Taxi Blues

1990 1h 50m RU

😐

6.2

MID

🍅

71%

FRESH

⭐

7.3

IMDB

★6.2TMDB · 49🍅71%Rotten Tomatoes★7.3IMDB · 1,956

DramaComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Pyotr Mamonov
Lyosha
Pyotr Zaychenko
Shlykov
Natalya Kolyakanova
Christina
Elena Safonova
Nina
Vladimir Kashpur
Old Nechiporenko
Sergey Gazarov
Administrator
Igor Zolotovitsky
Petyunchik
Vladimir Sterzhakov
Musician in the Taxi

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Pavel Lungin
Writers: Pavel Lungin
Languages: Russian
Countries: Soviet Union, France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

36 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Soviet Union, France.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Pavel Lungin, shot by Andrei Zhegalov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Elisabeth Guido shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Pyotr Mamonov and Pyotr Zaychenko and Natalya Kolyakanova carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0100757 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 49 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Pavel Lungin directs. Andrei Zhegalov behind the camera. Elisabeth Guido cuts. Produced in Soviet Union, France. Dialogue in Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

136 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 2 countries: Soviet Union, France.
3Directed by Pavel Lungin, shot by Andrei Zhegalov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Elisabeth Guido shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Pyotr Mamonov and Pyotr Zaychenko and Natalya Kolyakanova carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0100757 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 49 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.