Interwoven stories of NYC taxi drivers navigating guilt, trauma, and survival.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Guilt and Flight
Rasha's escalating accidents trigger a crisis of conscience, leading him to flee New York for Bosnia. Box's strict management looms over the fleet as personal burdens mount.
Key Events
Fleet Introduction — Introduction of the four taxi drivers and their shared workplace. Characters: Box, Hershey, Rasha, SalgadoLocation: NYC Taxi Office
Boss Warning — Box warns Rasha about potential termination due to accidents. Characters: Box, RashaLocation: Taxi Office
First Crash — Rasha causes his first traffic accident while driving. Characters: RashaLocation: NYC Streets
Second Accident — Rasha causes a second crash, believing he killed a boy. Characters: RashaLocation: NYC Streets
Flight to Bosnia — Rasha flees to Bosnia to escape guilt and authorities. Characters: RashaLocation: Airport / Bosnia
Bosnia Return — Rasha returns to his homeland, facing past trauma and relatives' deaths. Characters: RashaLocation: Bosnia
Shadows and Secrets
Salgado's traumatic past surfaces as she reacts violently to a perceived supernatural threat. Meanwhile, Hershey navigates romantic hesitation and workplace routines.
Key Events
Bosnia Return — Rasha returns to his homeland, facing past trauma and relatives' deaths. Characters: RashaLocation: Bosnia
News of Survival — Rasha reads that the boy he hit actually survived. Characters: RashaLocation: Bosnia
Romantic Hesitation — Hershey discusses his reluctance to commit to his girlfriend George. Characters: HersheyLocation: NYC Apartment
Salgado's Past — Salgado recalls being forced into prostitution at age twelve. Characters: SalgadoLocation: Flashback Location
Passenger Confrontation — Salgado shoots a passenger she believes is haunted by a guardian devil. Characters: SalgadoLocation: Taxi Interior
Taxi Breakdown — Salgado's taxi breaks down, prompting Hershey to stop and assist. Characters: Hershey, SalgadoLocation: NYC Street
Airport Run — Hershey drives Rasha to the airport for his departure. Characters: Hershey, RashaLocation: NYC Streets
Violence and Survival
Accidental intersections place a dropped gun in Hershey's taxi. A sudden ambush by a serial killer forces Hershey to use the weapon to survive.
Key Events
Airport Run — Hershey drives Rasha to the airport for his departure. Characters: Hershey, RashaLocation: NYC Streets
Gun Discovery — Salgado accidentally leaves her gun in Hershey's vehicle. Characters: Hershey, SalgadoLocation: Hershey's Taxi
Killer Ambush — A cabbie killer holds Hershey at gunpoint during a ride. Characters: HersheyLocation: NYC Street
Killer Defeated — Hershey uses Salgado's gun to kill the attacking cabbie killer. Characters: HersheyLocation: NYC Street
Proposal Attempt — Hershey proposes to George, who asks him to try again next week. Characters: HersheyLocation: NYC Street
Resolution and Renewal
Box secures a crucial bank loan to preserve the company. Hershey attempts a marriage proposal while Rasha departs with his guilt resolved.
Key Events
Proposal Attempt — Hershey proposes to George, who asks him to try again next week. Characters: HersheyLocation: NYC Street
Loan Negotiation — Box works to secure a bank loan to save the taxi company. Characters: BoxLocation: Bank Office
Brother's Intervention — Box's brother helps finalize the loan approval. Characters: BoxLocation: Bank Office
Company Saved — The taxi company remains operational thanks to the secured funding. Characters: Box, Hershey, Rasha, SalgadoLocation: Taxi Office
Rasha's Departure — Rasha leaves the US, his guilt alleviated by the boy's survival. Characters: RashaLocation: Airport
Hershey's Resolve — Hershey prepares to re-propose, showing growth in his romantic life. Characters: HersheyLocation: NYC Street
Fleet Continues — All drivers return to the road, navigating life and work. Characters: Box, Hershey, Rasha, SalgadoLocation: NYC Streets
Story Breakdown
Workplace Dynamics — Establishes the hierarchical and cooperative relationships among the taxi drivers.
Boss Authority — Box enforces strict rules and threatens termination for unsafe driving.
Driver Alliances — Hershey, Rasha, and Salgado rely on each other as colleagues.
Rasha Flight Arc — Traces Rasha's psychological breakdown and escape from New York.
Accident Guilt — Rasha causes two crashes and believes he killed a child.
Bosnia Return — He flees to his homeland, only to discover the boy survived.
Salgado Trauma — Explores Salgado's dark past and her violent reaction to fear.
Childhood Exploitation — Salgado recalls being forced into prostitution at age twelve.
Passenger Confrontation — She shoots a passenger she perceives as a supernatural threat.
Hershey Survival — Follows Hershey's encounter with a serial killer and his personal growth.
Romantic Hesitation — Hershey struggles with commitment due to past marriage failure.
Killer Encounter — He defends himself using a dropped weapon to survive an ambush.
Intersecting Paths — Highlights how the drivers' routines accidentally cross paths.
Corporate Survival — Depicts the financial struggles and resolution of the taxi company.
Loan Negotiation — Box seeks bank funding to prevent company bankruptcy.
Company Preservation — Family connections secure the loan, saving all drivers' jobs.
Emotional Resolution — Concludes the narrative with personal and professional closures.
Proposal Attempt — Hershey asks George to marry him, receiving a tentative response.
Fleet Continuation — The drivers return to their routes, carrying forward their lessons.
The feature film directing debut of Spike Lee protege Lee Davis takes the viewer into the world of taxi drivers. Developed in the Sundance Laboratory, this film offers dove-tailing stories centering on the lives of individual taxi drivers as they reflect on and experience romance, politics, sociology, and spirituality.
