Shockingly presented; without question one of the best films of the '70s

Rating: Null/10 (21 September 2003)

"Taxi Driver" was my first Martin Scorsese film, and I applaud him as well as his cast and crew for putting together a triumphant, first-rate drama. The dreamy, garish way with which he films some of the bleakest New York City streets I've ever seen is unbelievable. Combine this with a phenomenal musical score and raw, convincing character studies and you've got one of the best films of this - or any - decade.
Robert De Niro of course is fantastic as the disturbed, sympathetic character of Travis Bickle, a very lonely taxi driver for whom life is just a depressing, repetitive cycle; day-in, day-out...driving along the dangerous streets, haunted by its sick inhabitants, and driven ultimately to a terrifying physical/mental state that must be seen to be believed, Travis is easily one of the more memorable film characters I've witnessed in recent memory - realistic, vulnerable and heart-breaking. Watching him twist along through a winding path eventually leading to pure unabashed insanity brought a rare feeling of genuine concern, and disbelief. The people he meets and regularly socializes with every day, the awful conditions he's forced to put up with during the wee hours of the night...It just all seemed too perfect, the way this was put together, with its lingering images and lines, and unspeakable violence creating a shockingly convincing environment.
A solid film all around - well-deserving of classic status.