I know that this film is now at the 10 year mark. However, to me it is a true classic. The film is almost like a really good book. You can stop it between chapters and not miss a beat. It has fantastic acting and a dynamite cast. Some have said that they thought the first story with Gena Rowlands and Wyonna Ryder was weak ,but I disagree.That story was about someone being content with who they are not looking for the brass ring. It also left the door open for further possibilities. I loved the New York story for many reasons . Not the least of which is that I live in New York. Excellent casting and a real story of the immigrants who came here to New York and the melting pot we are here in New York. It also showed a real problem that minorities face here in NY trying to hail a cab.<br /><br />Each story had a really excellent theme. The confession theme in Italy had me rolling , while the story of the Helsinki cab driver was really tragic. If you look at how the film begins and ends, there seems to be a opposite end effect. The affluent casting agent stepping off the private jet versus the worker stumbling out of his cab into the morning.<br /><br />This is an excellent film with an excellent cast. I highly recommend it!