Taxi Driver (1976)

As I have said many times before I am a bus driver. Because of this job I have met many interesting people and learned many interesting things. I have learned, for example, that Razor Scooters are no longer considered cool. You know what Razor Scooters are don't you? They are those awesome aluminum scooters that came out in the late 90's that a bunch of kids got hurt on. Just look how awesome they are:



When I was in school everyone wanted one, but I never got one. I did have a Hot Wax Scooter though. In some ways superior to Razor, but pain is much more likely. One morning I was transporting a whole bus full of kids and I overheard a conversation that went something like this:

"Oh my gosh Timmy is so cute!"
"You know he rides a scooter to school?"
"Well he lives pretty far away."
"I would rather walk than ride a scooter to school."
"I guess you're right. Wow a scooter? He should tell his parents to buy him a bike or something."
"Seriously. What a dork."

I felt sorry for Timmy, but to save myself from the same fate as his I quickly hid my Razor logo tattoo, and continued to drive despite all of my tears. Like I said before, I also meet interesting people on the bus. On the very same day that my scooter dreams were crushed I had lady pick her nose on my bus. It wasn't a standard nose pick either. She did a "double nostril search." She shoved a finger into each nostril and proceeded her excavation. That doesn't seem very effective in my opinion, but who am I to judge? With all of the weirdos that I meet on the bus, they don't hold a candle to the freaks in NYC that ride in taxis.

Taxi Driver is about, you guessed it, a taxi driver in New York. Robert De Niro plays Vietnam Vet Travis Brickle. It becomes extremely obvious in the first few minutes of the film that Travis is crazy. For example, he begins to stalk a girl that he sees driving one day. It goes without saying that it doesn't turn out well. The thing that sets him apart from the other cab drivers in NYC is that he is willing to go to the sleaziest places, and pick up anyone. Because of this attitude, he meets a child hooker (played by Jodie Foster) and decides that he needs to help her escape that life. Arming himself with a whole arsenal of weapons he begins to make his plan.

A very interesting fact is that John Hinckley Jr. tried to assassinate Reagan because of this movie. He became obsessed with Jodie Foster, and decided to impress her by killing Reagan. Thanks to our legal system he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He mimicked Taxi Driver, including De Niro's mohawk in the film. The defense showed the movie during the trial, and apparently that was all the jury needed to see.

What would happen had John never seen this movie? American Dad explores that possibility. Stan goes back in time, and because of his actions Scorsese never makes Taxi Driver. As a result John Hinckley Jr. never saw Jodie Foster, never became obsessed with her, which resulted in him never trying to assassinate Ronald Reagan. This dented Reagan's popularity, forcing him to lose the election, and Walter Mondale surrenders the country to the Soviet Union just 47 days into his presidency. Stan then goes back in time to make the movie himself:



I recommend watching the whole episode of American Dad. It is called "The Best Christmas Story Never Told" and is the ninth episode from the second season. You can see it on Netflix.

Let me just say that I hated this movie. It was boring, sometimes confusing, and was controversial just for the sake of being controversial. I have decided that I am not impressed with Martin Scorsese. I love his movie The Departed, but everything else he has done is either really dumb, really unstructured, or just lacks something crucial.

The Bottom Line:
Rating: 2.9
Would I own it? No way!
Would I recommend it? If you are a Jodie Foster fan maybe.