Review of Taxi Driver (1976) by Henry F — 27 Apr 2014

One thing I usually don't like about Scorsese is the 'macho' BS in a lot of his characters, but this doesn't seem to have any of that. Instead it looks at a troubled and desperate man that just wants to live in a pure and civilised society, and ends up trying to do something about it.

This aspect of the film I like, it makes points about society and the victims of its cruelty that are relevant even today, but there are also things I don't like. The biggest problem is the storytelling, it seems like it was made up as it went along, the film finds itself mid way through; its as if when it started being written there wasn't really much of an idea for a story, it all just seemed a bit improvised.

There are also a lot pf things that arent explored in enough detail, like his unclear relationship with Betsy and the seemingly important but barely mentioned fact that he is a war veteran. This is an overall well acted movie with some good points on urban society, but would of been a lot stronger if there was more direction; if it actually knew what it wanted to be.

This seems like one of the films you need to watch twice, maybe I'll come back to it at some point...