July 27, 2009

Taxi Driver (1976) - IMDB #38

Taxi Driver//1976//113 Min.//Color//Drama


I've never met a mohawk I didn't like

Okay, so I'm late the party. Fashionably late. Yes, I'm one of the few people in America that hasn't seen Taxi Driver. Well, as the saying goes, better late than never.

I liked this film. The acting was top notch, the story was captivating, the directing, as always with good old Scorsese, brilliant. At times the movies pace was as lethargic as a homeless man looking for work, but I get it. The pace was due to the fact Travis was a brutally lonely guy. Being lonely is lethargic.

As far as DeNiro goes, this movie really showed off his true acting talent. Who else could play a mentally ill, lonely, unsociable? A guy completely lost in anonymity. A guy who posses all of the above character flaws, yet he made this guy enjoyable to watch. Then there is Jodie Foster. It's hard to believe that she actually was a 12 year old when this movie was filmed. She really did capture the essence of her character, which at her young age really is an amazing feat. Although, I did laugh every time that she asked Travis if he wanted to 'make it' with her. I'm bringing that phrase back. Just imagine, "Hey, look at those two dogs 'making-it' over there!"

It's funny how this movie was made over 30 years ago and it still resonates today. Violence, prostitution, 'skum'. It's weird to see how a guy like Travis can seem at times so normal, and others just wildly out of his mind. Good for us, because it made for an enjoyable film. While I did enjoy this film, I wouldn't consider it one of the best films I've ever seen. It's a film I'm glad I saw, but I wouldn't watch it again. One roll in the hay is enough for me. Hey, at least I made it to the party.

7/10 (IMDB has it rated 8.6/10)

-Shaun

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