Brilliance!

Rating: 10/10 (23 July 2004)

De Niro at his best. Scorsese at his best. Can't go wrong? Well no you can't. This is one of the greatest films ever. De Niro was robbed of the best actor award in the Oscars that year as was the film itself by Rocky, much as I love the Italian Stallions debut outing. This is a dark and murky character study of a sociopath and a loner who can't seem to find a way to vent his disgust at the world around him. It eats away at him until he finds some focus in a 12 year old prostitute, played excellently by Jodie Foster. Scorseses bleak and unreserved portrayal of New Yorks dark side is often graphic in visual and dialogue and often unsettling but the film is engrossing. It's full to the brim with darkness and pessimism about it's setting and it's central character who seems on a downward spiral until the end, when he finds some redemption thanks to Foster. De Niro is electrifying in a truly legendary performance, told mostly through De Niro's physical performance and telling a story through his eyes. Travis says little but we start to learn what makes him tick because of De Niro's brilliant performance. Also this has a brilliant and unique score.*****