Scorsese is just one of those directors whose movies you have to see because everybody knows about them. Taxi Driver is one of these classics and is one I haven't actually seen before, even though everyone tells me that I have to.
Robert De Niro is Travis Bickle, a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran who returns to New York to work late nights as a cabbie in the seediest parts of the city. One night he meets Iris (Jodie Foster), an underage prostitute who inspires him to take action against the filth of the city while his state of mind continues to deteriorate and he loses his grip on reality.
I think everyone knows this movie for that one line, you know the 'you talkin to me?' line and while that's great and all, there are maybe a hundred other great things about this movie, it's gritty and violent and perfectly captures the decaying mental state of Travis. The ending made me wonder and I'll try not to give it away but it does make you question whether the ending is all in Travis' mind. De Niro is scary, sexually frustrated and so terribly realistic, I can't believe it the same guy in Little Fockers. You see him being repeatedly drawn into this shady world full of pimps and dealers and it only fuels his hatred, but he can't turn away from it. This film just shows an actor and director in their peak and they work so well together, I think I'll have to watch Raging Bull as well, but maybe later.
It's such an angry and masculine film, something Scorsese deals with very well. It depicts this violent side of the city of New York, you can tell Scorsese was influenced by the whole punk rock movement happening there at the time (hence Travis' mohawk).
Fun fact, Scorsese actually had Dustin Hoffman in mind for the part of Travis, but Hoffman thought Scorsese was crazy so he said no. Must really be regretting that now huh.
Until tomorrow xox
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