A Dark Film that is a Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (12 July 2007)

Taxi Driver is an absolutely stunning film. One of Martin Scorsese's original masterpieces that was nominated for best picture in 1977. This film is absolutely amazing in that nothing is wrong with it. It has wonderful acting, direction, writing (screenplay), and filming.
There is nothing wrong with this film. The filming is absolutely phenomenal, some of the best filming I have ever seen. The dark and horrible images of New York City are captured beautifully on camera. The footage taken from the Taxi Cab is brilliant, giving us the feeling we are driving that cab. The viewer gets the feeling that they are seeing and even feeling everything that is happening. Absolutely brilliant camera work! The story is brilliant. It focuses around the actions of a disturbed individual (Robert De Niro) who drives a Taxi cab during the most dismal times in New York City. The result, is an increasingly growing anger for all the filth and scum that he sees around him living in the city.
Robert De Niro portrays a psychotic and isolated Taxi Driver named Travis Bickle who is a Vietnam veteran. This is, in my opinion, De Niro's best performance in a film. His character is extremely unstable and his portrayal of the anger, hatred, and cockiness in his character is phenomenal. The intensity he has on screen is unmatched by only a handful of performances I can think of. This is Robert De Niro at his best. Jodie Foster plays an extremely convincing young girl who Bickle tries to save from the scum of the city. Cybill Shepherd and Peter Boyle deliver wonderful roles as well as Harvey Keitel, who plays the pimp named "Sport" who you just love to hate.
The ending of the movie is brilliant. I did not see it coming and it actually made me feel good. There are plenty of different interpretations about the ending and hopefully you can come to one you agree with after you see it.
The film is so great in that little things make it amazing. One example, is the way Robert De Niro delivers his lines. They come out so smooth and invigorating that you are left captivated by him. Not just his lines, but other quotes from the film that leave you shocked or laughing. Another example, is simple actions performed by the characters. De Niro is not just amazing in how he talks, but also his actions. Small things like when Bickle smiles or smirks and when he points his finger to his head and starts to make gun shot noises is incredible. And the background music at that point is amazing. It really adds to the intensity of the scene.
Taxi Driver is a masterpiece. I truly believe this film beats out Raging Bull as De Niro's best performance. A must see film that has remained one of the most brutal and cinematic masterpieces of all time.