Taxi Driver (1976)
Raiting: 
8,3 /10
Genre: Drama
Director: Martin Scorsese
Stars: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster and Cybill Shepherd
Country: United States
Release date: 9 February 1976
Length: 114 minutes
"Taxi Driver" (1976), directed by Martin Scorsese, is a gritty and intense character study set against the backdrop of a decaying and morally ambiguous 1970s New York City. The film follows Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a socially isolated and mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran, as he takes a job as a night-time taxi driver. Travis is disgusted by the perceived sleaze and corruption he sees on the city streets, and he struggles with his own inner demons and mounting alienation.
Travis becomes infatuated with a campaign volunteer named Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), who works for the presidential candidate Senator Palantine. He successfully asks her out on a date, but his erratic behavior and poor choice in taking her to an adult movie theater quickly end the relationship. This rejection further fuels his descent into disillusionment and his compulsion to "clean up" the city.
As Travis drives his taxi, he encounters a 12-year-old prostitute named Iris (Jodie Foster), who is attempting to escape her pimp, Sport (Harvey Keitel). Travis becomes obsessed with the idea of saving Iris from her life on the streets, seeing it as a way to find purpose and enact his own form of justice. He begins a rigorous physical training regimen and acquires an arsenal of weapons, preparing himself for a violent confrontation.
Travis's alienation and rage culminate in a failed assassination attempt on Senator Palantine, after which he directs his violent outburst toward Iris's pimp and his associates in a bloody shootout. The film's climax is a chaotic and harrowing sequence that leaves several dead and Travis wounded. In a twist of fate, Travis is hailed as a hero for rescuing Iris, with the media and her parents thanking him for his actions.
The film ends ambiguously, with Travis back to driving his taxi and encountering Betsy as a passenger. After dropping her off, he drives away, but a momentary glance in the rearview mirror suggests that Travis's inner turmoil might not be fully resolved, leaving his future uncertain.
"Taxi Driver" is a powerful and unsettling exploration of loneliness and violence, featuring a haunting score by Bernard Herrmann and a career-defining performance by De Niro. Scorsese's direction creates a tense, nightmarish vision of urban decay, making "Taxi Driver" a seminal film that continues to influence and provoke discussion decades after its release.
Top cast - Taxi Driver (1976)
Trailer - Taxi Driver (1976)
Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" (1976) is a cinematic tour de force that delves into the dark recesses of urban isolation and the psyche of an antihero. Robert De Niro's portrayal of Travis Bickle is a standout performance, capturing the essence of a man teetering on the edge of sanity. De Niro's Bickle is a brooding, complex character whose descent into violence is both disturbing and compelling, a testament to the actor's talent and commitment to the role.
The film's narrative is a slow burn, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in Travis's world and witness his transformation from a lonely, disaffected veteran to a man on a self-appointed mission to cleanse the city of its sins. The squalid New York City setting is a character in itself, depicted with a raw authenticity that accentuates the film's gritty atmosphere. Scorsese's direction is masterful, using the city's neon-soaked streets and the claustrophobic confines of the taxi cab to create a palpable sense of tension and unease.
Jodie Foster's performance as the young prostitute Iris is both heartbreaking and nuanced, providing a human face to the depravity that Travis seeks to eradicate. The dynamic between Foster and De Niro is particularly powerful, highlighting the film's central themes of salvation and damnation. Harvey Keitel's portrayal of Sport is equally effective, embodying the sleaze and corruption that Travis abhors.
Bernard Herrmann's haunting score perfectly complements the film's mood, adding a layer of impending doom to Travis's nocturnal journey through the city. The music is an integral part of the storytelling, reflecting the protagonist's turbulent emotional state and the film's building sense of dread.
"Taxi Driver" is a masterpiece of character study, a film that resonates with viewers long after the credits roll. It challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about society and the nature of violence. With its combination of powerful performances, striking visuals, and an unforgettable score, "Taxi Driver" stands as one of the defining films of the 1970s and a high point in the careers of both Scorsese and De Niro. It is a must-see for cinephiles and a stark reminder of the potency that cinema can have in portraying the human condition.