DR. CABBIE (Jean-François Pouliot). 104 minutes. Opens Friday (September 19). See listing. Rating: NNN
Dr. Cabbie is a lively comedy with a strong premise, brisk pace, likeable cast and timely theme.
Deepak (Vinay Virmani), a newly minted Delhi doctor, moves with his mother to Canada, only to discover that his credentials aren’t recognized here. While driving cab, he assists at a back-seat birth. Realizing there’s a crying need for doctors in downtown Toronto, he starts running an illicit clinic in his cab.
Virmani’s intelligence, easy charm and not-quite puppy-dog air make him a natural fit for light comedy. It’s easy to see why the back-seat mom (Adrianne Palicki) is attracted to him, and both the actors and director Jean-François Pouliot handle the romance with unobtrusive tact.
The supporting cast also sparkles, particularly Mircea Monroe as Deepak’s serenely disconnected aunt and Kunal Nayyar as his sex-obsessed buddy.
Pouliot gives the city a slight touch of glamour and mixes Bollywood and Toronto sensibilities to produce a couple of snappy, not too long song-and-dance numbers.