A seemingly simple taxi ride across Paris evolves into a profound meditation on the realities of the driver and his fare — a 92-year-old woman whose warmth belies her shocking past — in the drama “Driving Madeleine,” arriving on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, March 19, from Cohen Media Group.
Charles (Dany Boon, “Murder Mystery”) is a taxi driver in Paris, and he is having a very bad day. Enter Madeleine (Line Renaud, “Family is Family”), an immaculately groomed nonagenarian, who informs Charles that the trip today will not be a direct one. She is moving into a nursing home and would like to make some stops along the way predicting that this might be her last car ride through the city. Their ride takes them through the momentous locations of her life and their brief friendship deepens as Madeleine listens to Charles confess his own worries.
Boon, an actor best known for his comedic work, creates a dramatic portrait of a frustrated man facing a personal crisis of epic proportions. His darker, sharper edges allow Renaud (renowned for decades in France as a singer) to shine as the pure shimmering light that is Madeleine, reminding viewers that inside every seemingly benign elderly woman we might pass on the street is a warrior, a nurturer and a spirited adventurer.
“Driving Madeleine” is presented in French with English subtitles. Bonus features on the release include an interview with director Christian Carion (“Joyeux Noel”) and the film’s theatrical trailer.