Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (25 March 2011)

Martin Scorsese IS an artist. Anyone who says otherwise has no right to call themselves a fan of cinema. And Taxi Driver, is certainly one of his best ever movies, if not the best. Personally, my favourite Scorsese film is raging bull. However, you would be standing on very firm ground to argue that Taxi Driver was the better film.
First of all, De Niro probably gives his career performance. It is certainly his most iconic. He plays Travis, a troubled ex-marine who is suffering from insomnia and decides to take a job as a late night taxi driver. From the moment we see him, it is instantly clear that although he is present, there is a sinister atmosphere that shows that Travis is simply not there. He clearly is somehow mentally unstable. He isn't your average guy. He becomes easily obsessed, and becomes very troubled by very small things. So when he becomes completely infatuated with Betsy, who works for a presidential candidate. He also acquires the strange habit of going to view porn films in the cinema. He doesn't enjoy them, but he is rather fascinated by them.
So, as you can see, this is one psycho weirdo that would even send Jack Nicholson running for the hills. It required an exceptional actor to rise to the challenge of playing such a complex and emotional character. Que. young Robert De Niro. Who would have ever thought that one of cinemas greatest ever talents was so finely suited to the screen from such a young age. Like I said, his best ever performance. It is still baffling to me as to how he didn't win the academy award. They clearly have no idea what they are talking about. Actually, the film also deserved the academy award.
The rest of the cast do an excellent job. Jodie Foster too stands out as a young talent. She is one of my personal favourite actresses, and she shone from a very young age. Harvey Keitel also stands out as a good young talent. It's like seeing all our favourite modern stars before they were mega stars. Keitel plays the absolute scum of the earth. He is completely sick, arrogant, sleazy, vile little s***. He deserved the academy award for best supporting actor.
So all in all, this is arguably the best film of the seventies (which automatically makes it arguably the best ever film since the godfather one and two are from the seventies.) It amazes me that Scorsese made this into one of the best of the 70's, He made raging bull which is hands down the best film of the 80's and goodfellas which again is arguably the best film of the 90's. AND he made the departed, probably the best film of the 21st century so far.
But I still can't figure out why it's called Taxi Driver (Just Kidding) ;)