Taxi Driver

Review: One of my favorite movies, Taxi Driver is a compelling character study of Travis Bickle, played brilliantly by Robert DeNiro, who is an insomniac taxi driver who works the seedy sections of New York City at night. Travis is a complex character who seems to be caught up in his own world. He claims to be a Vietnam War vet, but whether or not this is true is never certain. Much of what Travis says and does is a lie, feeding his distorted view of reality. Travis doesn't connect with the society surrounding him and he describes himself as "God's lonely man". There is a strong presence of duality throughout the film. The two women in which he interacts with represents the two spectrums of Travis, an angelic political campain worker and a corrupted prostitute. What is right and wrong is blurred throughout this film and it is perfectly portrayed in the final act culminating in one of the most memorable climaxes in film. This is a true classic. A powerful character analysis that is hard to forget.
Rating: 5/5