A dark and compelling tale of loneliness, unmatched to this day

Rating: 10/10 (16 September 2005)

Written by Paul Schrader and directed by Martin Scorsese with Robert De Niro taking the lead role, there really was never any chance of 'Taxi Driver' being any less than brilliant. Its one of De Niro's best roles, his performance is so good that it sends shivers down my spine every time I see it. To anyone who hasn't seen the film, De Niro plays a character called Travis Bickle, a man who takes a job as a taxi driver having been discharged from the army. It is through this job that he becomes disillusioned by all the crime and "filth" he sees around him and decides to take matters into his own hands. He is a challenging and multi layered character that De Niro brings to life with huge success. He may be a very extreme depiction of loneliness but even so he still seems every bit as real as you or me, he is a likable character to whom most people will be able to relate. That's the real genius of De Niro's performance; he makes you believe in Bickle no matter what he does.
It was an early film for Scorsese who has since gone on to become one of the top names in Hollywood, but I would still regard this as his very best work. The night scenes are unmatched for their dark and gritty atmosphere, and the sense of loneliness that you share with Bickle throughout the film is chilling no matter how many times you watch it. However, Scorsese and De Niro alone don't make this a great film, there's Paul Schrader's masterpiece of a script, the haunting Bernard Herrmann score, and the A-list cast, that all come tougher to make this a living classic. The 70's brought many greats, and this is one of them. If you haven't seen it yet you really need too, especially if you're a Scorsese or De Niro fan, it's a superb film and a great addition to any collection. Highly recommended.