Taxi Driver - R
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Taxi Driver is a disturbing chronicle of psychopath. It has graphic violence and unnerving suspense. The voiceover narration of the main character is filled with obscenities and racial slurs. A young teen prostitute is a central character, and she has affection for her pimp, which is made clear. The final shootout scene is bloody and shocking, and it is followed by a somewhat confounding epilogue where the police praise main character's violent actions.
Parents may want to talk with their children about the main character's motivations. Are there any clues given to the roots of his violent tendencies? Were his final very violent actions justified given his motive to "save" Iris? What do you think the filmmakers were trying to say about the media's influence on people's behavior? Do you think the media have an affect on yours?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: David Gurney
Teenagers curious about extremely violent films are likely to learn of this film's reputation, especially the tour-de-force performance of Robert De Niro as unhinged taxi driver Travis Bickle. Bickle is a young man who has moved to New York following service in the military. In the city, he finds himself disgusted by the crime and "filth" on the streets. Unable to sleep at night, he takes a job as a night-time taxi driver - a job that brings him into close contact with many of the city's undesirable elements. Although he tries to connect with the people he meets, his awkwardness keeps him from succeeding. Rapidly, his mental state deteriorates, and he begins to fantasize about cleaning up corruption on his own. Ultimately, he enacts his warped idea of vigilante justice with some rather graphic and surprising consequences.
TAXI DRIVER marks the first major collaboration between actor Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese. Working from Paul Schrader's script, the resulting film is deeply affecting in its ability to bring the viewer into the frame of mind of the violent and volatile social misfit Travis Bickle. Feeding off a general sense of unrest that many young people will experience in life, the film does an amazing job of making Bickle appear to be a real human being with problems, rather than some cartoonish villain. At least in his own mind, his morals are well tuned, obligating him to become a crusader for his own version of decency. It is hard to wholly cast him as the "bad guy," and as such, much moral ambiguity exists.
This film is full of cinematic references and influences, and in that sense, it gives film lovers much to digest. Most prominently, the main plot of Bickle wanting to rescue the young prostitute Iris from her pimp closely mirrors the plot of the Western film The Searchers, where the hero is on a similar quest replete with moral ambiguities. The imagery of New York City at night almost functions as a second main character, with striking visuals that depict city lights seen through rain drenched cab windows, glisteningly wet city streets, and all sorts of unsavory characters inhabiting the sidewalks. A truly stunning masterpiece that helped to solidify an actor/director relationship that went on to produce many other great films.
Parents should know that due to the popularity of both De Niro and director Martin Scorcese, TAXI DRIVER will hold much appeal to young people, especially teenage boys. However, the extreme violence and sexual themes present should be considered before parents allow their children to view the film. For more Scorsese and De Niro collaborations, the most rewarding are Mean Streets (1973), Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1983), and Goodfellas (1990).
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentOne young character is a prostitute, porn theatres serve are repeatedly shown. |
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ViolenceFetishization of guns and a graphically violent shootout. |
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Social BehaviorThe main character is an unhinged psychopath. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoDrugs are offered for sale and discussed, but not accepted or used. |
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