Taxi Driver is another high-rated classic that kept getting on my radar from time to time. It is beloved by many, adored by most viewers but to me, it's just good. I've stated this before during some of my reviews but I'm just not a fan of shootouts, especially when they display Terminator-like stamina and endurance when getting shot or injured in some way. It's like watching an anime character getting beaten to the grown and seeing them regain all their power again in a blink of an eye just to save the day. Of all those that I didn't like though, I'd say this is the best. Mostly because of the aftermath where Travis did the finger gun motion at his skull upon the arrival of policemen. He did it in a crazy, a bit surreal even, fashion that ended up being the most memorable scene in the movie.
Other than that, this felt like a hang-out movie from the perspective of a slightly depressed insomniac. There wasn't really a clear direction that this movie took. I thought it be a love story when Betsy was introduced but then she was present for only 10% of the movie, most likely even less. I thought this could be a story about hardships in New York and how the society and many micro-societies live along, fight and interact with violent and non-violent tendencies in mind but it only involved minor plotlines. I thought this could be about saving a young woman from being dragged situation where she is just used as an object to exploit but then again that was only the latter half or three-sevenths of the movie. If someone would ask me what this movie is about, I'd just mention Travis and what he has to deal with but in New York City. That answer would be as ambiguous as the actual plot.
Speaking of Betsy and Iris, whose name I didn't mention in the last paragraph, both of these actresses impressed me as much as Travis, played by none other than Robert De Niro. Betsy was played by Cybill Shepherd and even though she didn't have a lot of screen time, it was really memorable. Not just for her looks but also her charm and her wit. She delivered my favorite lines of the movie when she quoted Kris Kristofferson and her appearance in the final scene of the movie, although surprising, helped to end the movie in a good tone. Jodie Foster played Iris and she impressed me in a similar way that Matilda impressed me in Léon: The Professional (1994). Being only 14-year-old when the movie was released (I believe she was 13 when it was filmed), she played a really mature role perfectly. I thought it was a joke when Sport said she's only twelve but I was shocked to find out that she was actually really close to that age as she looked like she's in her mid or late teens. With Matilda, I really didn't expect it as then I thought she was a grown actress playing the role of child, I was even more wrong there. And moving on from that, I still want to talk about Robert De Niro. I got to know him from roles that portray him as badass, sometimes the bad guy that I just can't help but root for. Seeing him in a bit of a more somber role was a good exchange as I got something different from him but I just wasn't really the biggest fan of Travis, to be honest. I've heard some people say that this is the best De Niro performance but I'm not sure. It might be but I just didn't like the character he portrayed. I liked HOW he portrayed him, I just didn't like the character himself. Confusing? Yet, it is.
The last thing I want to talk about is the music here. Of course, it has one of the sexiest soundtracks there is and it's a big part of why I might get back to this movie sometime in the future. The main theme is composed by Bernard Herrmann, who also was in the music department of all-time classic movies like Psycho (1960), Vertigo (1958), and North by Northwest (1959). Letterboxd recognized 58 movies with his at the composer and his work is just stunning, I should definitely just look into his compositions one day. The main theme hits us with fun with a jazzy romantic melody that just brightens the mood every time it comes up. Unless it comes up during Sport (I believe his name in the movie was Michael) acts like a creep towards Iris with this song in the background... yes, it didn't really work for that scene and it almost made it lose its charm for me but a few scenes in the future acted like a rebound and got that charm back in my eyes.
Overall, Taxi Driver was a good movie that just didn't interest me that much. It got a lot of good things about it but nothing that made me overly excited. There's nothing that makes me think of it as a bad movie either. This places it along with Léon: The Professional (1994), who I mentioned before. I like both of those movies but the action they displayed just isn't for me, I liked the human elements of these movies more. They're still good movies (look at me, repeating myself) but I just can't look at them as amazing.
Other than that, this felt like a hang-out movie from the perspective of a slightly depressed insomniac. There wasn't really a clear direction that this movie took. I thought it be a love story when Betsy was introduced but then she was present for only 10% of the movie, most likely even less. I thought this could be a story about hardships in New York and how the society and many micro-societies live along, fight and interact with violent and non-violent tendencies in mind but it only involved minor plotlines. I thought this could be about saving a young woman from being dragged situation where she is just used as an object to exploit but then again that was only the latter half or three-sevenths of the movie. If someone would ask me what this movie is about, I'd just mention Travis and what he has to deal with but in New York City. That answer would be as ambiguous as the actual plot.
Speaking of Betsy and Iris, whose name I didn't mention in the last paragraph, both of these actresses impressed me as much as Travis, played by none other than Robert De Niro. Betsy was played by Cybill Shepherd and even though she didn't have a lot of screen time, it was really memorable. Not just for her looks but also her charm and her wit. She delivered my favorite lines of the movie when she quoted Kris Kristofferson and her appearance in the final scene of the movie, although surprising, helped to end the movie in a good tone. Jodie Foster played Iris and she impressed me in a similar way that Matilda impressed me in Léon: The Professional (1994). Being only 14-year-old when the movie was released (I believe she was 13 when it was filmed), she played a really mature role perfectly. I thought it was a joke when Sport said she's only twelve but I was shocked to find out that she was actually really close to that age as she looked like she's in her mid or late teens. With Matilda, I really didn't expect it as then I thought she was a grown actress playing the role of child, I was even more wrong there. And moving on from that, I still want to talk about Robert De Niro. I got to know him from roles that portray him as badass, sometimes the bad guy that I just can't help but root for. Seeing him in a bit of a more somber role was a good exchange as I got something different from him but I just wasn't really the biggest fan of Travis, to be honest. I've heard some people say that this is the best De Niro performance but I'm not sure. It might be but I just didn't like the character he portrayed. I liked HOW he portrayed him, I just didn't like the character himself. Confusing? Yet, it is.
The last thing I want to talk about is the music here. Of course, it has one of the sexiest soundtracks there is and it's a big part of why I might get back to this movie sometime in the future. The main theme is composed by Bernard Herrmann, who also was in the music department of all-time classic movies like Psycho (1960), Vertigo (1958), and North by Northwest (1959). Letterboxd recognized 58 movies with his at the composer and his work is just stunning, I should definitely just look into his compositions one day. The main theme hits us with fun with a jazzy romantic melody that just brightens the mood every time it comes up. Unless it comes up during Sport (I believe his name in the movie was Michael) acts like a creep towards Iris with this song in the background... yes, it didn't really work for that scene and it almost made it lose its charm for me but a few scenes in the future acted like a rebound and got that charm back in my eyes.
Overall, Taxi Driver was a good movie that just didn't interest me that much. It got a lot of good things about it but nothing that made me overly excited. There's nothing that makes me think of it as a bad movie either. This places it along with Léon: The Professional (1994), who I mentioned before. I like both of those movies but the action they displayed just isn't for me, I liked the human elements of these movies more. They're still good movies (look at me, repeating myself) but I just can't look at them as amazing.