Classic Friday : Taxi Driver (1976) 7/10

Starring : Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel
Director : Martin Scorsese
Running Time : 109 mins

Travis Bickle (De Niro) works as a cabbie in New York, using the night shifts as a means to cure his insomnia which has come as a result of his time in Vietnam, and he soon finds himself loathing the types of people who ride in his cab at night. As his relationship with Betsy (Shepherd), a campaign worker for a state senator, falls apart, Bickle decides to make a name for himself by assassinating the senator in a vague attempt to start cleaning up the town, and also attempts to rescue a young prostitute (Foster).

The only word to suitably describe this movie is interesting. Although De Niro gives a memorable performance, as does Keitel’s hair, there isn’t anything particularly outstanding about this movie. It does feel as if it’s been over hyped over the years, and this just builds the movie up into something it’s not; it’s good, but it’s nothing that special.

You’ll like this if you liked : Raging Bull