Taxi Driver

Travis’s ever present loneliness and the urge to change it by becoming a a taxi driver, trying to change his interaction with humanity, to the increased human connection, while still feeling isolated leading him to spiral? Chef’s kiss. His human interactions resulting in increased isolation, and internalization, and the slow development of these feelings and escalation of violence, is such an authentic representation of lonelinesses effect on the human psyche. Travis is not communicated with, characters are consistently framed as talking at him, with himself removed, he places himself in the social situations with desire to connect, yet no motivation, there is a part of him who feels victimized, I.e, his relationship with Betsy, where he feels like actions and some emotional investment are enough, even when half assed, he feels as if he should be rewarded, because that is how he feels seen. Travis seeking out human connection was not a human desire, but rather one to justify himself, for vindication, he only sought to help iris, viewing her as a damsel in distress, needing a savior, and that is how he must prove himself. Iris leaving prostitution behind does not necessarily corroborate Travis’s belief, but rather than men maintain the patriarchal position of dictating what women must do, and through that is his purpose, perpetuating the patriarchy. However, the loneliness and violence being rewarded as bravery is an excellent analogy to Vietnam vets being hung out to dry after the trauma endured, that maybe government acknowledgement of the bravery executed during the war by soldiers could have changed the trajectory of many vets lives. In life it really is acknowledgment and rewards that counteract human loneliness, but for male loneliness it is negated by achieving their position within the patriarchy, applying their morals, judgement, and lifestyle to the lives of women and succeeding. I do understand that the movie highlights the explosive interactions with women that caused his emotional spirals, because that’s the depth at which Travis understood his relationships with the women, superficial, but more scenes of micro transactions would have sealed 5 stars, having another scene or two like the coffee shop with iris where Travis resentment accumulates rather than being implied, and would ultimately make the violence an airtight continuation as opposed to a huge escalation.