good, not a masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (6 July 2019)

"Loneliness has followed me my whole life."
This is one of those movies that has no real plot. The story tracks Travis Bickle as he drives his taxi through New York City. As the film progresses, we learn more about Bickle and how his loneliness slowly drives him to madness.
I understand why people like this movie so much. There's nothing bad about it at all. The music and writing are incredible. Right from the get-go the music sets the mood for the rest of the film. The direction is great too, and I think a cab driving down the streets of New York provides Scorsese countless opportunities to show off. The main highlight of the film is Robert De Niro, a man born to play Travis Bickle.
Normally I like character-centered movies like this one, but Taxi Driver just never settles in for me. I don't hate the movie, but I don't love it like many folks do. I feel that the movie drags a bit. I understand that there are many meanings, some ambiguous, but I think the movie could have used a bit more psychological terror. Don't get me wrong, it has its moments (i.e. De Niro shaving his head and the hallway scene), but I was hoping for a bit more.
Again, I think this is a well-executed film, I was just hoping for it to resonate more with me. I'm gonna have to rewatch this.