Classic Movie Reviews: Taxi Driver

In today's cinema world with a seemingly short attention span and reactions to flavor-of-the-month trends (I'm looking at you Justin Bieber), and a lack of creativity in sequel after sequel and remake after remake, we sometimes have to look to the past for meaningful films and films that can leave a lasting impression. "Taxi Driver" is one of these movies that deserves to be looked at.

It's hard to find a psychological thriller with as much originality, tension and incredible acting as what is displayed in this 1976 masterpiece. Directed by the great Martin Scorsese, "Taxi Driver" tells the story of a disturbed former Marine-turned-taxi driver in New York.

 The movie follows his slow descent into madness as he becomes obsessed with "cleaning the trash" of the city and his paranoia of everyone around him. After encountering a 12-year old prostitute (played by a young Jodi Foster), he becomes disgusted with the people around him and descends into insanity while trying to save the girl, knowing he has to kill to do it.

While most people will recognize Robert DeNiro from his comedic antics with Ben Stiller in the "Meet the Parents" trilogy (and I use the term "trilogy" very loosely when describing those films), his true colors and talent was on display in the 70's and 80's in serious dramatic films like "The Godfather II" and the "The Deer Hunter." None are as impressive as his role in "Taxi Driver" though.

His acting as the socially-inept and disturbed taxi driver, Travis Bickle is absolutely perfect. His delivery of one of his first lines of the film, "someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets," sends absolute chills down any film buff's spine. His awkwardness in the beginning of the film makes you feel sorry for him, but as the movie steadily moves along, this is quickly washed away by his eventual slip into a lack of any reason and overall disgust of everything around him.

Bickle is a child in a corrupt world, which eventually corrupts him. He sees himself as a good man who wants to impart good upon the world. His child-like greetings towards the pimps, prostitutes and people who do not want to be bothered, his sadness when he realizes how alone he is, and his final turn to evil, pushed beyond even a shell of what he was, is an absolute perfect example of character development.

Ultimately, "Taxi Driver" is a study in what a corrupt and disgusting setting, in this case, the hoods and ugliness of New York City, can do to an impressionable and non-corrupt person. While his murderous turn is an example of mankind's most extreme turn to evil and is certainly not the film's final message, it does serve as a warning of what society's impressions can do.

"Taxi Driver" is one of the greatest psychological thrillers/dramas that has ever been filmed, and anyone who appreciates movies is sure to add it to their list of favorites after viewing, and yes I'm talking to you. I'm talking to you. I'm the only one here, so I must be talking to you.