Dakota Johnson knows that an independent, offbeat movie with just two characters, which is exactly what this week’s “Daddio” is, needs both luck and special attention.
Writer-director Christy Hall’s “Daddio” is, for its 95 minutes, set entirely inside the taxi that Johnson’s Girlie takes from JFK to her Manhattan home. Sean Penn’s Clark is the chatty cabby. By ride’s end Girlie will have come to a particular and unexpected awakening about her life.
The screenplay generated buzz once it was selected for LA’s prestigious Black List, a rollcall of each year’s best, if unproduced, scripts. But that’s not how it came to Johnson’s attention.
“Actually, my producing partner Ro Donnelly was roommates with Christy Hall, the writer, and I was lucky enough to be able to read it and speak with Christy about how much I wanted to be a part of it,” Johnson, 34,said in a Zoom interview.
“She said that she wanted to direct it and I thought that that was such a brave and wonderful idea. So Ro and I were eager to support her in that journey.”
As producer Johnson can take credit for casting Penn. “We all just felt like ‘We need somebody like Sean Penn.’ And I was like, Why don’t we try and get Sean Penn?
“And,” she said with a smile, “he happens to be my neighbor. So I gave him the script. We talked about it and he was inspired by Christy and her writing!”
Does this illustrate how important personal connections are in a one-industry town?
“I think it’s just one of the things that happens in life when you meet people and know people and respect them and think that they’re creative,” Johnson answered. “I also think a lot of this industry is like lightning in a bottle. There’s got to be a touch of magic for movies to get made.”
“Daddio” benefits cinematically from being filmed entirely in a studio with LED panels for the changing exteriors.
“It’s a life-altering conversation and because it is such a contained film, we wanted to make sure everything we were doing was captivating and entertaining,” she said.
As to who or what Daddio is, “Daddio is more of a term of endearment for this character. To me, Daddio is like a paternal figure that’s also brotherly and friendly.
“There are certain moments in the film where lines seem like they might become blurred. Or the power dynamic between this man and this woman might say something provocative.
“But it flows through so many different dynamics! It’s a commentary on all the different energies that can exist between two people.”
“Daddio” opens June 28