TAXI DRIVER

Rating: 9/10 (7 May 2018)

First off, the cinematography was great, Robert De Niro was great, and the plot was great. I was all just great! What I like most about the film is it's unique yet mundane plot. Well, Its base is in the mundane life of a New Yorker. It's uniqueness come from these very "New York" esque random occurrences. The things that happen in the film are very out-there but could easily happen to any taxi driver in NYC . Its New York! It's a crazy ass city and the film says that perfectly.
Secondly, I appreciate how the romance wasn't predictable. Anyone accustomed to mainstream film would've expected Cybill Shephard's character to forgive and fall in love with De Niro's character, but she didn't. In a way, that IS what drove the plot. It's interesting because in most film, romance drives the plot, but in this case, a lack of romance is what keeps the story moving.
I also appreciate how un-Hollywood De Niro's character is. He has the makings of a secondary character due to his odd, quiet, "no-one-understands-me" personality. I think it is cool that the main character has such un-likable characteristics. i.e when he stalks Betsy (Shepard) and tells her about herself (which is apparently attractive), or when he threatens to kill her after she stops returning his calls. He is simply a weird guy and I enjoyed that.
In terms of cinematography, I love the initial scene where there are a series of close ups of the taxi itself. I think that was a great choice and an interesting way of making the taxi feel like an actual, independent character. The building of the conflict and resolution were compelling as well. It's like the plot switches up on the De Niro as well as the audience. It's very clever.
At the end of the day, Taxi Driver is a cinematically gorgeous film that illustrates a life not yet seen or understood by the mainstream; a seriously lonely man turned hero in the weirdest, most New Yorker way.