Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver starring Robert DeNiro is ranked as the 52nd best movie of all time, according to AFI. It tells the story of Travis Bickle (DeNiro), an ex-marine who gets a job as a late night taxi driver because of his insomnia. He spends his time driving people around, going to porn theaters, or eating at a late night diner with fellow late night taxi drivers.

One day, he sees Betsy, a young woman working in a political office and he becomes obsessed with her. He finally gets her to go to lunch with him and then on a date. After taking her to one of his porn theaters, Betsy storms out. He tries to reconcile with her by sending her flowers and calling her, but she refuses both, and when he confronts her in the office, he screams that she will "burn in hell like the rest of them." He soon buys a large number of guns. He continues his obsession with Betsy and Senator Palandine (the senator she works for), but he also becomes obsessed with saving Iris, a young prostitute he wants to save. He storms the brothel where Iris lives, killing everyone including her pimp "Sport." Bickle himself is shot many times, however he ends up living and being called a hero. Iris is returned to her family, and the final scene of the movie is of him giving Betsy a cab ride and then not charging her.

While this movie was really good, it was not one of my favorites. I found it hard to get into, and I was not really impressed with Bickle as a character, although DeNiro did a good job playing him. I didn't have a problem with his acting (I think he is a fabulous actor, especially in Deerhunter) but I didn't really like Bickle, and I thought that many of the other characters were underdeveloped. I mean I can see how it made the AFI list, so see it if you want, I guess, but I'm not dying to see it again.