Oooh, that music!

Rating: 8/10 (8 December 2009)

This was a pretty enjoyable film. I understood and related with a lot of the themes that were present within Robert De Niro's character Travis. Isolation, loneliness, desperation, and the mundane repetitive nature of a twenty-something life with no direction. I can see how Travis would literally manifest his sense of self-righteousness and purpose into twisted violence.
I loved the music. I believe that the repetition of the theme song and the subtle changes of the orchestration due to the mood of the film were excellent! This movie tied the soundtrack to the streets of New York forever. I will always hear the music when I see NYC.
The editing and cinematography were top notch, especially in the last scenes. I found it very interesting that Travis entered a new relationship story arc near the last 3/4 of the movie with the prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster). I wished that they would have had breakfast in the middle of the movie. I didn't like the slower pacing during the last 1/4 before the shootout. It felt anti-climatic to me.
The screenplay and acting were great. There were so many memorable lines and parables for life on the streets that we could publish the screenplay as a book for how to live on the streets. Overall, I can definitely see how this movie is a classic. Although not one of my personal favorite films, I recognize how great and special Taxi Driver is.