🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: D.C. Hamilton
- Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Drama, Thriller, Fantasy
- Release year: 2019
- Runtime (length): 1h 22min
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10 (3.9K votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
A cab driver keeps giving the same disappearing lady a ride until they realize it’s not deja vu, it’s just really awkward immortal speed dating.
🍿 The Fare: Detailed Plot Synopsis
An Unusual Passenger and a Strange Loop
Taxi driver Harris picks up a mysterious and charming woman named Penny on a deserted rural road late at night. As they drive and talk, Harris is drawn to her, but suddenly she vanishes from the back seat without a trace. Baffled, Harris contacts his dispatcher, who simply tells him to reset his meter and return to the city. Harris resets the meter, and to his astonishment, he finds himself back at the beginning of the fare, with Penny getting into his cab again. This happens repeatedly, each time ending with Penny’s disappearance when they reach their destination. Harris begins to notice subtle differences and retains fragmented memories of previous loops, leading him to believe they are trapped in a time loop.

Connecting in the Repeats
As the cycle repeats countless times, Harris and Penny grow closer, having deep conversations and learning about each other’s lives, dreams, and frustrations. Penny shares humorous, often fabricated stories about her life, while Harris reveals his dislike for his job and past regrets. Harris becomes determined to understand what is happening and break the loop. He begins experimenting, driving different routes or reacting differently, but the outcome remains the same: Penny disappears when the fare concludes.

Seeking the Truth
Frustrated by the endless repetition, Harris decides not to reset his meter after Penny vanishes during one loop. He drives away from the usual route, following a mysterious impulse, only to be confronted by a powerful, unseen force demanding he turn back. This terrifying experience forces him to reset the meter again. In a subsequent loop, Harris and Penny share an intimate moment, solidifying their connection. After this, Harris notices an old scar on Penny’s head from an early loop where they crashed. This observation leads to a shocking realization: time isn’t looping for *Penny*, and time has actually been passing between his fares.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Harris (Gino Anthony Pesi): The taxi driver trapped in a time loop who eventually learns his true, mythical role as a ferryman transporting souls.
- Penny (Brinna Kelly): The mysterious passenger who repeatedly disappears from Harris’s taxi and is revealed to be Death’s wife, Persephone.
- The Dispatcher (Jason Stuart): The authoritative voice guiding Harris, later revealed to be the master of the time loop and the figure of Death.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- Penny: “You used my name.” – Said after a loop resets, when Penny realizes Harris somehow remembers her name from a previous iteration, indicating the pattern is breaking.
- Penny: “This has happened at least a hundred times.” – Penny reveals the depth of the time loop Harris is unaware of, explaining the countless repetitions they’ve already experienced.
- Harris: “That scar… it’s old.” – Harris notices an old scar on Penny’s head from a crash he experienced seemingly moments ago, leading him to realize that actual time is passing between loops.
- The Dispatcher: “You are my ferryman.” – The Dispatcher reveals his true identity and Harris’s predetermined role, explaining the reason for the endless loop and Penny’s annual appearance.
- Penny: “I’ll always be waiting.” – Said by Penny in the final moments before she leaves, expressing her enduring love and the certainty of her return.
- Harris: “I’ll always be here. The Driver.” – Harris’s concluding line, accepting his fate and expressing his commitment to their annual reunion.
💰Box Office
- Budget: N/A
- Domestic Gross: N/A
- Worldwide Gross: $1,243
💥 The Fare Reviews
Personal Review
Okay, so I went into “The Fare” expecting another twisty time loop movie, and man, did it deliver, but not how I thought! It starts feeling a bit like a ‘Twilight Zone’ episode, just this weird, repeating cab ride with a mysterious passenger. I was totally hooked trying to figure out *why* she kept disappearing. But then, it shifts! It turns into this really sweet, melancholic romance, and honestly, the chemistry between the two leads, Harris and Penny, is just captivating. By the end, I wasn’t just wondering about the time loop anymore; I was genuinely invested in their story and felt a little heartbroken by their situation. It’s proof you don’t need a massive budget for a movie to make you *feel* something and stick with you.
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of time loop movies (with a twist)”
- “Viewers who enjoy indie or low-budget films”
- “Audiences interested in fantasy romance stories”
- “People who appreciate dialogue-driven narratives”
- “Fans of speculative fiction or mythological retellings”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Mild peril (car crash)”
- “Existential/Melancholic themes”
- “Brief suggestive content”
Professional Reviews
- IndieFilm Quarterly: “”The Fare” takes a familiar time loop concept and spins it into a surprisingly intimate two-hander. Confined mostly to a taxi, the film relies heavily on its leads and sharp dialogue, which mostly delivers. While the central mystery unfolds perhaps a bit slowly for some, the core emotional journey and unique genre blend make for a memorable, if low-budget, ride.
- Genre Weekly: “Don’t expect explosions or big action; ‘The Fare’ is a quiet, philosophical mystery anchored by strong chemistry between its two main actors. It shifts from sci-fi puzzle to unexpected romance, which might catch some viewers off guard. The unique visual style, alternating color and black-and-white, adds an artsy touch that elevates the simple premise.
Audience Reactions
Viewers were genuinely surprised by the movie’s genre shift from sci-fi mystery to fantasy romance.: The chemistry between the two main actors, Gino Anthony Pesi and Brinna Kelly, was consistently praised as the movie’s anchor.
Overall Consensus: A surprisingly touching and original low-budget indie that blends time loop mystery with a unique romantic fantasy, largely carried by the engaging performances of its two leads.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “Many of the passengers seen during the montages are played by actual crew members of the film.”
- “The film was shot primarily in black and white, switching to color only during pivotal moments, which was a deliberate artistic choice to enhance the mood and signify changes in the narrative or character understanding.”
- “The movie was filmed entirely in Los Angeles, California, despite depicting a seemingly isolated rural highway.”
- “Brinna Kelly, who plays Penny, also wrote the screenplay for the film.”
🖥️ How to Watch The Fare?
Discover where to watch ‘The Fare’, the acclaimed indie time loop thriller with a mythological twist. You can stream ‘The Fare’ on platforms like AMC+ and Shudder (via Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, and other services). It is also available for rent or purchase on digital storefronts such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. For physical media collectors, ‘The Fare’ is available on Blu-ray from Epic Pictures.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed The Fare, you might like these similar films:
- Groundhog Day (1993): A quintessential time loop film where the protagonist relives the same day repeatedly, though ‘The Fare’ is a drama/romance with a mythical twist rather than a comedy.
- Palm Springs (2020): A modern romantic comedy also centered around a time loop, exploring the relationship between two people trapped together in a repeating day.
- Coherence (2013): A low-budget, dialogue-driven indie sci-fi film set largely in one location, dealing with reality-bending events and their impact on interpersonal relationships.
- A Matter of Life and Death (1946): A classic romantic fantasy film involving the realm of the afterlife and a relationship challenged by fate, echoing the mythical and romantic core of ‘The Fare’.
- Triangle (2009): Features a mysterious, repeating temporal structure where characters are trapped in a loop with fatal consequences, exploring themes of fate and identity in a contained setting.
🛒 The Fare Related Products
- The Fare Blu-ray: Own the acclaimed indie film on Blu-ray, featuring high-definition picture and sound. Includes bonus features like behind-the-scenes footage and cast interviews.
- Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold: A captivating retelling of Greek myths by Stephen Fry. Explores the stories of gods, heroes, and the underworld with wit and charm.
- Groundhog Day (Special Edition): The classic time loop comedy that set the standard. A special edition release with extensive bonus content.
- Vintage Checker Taxi Cab Model: A detailed die-cast model of a classic Checker taxi cab, similar to the iconic vehicle featured prominently in the film.
🎧 Soundtrack
The Fare features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
- “Original Motion Picture Score” – performed by David Midell
- “Desert Drive (Main Theme)” – performed by David Midell
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
Yes, ‘The Fare’ incorporates significant elements of Greek mythology into its story, particularly drawing parallels to the myth of Charon, the ferryman of Hades, and Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld and wife of Hades.
The ending reveals that the protagonist, Harris, is the mythological ferryman Charon, cursed to transport souls to the afterlife. Penny is Persephone, the wife of Death (the Dispatcher). Their time together is a yearly reunion during Persephone’s required return to the underworld. The ‘time loop’ Harris experiences is his own perception, distorted by memory loss, while real time passes for Penny and the world.
‘The Fare’ is available to stream on services like AMC+ and Shudder. It can often be accessed through these channels on larger platforms like Prime Video Channels or Apple TV Channels. It is also available for digital purchase or rental on major platforms.
While ‘The Fare’ features elements of mystery and sci-fi due to its time loop premise, it primarily develops into a fantasy romance with dramatic and melancholic undertones. Many viewers describe it as a unique love story framed by mythological concepts.
🔥 Bonus Content
The Equalizer 2 (2018) – A Rough Fare Scene (5/10) | Movieclips
Ever had a bad taxi ride? Well, Robert McCall takes it to a whole new level in this intense clip from The Equalizer 2 – you won’t believe how he handles this fare!
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