Taxi Driver (1976) is a psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. It stars Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, a mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran who becomes a New York City taxi driver. The film explores themes of loneliness, alienation, and the breakdown of societal norms, and it remains one of the most iconic films in American cinema.
The story is set in a gritty, decaying New York City in the early 1970s. Travis Bickle, the protagonist, is a 26-year-old former Marine who suffers from insomnia. Unable to sleep at night, he takes a job driving a taxi. The city’s corruption and crime disturb him deeply, and he begins to form a cynical view of the world.
As Travis spends more time in the seedy streets of New York, he becomes obsessed with cleaning up the city. His mental state worsens as he becomes fixated on a young woman named Iris (played by Jodie Foster), a 12-year-old prostitute whom he sees as a symbol of the city’s moral decay. Travis attempts to “rescue” her from her pimp, Sport (played by Harvey Keitel), and take her away from the dangerous world she lives in.
Travis also becomes increasingly disillusioned with the people around him, especially the political campaign of Charles Palantine (played by Leon), whom he views as a potential savior of the city, but whose ideals ultimately seem shallow. His growing frustration and paranoia lead him down a violent and unpredictable path.
