Taxi Especial

An enjoyable film for 80s buffs and fans of the not-for-everybody 80s screwball comedy. Often juvenile, often exploitative, never meant to be taken seriously, an uneven performance from its lead (particularly an inconsistent accent) and occasional sloppy sentimentality drag the movie down. There are some great turns from bit players, including a young Charlie Barnett and an old Whitman Mayo. Max Gail is solid and Marsha Warfield is thin! The film features some classic lines in addition to allegedly funny lines that will make you cringe. Mostly, the movie is a harmless goof with a touch of idiotic 80s energy. 6.5 out of 10

It's vulgar, sexist, racist and extremely stupid in several parts. Perfect family picture.

Any film with Mr. T, Gary Busey and Barney Miller's Det. Wojohovitz as cabbies who try to foil a kidnapping plot, find missing violins and learn all about self-worth is a solid rent, especially when mixed with the "Animal House" slobbery that makes this crass crew so likeable.

Don't go in expecting Preston Sturges. Maybe Laurel and Hardy....

Three stars. And if you want a cabbie to drive you to Hell, travel light.

DC Cab is a wildly hilarious and totally unpc comedy classic from the 80's. Adam Baldwin(best known as Animal Mother from Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket) he heads this ensemble cast that also includes Max Gail, Mr. T, Gary Busey, Bill Maher, The Barbarian Brothers and more. This comedy classic has great performances and totally off the wall, colorful characters. They certainly don't make them like this anymore. The pc police would certainly have a fit if something like this was released in today's market. There is plenty of pure insanity and laughter to be had here folks. While DC Cab is raw and unhinged, the characters have a lot of heart. DC Cab comes highly recommended and is one cinematic experience you won't forget.

The 4 erroneous assumptions made in the making of D.C. Cab:

• Casting out of comedy clubs garuantees that said comedians will be funny on-screen as they trample through even the blandest of scripted "comedy".

• Audiences won't mind that Mr T, despite being on the poster, video boxes and all other advertising related to film is actually a small cog in the comedy wheel.

• Devoting a large narrative strand to where-are-they-now?/who-were-they-then? regular Irene Cara will ensure timeless appeal to Irene Cara fans for years to come.

• Idealistic Adam Baldwin is not made of cardboard.

These failings aside, the movie offers a few ace Busey moments (You ever done drugs/I don't remember.).

In short, it's an ensemble comedy, in the same Hollywood line that gave the world Revenge of the Nerds, the Police Academy movies, and Summer School. This movie sits somewhere below these. The cast is a little overcrowded, with too much of the "plot" devoted the weakest parts of the ensemble.

Just out curiosity: How hard is it to write a movie around Mr T or Gary Busey? It seems that too often T is forever looped into heavy-with-a-heart-of-gold roles, while Busey just gets 2nd bananas, villains and maniacs.

In the winter of 1983 I was 12 and saw this film with a childhood friend at a theater that carded no one. Ha! My parents would have killed me. Then him. The theater was a show in itself every time we went. Our town was full of meth cooking bikers and there was a rival biker fight (complete with broken whiskey bottles for weapons) while my aforementioned friend and I were trying to watch Time Bandits. We snuck up to the front row to continue watching the movie, and hoped no one pulled a gun in there. Memories. ;) I had seen the R-rated Blade Runner with my dad the year in earlier in 1982, and I felt like such a grown-up. I remember noticing Bill Maher's nose in D.C. Cab, but didn't remember doing that or him being in the film until I watched it again in 2011. It is also nice to watch a movie where black characters feel comfortable enough to call stupid white people crackers. Loud, brash, fun, wacky movie. Awesome.