do have an important point. I hadn't thought of it. Thanks.

reply