Taxi (I) (2004)

A mouthy and feisty taxicab driver has hot tips for a green and inept cop set on solving a string of New York City bank robberies committed by a quartet of female Brazilian bank robbers.

Director:

Tim Story

Writers:

Luc Besson (earlier screenplay), Robert Ben Garant (screenplay),

Stars:

Queen Latifah, Jimmy Fallon, Henry Simmons

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Queen Latifah	...	Isabelle 'Belle' Williams
Jimmy Fallon	...	Andrew 'Andy' Washburn
Henry Simmons	...	Jesse
Jennifer Esposito	...	Lt. Marta Robbins
Gisele Bündchen	...	Vanessa
Ana Cristina de Oliveira	...	Redhead
Ingrid Vandebosch	...	Third Robber
Magali Amadei	...	Fourth Robber
Ann-Margret	...	Mrs. Washburn
Christian Kane	...	Agent Mullins
Boris McGiver	...	Franklin
Adrian Martinez	...	Brasilian Man
Joe Lisi	...	Mr. Scalia
Bryna Weiss	...	Mrs. Scalia
GQ	...	Stopwatch Messenger

Storyline

Belle Williams is a speed demon. Flying through the streets of New York in her tricked-out taxi, she's earned a rep as New York's fastest cabbie. But driving a hack is only a pit stop for her real dream: Belle wants to be a race car champion. And she's well on her way--until she's derailed by overeager cop Andy Washburn, whose undercover skills are matched only by his total ineptitude behind the wheel. Washburn, whose lack of vehicular skills has landed him in the precinct doghouse, is hot on the heels of a gang of beautiful Brazilian bank robbers, led by Vanessa, their cold, calculating--and leggy--leader. To nab the evasive crooks, drivers license-less Washburn convinces Belle to team up with him to pursue Vanessa and crew. Belle has carte blanche to drive at any speed and break any law. The car-less cop and speed-demon cabbie--New York's unlikeliest partners-- begin a high-speed game of cat and mouse with the robbers. That is, if Belle and Washburn don't end up killing each other ...

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Plot Keywords:

brazilian | undercover | bank robbery | driving | taxi | 

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Taglines:

Take a Ride on the Wild Side.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language, sensuality and brief violence

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [us] Official site [br]

Country:

USA France

Language:

English Portuguese Spanish

Release Date:

8 October 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

New York Taxi

Filming Locations:

23rd St. & Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$130,592 (South Africa) (14 January 2005)

Gross:

$36,609,966 (USA) (18 February 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, EuropaCorp, Robert Simonds Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 104 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

WILHELM SCREAM: When the red BMW drives down the sidewalk.

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Goofs

When Washburn crashes the first car, he pounds on the steering wheel. This action triggers inflation of the airbag. The sensor for the airbag is in the front bumper, which was undamaged as the car ran backwards into the store. Thus, pounding on the steering wheel would not fire off the airbag.

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Quotes

Lt. Marta Robbins: You're fired. You're not on suspension. You're not on temporary leave. You're fired! Ms. Williams, I'm giving your license back with a warning. If I catch you driving that thing in this city again, it is mine. Andy, as a friend, I'm sorry.
Washburn: But, Lieutenant...
Lt. Marta Robbins: Andy, please! You left me no choice. Now give me your badge.
[Washburn hands over his badge scorched by Belle's boyfriend, Jesse]
Lt. Marta Robbins: What?
[exhales, then walks away]
Belle: Hey... wanna share a cab?
Washburn: [sadly] Yeah.

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Crazy Credits

Outtakes are shown during the closing credits

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Connections

Referenced in 30 Rock: Stone Mountain (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Pick Up the Pieces"
Written by Roger Ball, Malcolm Duncan, Alan Gorrie, Onnie McIntyre,
Hamish Stuart and Robbie McIntosh
Performed by Average White Band
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing

User Reviews

This Taxi's run outta gas

TAXI is the American remake of the quirky 1998 Luc Besson comedy. While the core of the film is still oriented around fast cars, hot chicks and zany humour, the film's light-hearted French comedic ambiance has been replaced with a dirtier, more strident, and somewhat more serious American action-comedy feel, which, although it tries hard, doesn't quite translate as it should. Queen Latifah leads as Belle Williams, a taxi driver who runs a souped-up Ford around the meaner streets of the city. Jimmy Fallon plays the unco New York cop who lands in her cab one day in pursuit of a bunch of foxy Brazilian bank robbers. Together, they muddle through car-crashes, shoot-outs and weirdly-decorated apartments to bring crooks to justice. While the plot sounds like a good premise for a decent comedy, the film is sorely lacking in script composition. The one-liners are crap, the jokes feel forced, and the script, which alternates between taking itself too seriously and sheer stupidity, does no justice whatsoever to the energetic and talented cast. A major disappointment from what looked to be a brilliant film. Someone should remake it in six more years - with a little more skill, I hope.