Sadly Over-hyped

Brilliant and touching

A Brilliant Conflict

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Taxi ran for five seasons on television and sadly came to an end when too many of its cast members decided to strike out on their own and most had really successful careers. Can you imagine a show where Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Andy Kaufman, and Christopher Lloyd all appeared and many times in the same episodes? Getting them at their full market big screen value would cause any studio to go chapter 11.All of these people got their first big break on Taxi a comedy with only one set for most of the episodes. DeVito was cab dispatcher Louis DiPalma, a bully and a tyrant who reveled in his rule over the lives of his drivers. DeVito had few redeeming qualities other than he was a realist. Part of his realism was stepping on the dreams of others.People like Tony Danza who drove a cab to pay the rent, but was really a boxer looking for the career path upwards and more than likely missed it drove for DeVito. Jeff Conaway was an actor who drove between gigs as most of the actors I know do something else for a living and dream of becoming stars. John Randall Carver was a young law student who left after a season. Marilu Henner was a divorcée and constantly avoiding the innuendos of DeVito of which there were plenty. She was sexually harassed, maybe the most sexually harassed woman ever to be a television character. Funniest of all was Christopher Lloyd who was a drugged out refugee of the 60s. He replaced Carver and DeVito's barbs never bothered him because he dealt with them through ignorance. A lot like the way Chico Marx dealt with Groucho in their films. The only one who could really deal with DeVito was Judd Hirsch who was as much New York as Jerry Orbach on Law And Order. He was a 40 something man who had no attachments and no pretensions, he drove a cab to earn a living and liked his job. He was friend and counselor to all and was one of the favorite characters I liked in all the decades of watching the tube.Lastly there was Andy Kaufman who sadly did not live long after Taxi finished its run. He was unique to say the least in his comedy. The garage mechanic from some unnamed Eastern European country which allowed Kaufman to develop his own accent for his own country. He drove DeVito and the rest nuts with his nonsequiters in a foreign accent.Taxi had one of the great ensemble casts in the history of television and incubated many a career still going to this day.

It doesn't happen very often, but from time to time in history the human race has managed to create something so supreme, so perfect and so outstanding that not even does it become a wonder, but it also lifts the entire creativity in man to a higher level and sets a new standard according to what people are able to create and how they evolve. The show Taxi is the result of one of those man made manifestations.Its real, its genius and its surprising. Its the art of acting, humor and intelligence come together. It captures centuries of human knowledge and wisdom. So marvelous put together, that not only will it be the best creation of its time, but its also an ideal for all times.Many shows since are a reflection of TAXI, with many ideas, taken more or less directly from the show, and have become famous on that base. But they will never ever reach the hight of the original: TAXI Which once and for all proofs what a unique and unbeatable masterpiece TAXI is. A true wonder. Now, then and forever.

My favorite episode was when Alex got his old dog, Buddy, back from the farm where he had been staying for the past several years.Before Alex went to pick him up, he told everyone at the shop what a great dog he was and all about his great "play dead" trick, where Alex does a Lone Ranger routine before pretending to shoot Buddy. When Alex gets Buddy back to his apartment, he tries over and over to get Buddy to perform the trick, but Buddy has apparently forgotten it. Buddy isn't well and Alex takes him to the vet. After the vet gives Alex the bad news that Buddy doesn't have much longer to live. Alex takes Buddy home and treats him like a king. He even sautes his dog food in a wine sauce. Alex's date one night thinks it is some of Alex's gourmet cooking and helps herself.Then one day Alex brings Buddy into work with him. Everyone wants Alex to do the famous "play dead" trick but he begs off, knowing that Buddy has forgotten it. But finally, under great pressure, especially from Louie, Alex tries one more time. And, you got it, this time Buddy slumps over and collapses on the floor right on cue. But he doesn't get up and you know what happened. Tony is the only one not to figure it out and makes some inappropriate comment. But everyone else slowly circles around Alex and Buddy and tears are welling in everyone's eyes, including mine. Alex chokes when he tries to say something and Nardo tries to comfort him. The camera goes from face to face and then slowly pans down to Buddy, lying lifeless on the floor. But then, lo and behold, Buddy slowly turns his head to the side to look up at the stunned crew standing there shocked and crying.Buddy had done the best "play dead" trick any dog had ever done! I literally jumped out of my chair and shouted something like "I do not believe it!" at the TV. The bastards totally punked me. They had me crying, for God's sake. Sadness turned to shock, to amazement, to anger, to laughter, and then finally to sadness again. Because, after the last break, Alex was sitting alone on the bench at work looking completely lost. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out Buddy's empty collar and broke down in tears. And so did I! And that was the end of the best Taxi episode, or any situation comedy episode I have ever seen or probably ever will see.

They don't make comedies like Taxi anymore. A couple of years ago, a local television station aired a two hours worth of shows like Taxi, Welcome Back Kotter, The Jeffersons, and the Odd Couple on Saturday nights. For those of us who didn't have plans, I stayed in to watch shows that I never got to watch like on prime time because I was too young. Anyway, it ended in less than a year after it started. Sadly, those four shows were superior to our contemporary sitcoms like Will and Grace and Friends. These shows were all set in New York City and they didn't have the attractive group that today's producers need to look at when you want an audience to laugh. Sorry folks at Friends and Will and Grace, the truth is that these four shows were multi-cultural thirty years before Friends and Will and Grace. No, they weren't always attractive to the audience but who casts somebody because of their looks. It's about talent and comic genius. Taxi had a great theme music which I'm listening to right now. It also had an excellent cast of characters played by great talents like Oscar nominee Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Jeff Conway, Tony Danza, Andrew Kaufman (we miss you the most) and Christopher Lloyd. Rhea Perlman also appeared and so many wonderful others. What separates this show from today's ideals about live in New York City is the gritty and struggling of the characters trying to make ends meet. IT still goes on today in the New York City area. You know I find this show believable now more than I ever did.