The Taxi Driver

[Oblivion437]

This legendary film by Martin Scorcese starring Robert De Niro is one of the landmark films of cinema history. Most reviews knock off points for being too uncomfortably close to real life, for getting under our skin so deeply that we can feel the protagonist's plight, sympathize, and in the same situation, could see ourselves doing the same.
The Taxi Driver for those of you who haven't seen it is a film about a Taxi Driver in New York City named Travis Bicker. He's a Marine Corps. veteran of the Vietnam War (It's possible he was at Hue City, or Khe Sanh, it isn't stated, but he has some fairly wicked scars on his body, so it's altogether possible) turned cab driver, with little recourse in life. He's a very lonely man, and he sees the world as sick, twisted and evil. The rains to him seem to wash scum off wherever they fall, and as he says to a Senator turned Presidential Nominee who happens to ride in his cab, "I think a president needs to really do something about this town, right here, New York. Someone has to wash away all the scum, all the dirt needs to be swept away." the Senator whole heartedly agrees. Bicker's Vietnam experiences are clearly still with him, as he arms himself heavily in his paranoia (actually, considering the time period, it wasn't really paranoia, the streets were very rough) and his feelings of apprehension and disgust are driven over the edge by the acquaintance of a 13 year old prostitute named Iris (played by Jodie Foster)... Well, watch the movie...
Personally, I found the film a very intelligent commentary on a number of things, not least of them being the experience of Vietnam veterans, who had little in the way of learning how to cope with their experience, and so many had problems thereafter. Then there's the whole underbelly of New York thing, the city was a glitzy urban decay, and you could see it everywhere. Things were old, breaking and cheap. Life was cheap. This isn't a film for everyone, it paints the picture in shocking colors, with artistic effect likely to draw people away, and certainly due to content, and the nature of the film's dialogue, not just swearwords but the age level of English used, the film should not be shown to children.

[Azred]

<font color = lightgreen>I agree completely! This classic film is frequently studied in cinematology and film review classes. If you haven't see it, then rent it this weekend. If you have seen it, add it to your movie collection.

Strangely enough (or perhaps not so strange), there is a positive message in the context of the film: by saving Iris (the very young Ms. Foster), Travis manages to save himself from his life of isolation.</font>