Realism redefined

Rating: Null/10 (28 August 2002)

Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is a 26 year old Vietnam veteran who has insomnia. Taking a job on at the taxi depo, he begins to focus his anger and disgust at the underbelly of New York City.

His anger subsides when he meets campaign worker Betsy (Cybil Shepherd). He sees her as the only sign of purity in New York, but Travis' inability to properly communicate with others lead to the relationship being terminated. He then meets Iris (Jodie Foster), a twelve year old prostitute. He is disgusted by this fact, and is determined to save her, despite the fact she does not want to be saved. Travis' downward spiral erupts in explosive violence.
Director Martin Scorsese has created a film that blends together so well, that the term ''endlessly watchable'' was probably invented for this film. Watch out for the many subtilties that indicate where Travis is heading. The seedier side of New York is captured in all it's glory (!) bygiving the film an almost documentary feel. Credits to cinematographer Michael Chapman for this.
Acting wise, nobody puts a foot wrong. Jodie Foster, although in a small part, shows us the raw talentthat eventually matured into two Oscar wins. Shepherd is understated, yet sympathetic. De Niro: what can I say? He may have won the Oscar for Godfather II, but this is his defining role. He inhabits Bickle and makes him a character that we can sympathise with, even as he goes on his rampage.
Special mention must go to Harvey Keitel, as Sport. By giving him some little oddities, such as long hair and a pink fingernail on his pinky, he evolves the character into something much more memorable. To think that, in the original screenplay, he only had five lines.
If I was being critical, I could criticise the ending, saying that it was implausable, but sit down and think about it. There is a reason for it there.
Overall, a classic that will be rightly revered in fifty years time.
I give Taxi Driver a 10 out of 10.