“You talking to me?” —Travis
Today’s quick review: Taxi Driver. Unable to sleep at night, Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) takes a job as a taxi driver in New York, working long hours in the hope of filling the void in his life. Things begin to look up when he meets Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a volunteer at Charles Palatine’s (Leonard Harris) presidential campaign. But trouble with their relationship and the pressures of city living soon send Travis down a dark, lonely path.
Taxi Driver is a crime drama from director Martin Scorsese. Robert De Niro stars as Travis Bickle, a loner with an intense personality and an unusual perspective on society. The movie follows Travis as he searches for a purpose in life, wrestles with infatuation, and longs for a way to clean up the streets of New York. Skillful acting and cinematography make Taxi Driver a solid pick for fans of drama, though its themes won’t appeal to everyone.
Taxi Driver has a knack for atmosphere and character work. The portrait it paints of New York shows the city’s grimy underbelly without coming across as too biased or forced. Travis makes for a nuanced protagonist, with complex motivations and a personality that separates him from those around him. The scenes are shot well and give the viewer plenty to think about. The ending is more mature than its setup implies, adding yet another layer to the story.
The tradeoff is that Taxi Driver has a loose plot. The story meanders alongside Travis, moving from thread to thread without a clear objective in mind. While distinct trends emerge that eventually carry the film to its finale, Taxi Driver lacks the tight scripting that some viewers may prefer. It also relies heavily on its themes of isolation and disaffection for appeal. Viewers who don’t find them compelling will get significantly less from the film.
Taxi Driver is a fine choice for fans of thoughtful crime dramas and artful cinema in general. Its high degree of craftsmanship and interesting themes are enough to carry the film for the right viewer. However, the wrong one will find that it has little to offer. Those who don’t mind an open-ended, thematic story should give it a shot. Those who prefer flashy presentation, a tightly scripted plot, or likable main characters should give it a pass.
For another crime drama with Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, try Mean Streets. For a punchier conflict between one man and the society around him, try Fight Club. For a character drama with a similar setup with a greater emphasis on mental illness, try Joker.
8.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for solid execution of a hit-or-miss vision.