Essential study in urban paranoia

Rating: 10/10 (28 October 2001)

"Taxi Driver" remains for me the best piece of work by Martin Scorsese. Stripped of the pretense of "Raging Bull" and the stylized atmosphere of "GoodFellas", "Taxi Driver" is a unashamedly honest look at New York city and its effects on a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran. Often uneasy to watch but amazingly and utterly compelling, "Taxi Driver" launched Martin Scorsese into the pantheon of great directors.
Set in modern day (1976) New York, the story centres around Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a 26 year-old ex Vietnam veteran. He is shy, dispossesed and utterly alone. He frequents porn theatres, yet is repulsed by the 'filth' he sees on the streets. Unable to sleep at night, Travis becomes a taxi driver, working long shifts with little or no sleep.
Through his nightly experiences as a cab driver, Travis becomes even more bitter and confused. Bernard Herrmann's impecible theme aurates Travis' battle between what he thinks he should stand against and what actually arouses him. In fact, the theme music is perhaps the second most important character in the film, acting as a metaphor for the daily downward spiral of Travis' mental state.
In his solitude Travis lets the drudgery and depressive nature of his job burrow inside his mind. He falls for an angelic WASP named Betsy (Cybill Shepherd) and even manages to take her out on a date. But his complete lack of nuance for the real world ends up with any chance of a burgeoning romance left in tatters.
What makes Travis' journey into madness even more compelling is the portrayl of the character by Robert De Niro. As the film progresses, De Niro's fractured performance is so real, you almost feel he really is Travis Bickle, even now some 25 years since the film's release. De Niro's best scenes are when he is trying to interact with 'normal' people, like his cab driver friends, or his confrontations with Tom (Albert Brooks) - a co-worker of Betsy. The way De Niro is one step removed from these and all the other characters in the movie is a feat he has not matched since.
The script by Paul Schrader is also superb. The film shifts from centering on Travis' insecurity, to his misguidance and eventually to his role as a psychotic vigilante. The dialogue is superb and each character is shaped perfectly.
The film also makes use of its many smaller, but no less important roles, such as Sport the Pimp (Harvey Keitel), Wizard the cabbie (Peter Boyle), Tom and Iris (Jodie Foster). All of these characters display an on screen presence that is rarely matched by other supporting cast members.

Holding it altogether is Scorsese. New York has never looked sleazier or grimier. "Taxi Driver" works because Scorsese never lets the film slip in any way. Movie buffs will recognise many small homages to different directors, but even the casual viewer will feel nailed to their seat as the walls within Travis' mind creep further and further in.
A true feat of modern film making and a study in paranoia that may never be bettered, "Taxi Driver" is an important chapter in American film and one that requires repeat viewings despite its difficult and uneasy vibe. A modern classic without question.