A Taxi Driver (2017)
A Seoul taxi driver unwittingly transports a German journalist during 1980's Gwangju uprising. Perfect for fans of historical dramas.
Genres: Action, Drama, History
Cast
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A Taxi Driver(2017)
Overview
May, 1980. Man-seob is a taxi driver in Seoul who lives from hand to mouth, raising his young daughter alone. One day, he hears that there is a foreigner who will pay big money for a drive down to Gwangju city. Not knowing that he’s a German journalist with a hidden agenda, Man-seob takes the job.
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Cast
Full Cast & Crew
Song Kang-ho
Kim Man-seob
Thomas Kretschmann
Jürgen Hinzpeter
Yoo Hai-jin
Hwang Tae-sul
Ryu Jun-yeol
Gu Jae-sik
Park Hyuk-kwon
Reporter Choi
Choi Gwi-hwa
Civvies Leader
Cha Soon-bae
Driver Cha
Shin Dam-su
Driver Sin
Ryu Sung-hyun
Driver Ryoo
Um Tae-goo
Illegal checkpoint Sergeant First C...
Lee Jung-eun
Hwang Tae-sool's wife
Seo Hyun-woo
Security Command
Ko Chang-seok
Sang-gu's Father
Jeon Hye-jin
Sang-gu's Mother
Joey Albright
BBC Reporter David John
Jung Jin-young
Reporter Lee
Ryu Tae-ho
Newspaper Manager
Jeong Seok-yong
Car Center Manager
Heo Jeong-do
Seoul Man
Kyul Hwi
Checkpoint Soldier 2
Featured Comments/Tips
One of the most heart wrenching movies I'#39;ve ever seen. The fact that this is based on real life saddens me to my core. Humans can be so fucking cruel sometimes. My heart goes out to the families who suffered from this horrible tragedy. As a human being we Must see this to realize how awfully privileged we are. That last video recording broke me. Please watch this tremendous movie.
One of the best movies I ever ever ever watched. I'm glad I could watch this.
Korean Movies Always Top Notch
The poster may appear humorous and the plot initially mundane, you aren't prepared for what unfolds over the next 2½ hours once you start watching it. "A Taxi Driver" is a powerful film based on real events from South Korean history, depicting an infamous act of human bravery. It brings a dark chapter from South Korea's past to life on screen in a disturbing, impactful, and deeply moving manner. Song Kang-ho delivers a standout performance, once again capturing emotions with remarkable depth. Real-life events, including footage of the Gwangju uprising, are presented in an engaging and thought-provoking manner through the perspectives of two outsiders.
dope movie to learn about what happen. sad movie for sure but i had to see song kang ho performance since was so good in parasite. 9/10
A journey of gradual disillusionment for a "boot-licking" taxi driver, portrayed beautifully by Song Kang-ho, amidst the 1980 Gwangju Massacre where close to 2,000 people were killed and over 2,000 were wounded.
God damn. I think I should watch more Korean films. That was a roller coster of emotions. You know you'#39;re watching a good movie when you can see flaws in it, but they don'#39;t bother you and also don'#39;t ruin the experience for you. ~~Special thank you goes to Kinopoisk. Only that platform could have advertised this movie as a comedy with familiar actor. Bless you~~
A Taxi Driver is an ode to the untamed spirit and courage of how ordinary people do extraordinary things. Based on true events this South Korean drama is centered around the Gwang Ju Democratization Movement of 1980. The harrowing scenes of blood bath are so genuinely presented that at times it'#39;s astonishingly tragic and painful. Bolstered by a remarkable performance by Kang-Ho Song this film delivers an unalloyed yet heart-rending episode of Korean Political History. How the unflinching determination of Kang to help the German reporter reach Japan is a sterling example of true grit and compassion. A must-watch marvel. Full Reviews : www.instagram.com/stream.genx
1 / 2 directing 'amp; technical aspect 1 / 1 story 1 / 1 act I 1 / 1 act II 1 / 1 act III 1 / 1 acting 1 / 1 writing 0 / 1 originality .5 / 1 lasting ability to make you think 0 / 1 misc 7.5 / 10
This was a good movie, and really emotional.
This was very dramatised and often sensationalist but there were some incredibly hard-hitting gritty scenes that spoke for the film’s core as a commentary on oppressive regimes. Definitely worth the watch and Song Kang-Ho has to be one of the greatest actors living today.
Humans are shit to each other. What fascism/communism do to a nation and its people. And the abuse of power by the military. Very sad. And shitty af. Fortunately in these bad times there are always human beings who overcome and help each other. I hope no one ever forgets what happened. --- 2.5 points -'gt; Cinematography (0-3) 1.8 points -'gt; Acting and Characters (0-2) 1.8 points -'gt; Plot (0-3) 0.8 points -'gt; Music 'amp; Audio (0-1) 0.9 -'gt; enjoyed the movie. (0-1) Aka. 8.5 points
Featured User Reviews
if you are looking for a true story that plays out the human condition fabulously, this is the one. Honestly there's never a foreign film that makes it to the US, even through streaming services that isn't worth watching. You have to read, but it's always worth it. This film was phenomenal. I think a lot of people don't want to give a 10, but I try to be fair and this story is just fantastic. The acting is great and you get a sense of each of the characters and how important this was to South Korean history. The actors do an amazing job. But that's the kicker. This is a true story and it is one of those rare cases, where if it didn't play out the way it did, the South Korean people wouldn't have ever known. The world would never have known. The very ending is that "happy" American ending we Americans want, and most South Koreans are more American than most Americans anymore. But the very ending is the happy we all know probably didn't happen. I won't go beyond that, but maybe that's what bummed some of the ratings a little. We all know the ending would've been the happy ending we wanted if it had really been the happy ending they gave us.
# More than just a Historical Movie ## Intro The film is set in the Spring of 1980 Seoul and is based on a true story related to the [Gwangju Uprising](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwangju_Uprising) which according to this movie, University students from the city of Gwangju start a massive protest against the then South Korean leader due to some political unrest. The government has censored all form of media and prevents outsiders from entering the city. The entire plot revolves around our protagonists Tax Driver,Kim Man-seob and Undercover Journalist, Jurgen "Peter" Hinzpeter trying to make it out safely from Gwangju. ## Pros 1. The plot although starts off slow but becomes engaging the second & third act with a heartfelt ending. 2. All the actors involved have done a fantastic job with their roles. Hats off to Song Kang-ho as "The Taxi Driver" and Thomas Krestcmann as Jurgen Hinzpeter. 3. At it's peak build up of tension kept me at the edge of my seat. There is always the looming dread that our heros will get caught by the Police. ## Cons 1. The first 10 - 15 minutes of the film can give you a false impression of the movie being a generic Korean drama film. ## Verdict I rate the movie a __4.5 out of 5 stars__ and has earned a __must watch recommendation__ from me
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