Unrealistic ending and scenes that didn't belong hurt an otherwise good movie

Rating: 6/10 (27 February 1999)

Taxi Driver has some definite strengths, but scenes that did not fit into the plot and an ending that seemed unrealistic hurt what could have been an excellent movie.
I thought that Robert DeNiro was solid in playing the role of Travis, a loner who becomes a cab driver. After incessant exposure to crime and sleaze in New York City, Travis decides it's his job to clean up the streets. The knee-jerk anger, the obsessiveness and delusions that Travis experience were convincing and done well by DeNiro.
The problem I had was with some scenes that did not make sense. There is no way in real life anyone could get away with the vigilante tactics shown in this movie, especially in New York City, unless no one discovered who the vigilante was. The movie started to paint a picture of a man who could not get over being rejected by a woman, but failed to follow through on this idea as the plot suddenly focused on other topics.