Perfection at its most bleakest

Rating: 9/10 (24 November 2002)

As with every film ever made there are those who like that film and those who don't like it for whatever reason. What most people don't understand when reviewing films is that different people enjoy different types of film. An invisible barrier seperates these two factions of people and very few can actually understand that even if they hated a given film every person has the right to an opinion. After reading numerous comments from Taxi Driver it finally clicked that people need to be more tolerant towards others and that just because somebody didn't enjoy it doesn't make it a bad film. What makes a great film is that an overwhelming majority of people who have seen it enjoyed it. Now getting back to Taxi Driver, this film is absolutely outstanding and is one of the key turning points of 70's films. I can understand that people may not warm to the violence and unfriendly look at modern life but few can deny that this isn't a well made film.
The standard of acting from Robert De Niro and to a lesser extent Jodie Foster is remarkable and very few actors would have the natural ability to become Travis Bickle as De Niro does. What I find noteworthy of the best of De Niro's films is the way he tries so exceptionally hard to become that role. For example in preparation for this role he actually got a cab license and would drive around and pick people up. Other examples of this is in The Untouchables where he even got Al Capone's tailor to dress him.

The film is deservedly one of the greatest ever made and ranks very high if not at the top of the best films of the 70's even when there is the likes of The Godfathers, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and others to contend with.
With repeated viewing especially now it is hard to understand why Hollywood strayed from this standard of film making and went into the over the top and abismally made which has dogged the cinemas every since. Taxi Driver marks the up and coming stars - De Niro and Foster and also one of the only remaining talents of directing of the noughties Marty Scorsese. Although dark and disturbing this is a pinnacle film and I can't recommend this film enough.
Grade A*