Taxi Driver (1976) Review

 

Taxi Driver (1976)

Taxi Driver follows insomniac, social outcast, and former Vietnam veteran, Travis Bickle, a cab driver, as he slowly becomes detached in an attempt to clean up the filth in his city.

Starting off slow, like most movies in the 70s where pacing was seemingly unheard of, this one picks up the pace rather quickly. It’s disturbing to watch his dissent because you know what’s happening. The whole build up is about him, armed to the teeth, in this final showdown in an attempt to clean up his city. But he’s not crazy, just detached from reality, not understanding the world around him, but wanting so desperately to fit in. And in the most bizarre twist of fate, he becomes an unwilling hero of this story, with him saving people from their dire situations more than once and being hailed as a hero. It’s brilliant, while still obviously coming from a place of desperation and contempt.

It’s beautifully shot, with the 1970s grunge and grime matching perfectly with the comparatively similar people of NYC in a way that stands out. Its distinct use of color, clever editing, and forward thinking shots, give it an eerie feel, that is offset by the slow jazz undertones that play throughout the film.

De Niro nails the character of Travis Bickle, really getting into character and saying so much through his emotions and actions, while saying little in the way of words. It was fantastic character development, seeing him go from awkward and reserved, to confidence brimming out the top. Love the supporting cast as well of Cybill Shepherd, Jodi Foster, and one of my favorites, Harvey Keitel. They only add to the dimensions of Travis’s character and to the film.

Directed by Martin Scorsese in what would be the 2nd of his and De Niro’s many pairings, Taxi Driver is a beautifully disturbing film that is still inspiring films today, like 2019’s Joker, in more ways than one. It uses its time and place to tell a story, that fuels one mans desire for change, that eventually changes him and gives him the conformity he always wanted.

10/10