A Taxi Driver (2017) - A Review

 

This movie is excellent!

A Taxi Driver is a South Korean historical drama movie released in 2017, starring Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yoo Hae-jin, Ryu Jun-yeol, and Choi Gwi-hwa. Jang Hoon directed A Taxi Driver, which is based on a true story.

Song Kang-ho as Kim Man-seob. What a performance!

Song Kang-ho plays Kim Man-seob, a humble taxi driver who lives in Seoul, South Korea in 1980. He is the single father of a young daughter, whom he loves very much. Kim is in debt to his landlord, which is not helped by taxi customers not being able to pay him their fares. One day, Kim overhears another taxi driver talking about being hired by a foreign client to go into Gwangju for the day and come back to Seoul before curfew. The amount the client is paying is the exact amount Kim needs to pay off his debt. Naturally, Kim sneaks off to pick up the client.

From left: Peter, Gu Jae-sik, and Kim.

The foreign client is Jürgen Hinzpeter, called Peter throughout the movie (played by Thomas Kretschmann), a West German journalist who has come into South Korea claiming to be a missionary. Unbeknownst to Kim, Peter is there to film the civil unrest happening in Gwangju. Things are icy between the two as they sneak into Gwangju and travel the eerily empty roads until they meet up with student protestors on the way. One of them, Gu Jae-sik (played by Ryu Jun-yeol), speaks fluent English (Kim can only speak basic English), so Peter asks him to be his interpreter.

Kim, at first, does not believe the military is attacking and killing innocent protestors, since he was in the military in his younger years, and he believes the military would never do that. It doesn't help that there is nothing but propaganda on the TV and radio blaming all of the violence on the protesters and gangs. As Kim, Peter, and Jae-sik go further into the city, they witness firsthand all of the violence and killing. Peter promises to bring the footage he captures out of South Korea and show the world what is really happening. Kim promises to help Peter with getting out of Gwangju and to the airport. Things go wrong, of course, and Kim just wants to go back to his daughter. Will Kim abandon Peter to go back to his daughter, and will he even be able to get back?

In the middle of the civil unrest.

A Taxi Driver takes place during the Gwangju Uprising in South Korea in 1980. This was an important moment in South Korea's history, and this movie focuses on two of the (many) people who helped make a difference during this time. We see the political turmoil through the eyes of Kim Man-seob, a humble taxi driver  and former Korean soldier who only cares about his daughter. We see him, as a former soldier, at first believe the propaganda on the news that the protestors and gangs are causing the violence; and be in disbelief that the police and military would be killing the protestors without provocation. As he goes through the city, helps random people, and meets protestors, eventually getting into life or death situations himself; Kim begins to side with the protestors. The change is gradual, but Kim is a good man throughout.

Song Kang-ho's portrayal of Kim Man-seob is so good. His acting is not over the top, it's more subtle and realistic. You want him to succeed and to stay safe throughout the movie. He also has some humorous scenes, and he is quite good at soccer (football). Yoo Hae-jin, who plays a Gwangju taxi driver is also very good. The character he plays is such a good person as well. Ryu Jun-yeol as Gu Jae-sik also has a great performance in a pivotal role in the film. Just great performances all around in this movie. The cinematography is good, and the movie is never boring. It moves along at a nice pace as well.

In conclusion, A Taxi Driver is an excellent movie that I think should be seen by as many people as possible. It is a historical drama, with some action (or more like violence), and some real emotion. It may even make you cry! The story becomes more tragic when you find out what happened to Kim and Peter in real life. Watch the movie first, then look up the real life story. A Taxi Driver is must see.

The real life Peter and Kim.

Reviewed by David Williams