Hellcab 1999, Rated R Trimark Home Video

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Starring Gillian Anderson, John Cusack, et al. Released to DVD on May 25, 1999.

With a title like Hellcab, and a tagline that reeked of direct-to-video, slasher flick (Do you dare pay the fare?), I was enormously surprised to learn that Hellcab was not only not a horror film, but the epitome of a well-crafted, well acted and well produced independent movie. Based on the play of the same name, Hellcab follows a day in the life of a Chicago cab driver, played with a remarkable nonchalant, blue-collar charm by Paul Dillon. Throughout the day, Dillon's unnamed character picks up a variety of different fares, ranging from a pregnant couple on the way to the hospital, to several cokeheads looking to score, to a woman who has just been raped. The key to keeping this film so very interesting was Will Kern's script; each individual fare possessed a new tone and feel. John Cusack's character brought out an element of suspense, Laurie Metcalf's sheer humor, and Julianne Moore's the thought-provoking center of the film. With Dillon's masterful performance and beautiful Chicago settings, Hellcab was just excellent.