Hollywood can pour more than $100 million into an epic blockbuster but Driving Madeleine reminds us that when it comes to great cinema, the simplest ideas are often the most effective.  It’s the tale of a frustrated 46-year-old taxi driver (Boon), Charles, who picks up a 92-year-old passenger (Renaud), Madeleine, and drives her across Paris to an aged care facility she’s about to move into to.

The trip takes several hours (the lucrative fare is why Charles took the job) and there are a few unexpected detours along the way.  Realising it could be one of her last opportunities to see the Parisian sites, Madeleine asks to visit key locations which hold vivid memories.  As they drive from place to place, Madeleine details her backstory and explains why these sites hold such personal significance.  Charles is nonplussed at first (he has other dramas in his life) but is soon riveted by his passenger’s extraordinary tales.

My succinct plot overview doesn’t do justice to the film’s emotional alure.  Yes, most of it takes place in a taxi but, through the power of insightful conversation, we get to know these two characters in extraordinary depth.  It’s amazing how much director Christian Carion achieves in just 91 minutes.  Well-timed flashbacks help break up the “taxi scenes” and provide a visual representation of Madeleine’s earlier years.  There are moments of blissful happiness and moments of confronting tragedy.

94-year-old French actress Line Renaud has been appearing in movies since the 1940s.  You’d be hard pressed to find another performance this year underwritten by more experience!  Renaud brings the right personality to Madeleine – cheeky, reflective, and sympathetic (amongst other things).  As if going through the same transformation as Charles, the feelings we have for Madeleine as she exits the taxi are deeper and more considered as when she first entered.  Renaud deserves credit but so too does co-star Dany Boon (Welcome to the Sticks) who makes for an ideal companion.

Director Christian Carion is best known for his 2005 effort, Joyeux Noël, which earned an Academy Award nomination for best international feature film (losing to Tsotsi).  He’s made six films since but this is the first to be released in Australian cinemas (outside of film festivals) in over a decade.  Painting an uplifting picture of Paris and its people, Driving Madeleine is a memorable experience.