I'll give John Astin for trying to make something out of this slice of life so called comedy about a man trying to struggle to make a living, walking out on his regular job and opening up a cab service, riding around all day in San Diego trying to get fares while struggling to stay afloat, pay bills and feed his large family. He's the only recognizable cast member outside of a few obscure cameo appearances, so the film basically rests on his shoulders. Basically nothing really happens other than the encounters with the various passengers he runs into, several groups of sailors on leave, offering them special deals. He drives across the Coronado Bridge several times to the famous hotel, so there are some great shots of that iconic landmark.
Films like this are at their best when they deal with quirky characters coming and going, and this film is overloaded with that so it is not entirely awful and painful to watch, with characters of eccentric personalities both troubling and humorous popping out, one woman physically as she changes in the back of the cab. This is a film that some audiences will find it very difficult to make it through, but in spite of an obviously cheap budget, I did find it for the most part fast moving even though after a while I was frustrated with the lack of a linear plot. Something tells me that this would have been better as a sitcom because it acts like one, and what little story there is could fill out 25 minutes rather than the 90 minutes this runs. It even plays like a sitcom, although this is definitely not one that would have had a live audience considering that most of it takes place on the streets of the city. Definitely a time capsule (that being an obscure one), and I did smile with slight guffaws a couple of times.
Films like this are at their best when they deal with quirky characters coming and going, and this film is overloaded with that so it is not entirely awful and painful to watch, with characters of eccentric personalities both troubling and humorous popping out, one woman physically as she changes in the back of the cab. This is a film that some audiences will find it very difficult to make it through, but in spite of an obviously cheap budget, I did find it for the most part fast moving even though after a while I was frustrated with the lack of a linear plot. Something tells me that this would have been better as a sitcom because it acts like one, and what little story there is could fill out 25 minutes rather than the 90 minutes this runs. It even plays like a sitcom, although this is definitely not one that would have had a live audience considering that most of it takes place on the streets of the city. Definitely a time capsule (that being an obscure one), and I did smile with slight guffaws a couple of times.