Dakota Johnson is a passenger in both life and a yellow taxi cab, seeking connection with whomever is most near. For her, that turns out to be crass driver Clark, played by Sean Penn in the two-hander drama “Daddio.”
Their shared journey is from New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Hell’s Kitchen, with Johnson’s character Girlie determined to get to Clark’s innermost being. He’s not into it. The indie feature written and directed by Christy Hall debuted at TIFF 2023 and will next play at Tribeca 2024.
Johnson executive produces alongside TeaTime Pictures partner Ro Donnelly, who told IndieWire that Girlie is emotionally “reflective” of the below-the-line team behind the feature itself.
“Because she is our generation of women who are still approaching these men in a nonjudgmental way because it’s fascinating. We’re not threatened by it,” producer Donnelly said. “And that reveals her power, the fact that she holds her own. She really is reflective of all the women who made this movie, she’s our girl. And we like that she’s so curious and almost tickled by [him], especially when he’s saying crazy shit. She’s like, ‘Oh, really?’ She goes head to head with him,” said Hall. “And that’s what we love about her is she’s not afraid. She’s not afraid to really fucking go for it.”
“Daddio” was originally conceived of as a stage play, but thanks to producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff (“The Irishman”), production designer Kristi Zea (“Revolutionary Road”), and director of photography Phedon Papamichael (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”), the script became a feature. Production lasted only for 16 days — mostly on a stage — with Johnson telling Bustle that the indie was her “salvation” after shooting green screen-heavy “Madame Web.”
As Donnelly told IndieWire, “I believe it takes thousands of tiny miracles to get to day one of any movie. This was no exception, but it was one of the greatest sets I’ve ever been on from top to bottom.”
Producers include Hall, Johnson, Donnelly, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, and Terry Dougas. Executive producers are Jean-Luc De Fanti, Max Work, Kostas Tsoukalas, and Christopher Donnelly.
“Daddio” premieres June 28 in theaters. Check out the trailer below.
