MovieChat Forums > Seul contre tous (1999) Discussion > Similarities to Taxi Driver ?

Similarities to Taxi Driver ?

posted 10 years ago by Screep_5
2 replies | jump to latest

anyone else thought of Taxi Driver while watching this?

The main character is completely isolated, doesn't matter where he is, how he lives... or if he is together with his family. He is completely isolated, alone. Hence the title.

The character thinks he is right, that he is respectable and reasonable in his own little world. But the truth is, he is mentally unstable and completely disturbed. He does not realize this.

Now here the scary part:
The viewer actually is able to feel sympathy for him despite his horrific actions.
Some of his quotes about the reality in our world and the human society are comprehensible and right.

But just because the world is how it is, it is no excuse for him to behave like that. He should not act the way he acts. But that's just the mental disorder inside him talking that way.

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Now take all these characteristics and compare them with Travis Bickle and his properties.

What do you think?

[–] roell29 10 years ago

Both are disturbed people living in diseased societies. It's not necessarily preferable to pretend that oneself or society are "normal" and there are no clear distinctions anyway. That's the disturbing truth of the matter. The Butcher has a clearer-eyed view of himself and the problems of society. He is acting out violently with a lucid understanding of his motivation and the inevitable consequences. Travis is more of a schizoid, grandiose delusional personality type, IMO (which is interesting since France tends to view America as a schizoid society - accurately, I believe).

Leave the gun, take the cannoli...

[–] SalmanZaki1991 8 years ago

Read Jonathan Rosenbaum's review of the movie. He also made a comparison to Taxi Driver. Here's the link: http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/1999/07/the-brutal-truth/