Taxi Blues

In the late 1980s, blues saxophonist Alexey Seliverstov and his friends ride a wild night through Moscow in a taxi. Music, alcohol, and reckless bravado push them toward danger and spontaneous adventures. By dawn the thrill has given way to looming uncertainty.

At daybreak, Alexey dodges paying the fare, provoking Ivan Shlykov, a stern, principled driver. The clash exposes their opposing temperaments and hints at a difficult, if unlikely, bond to come. The incident foreshadows the moral and emotional costs of their future relationship.

Ivan tracks Alexey down and takes the saxophone as collateral, leaving the musician suddenly jobless and homeless. The instrument embodies both livelihood and pride, now used as leverage. This act seeds the uneasy connection that will define the next chapter of their lives.

Feeling remorseful, Ivan returns the instrument and invites Alexey to stay in his shared Moscow apartment. The living arrangement marks the start of an unlikely partnership between a dissident artist and a pragmatic Soviet everyday man. Their daily friction gradually gives way to a wary, evolving friendship.

Alexey's philosophical musings on art clash with Ivan's belief that artists and intellectuals are the root of Russia's problems. They argue about purpose, discipline, and the cost of freedom while sharing meals and occasional laughter. The apartment becomes a classroom for competing worldviews.

Alexey's reckless flood of their building triggers a crisis that forces Ivan to seize Alexey's passport and demand repayment through labor. The punishment tests loyalty and responsibility and deepens the fault lines in their partnership. The incident underscores the precarious balance between friendship and control.

Ivan continues to push Alexey toward sobriety and steadier routines, mixing harsh discipline with occasional concern. He hopes to salvage the artist from self-destruction while wrestling with his own doubts. The effort exposes the limits of control in a friendship shaped by difference.

Alexey's alcoholism deepens, culminating in a suicide attempt that strains their fragile bond. The crisis forces both men to confront the costs of their relationship and the possibility that change may be beyond reach. Yet the door remains open to something beyond bitterness.

A chance meeting with famed American saxophonist Hal Singer lifts Alexey's spirits and rekindles his dream of performing abroad. The encounter offers both inspiration and a concrete path toward international opportunities. It marks the turning point toward a new professional horizon.

Alexey seizes the opportunity to perform overseas, leaving Moscow behind to pursue a growing international career. He begins to cultivate a reputation beyond Russia and to redefine himself as a musician. The journey abroad distance him from Ivan's rigid world while validating his art.

Ivan later spots Alexey's concert on television and is astonished by his newfound success. Pride mixes with astonishment as the former mentor realizes the distance between their lives. The scene underscores how different paths can emerge from a single, shared beginning.

Alexey returns to Moscow as a celebrated musician, but the homecoming sours when his friends mock Ivan, humiliating him in front of Alexey. The moment exposes the lingering tensions and pride that still tether them. The reunion hints that success cannot heal all wounds.

In a reckless pursuit, Ivan crashes his taxi while chasing what he thinks is Alexey's car, only to end up carrying an injured stranger after both vehicles explode. The scene closes a chapter of naive bravado and stumbles toward tragedy. It marks a turning point in both men's lives.

Years later, Alexey is a successful musician in New York, releasing another album, while Ivan buys his own taxi and settles into a quieter life. The film leaves their stories intertwined, showing how ambition and restraint can shape two very different futures.