Taxi Driver (1976)
Kernel Score: 90% · 13,238 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Crime, Drama
Released: 1976-02-09
Runtime: 114 minutes
Is Taxi Driver worth watching?
Must-watch. A bleak, hypnotic portrait of a lonely New York cab driver sinking into obsession, with Robert De Niro unforgettable and Scorsese's grimy city made vivid. Uncomfortable and violent, but it has barely aged.
Watch it if you
- love dark character studies
- admire great acting and direction
- like gritty 1970s New York
Skip it if you
- want a likeable hero
- dislike violence or slow, brooding drama
Best for: Late-night solo watch
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Taxi Driver
- Stream: Apple TV
- Free with ads: Tubi
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city.
Taxi Driver parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Taxi Driver is an R-rated crime drama about a disturbed loner descending into violence, obsession, and vigilantism, involving pornography and a pimp.
- Violence & scariness: Intense — Depicts a vigilante's violent breakdown, culminating in graphic bloodshed, plus firearm use throughout.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Moderate — Involves a pornography-obsessed protagonist and a storyline involving a pimp and prostitution.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Some — Depicts a gritty 1970s urban underworld including drug dealing.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Taxi Driver
If you liked Taxi Driver, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The French Connection (1971) — 87%: Gritty 1970s New York crime thriller with an obsessive cop.
- Joker (2019) — 92%: A modern descendant about a disturbed loner.
- GoodFellas (1990) — 92%: Scorsese's other great crime film, faster and more social.
- Once Upon a Time in America (1984) — 91%: Epic crime drama about violence and regret.
- Casino (1995) — 89%: Scorsese again, with a sprawling, violent crime story.
- City of God (2002) — 92%: Raw, kinetic crime drama about a violent city.
Director
Cast
- Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle
- Jodie Foster as Iris
- Cybill Shepherd as Betsy
- Harvey Keitel as Sport
- Peter Boyle as Wizard
- Leonard Harris as Charles Palantine
- Albert Brooks as Tom
- Diahnne Abbott as Concession Girl
- Frank Adu as Angry Black Man
- Victor Argo as Melio
Taxi Driver FAQ
Is Taxi Driver worth watching?
Must-watch. A bleak, hypnotic portrait of a lonely New York cab driver sinking into obsession, with Robert De Niro unforgettable and Scorsese's grimy city made vivid. Uncomfortable and violent, but it has barely aged.
Where can I watch Taxi Driver?
In the US you can stream Taxi Driver on Apple TV, watch it free with ads on Tubi and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Taxi Driver OK for kids?
Taxi Driver is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Taxi Driver is an R-rated crime drama about a disturbed loner descending into violence, obsession, and vigilantism, involving pornography and a pimp.
What movies are like Taxi Driver?
If you liked Taxi Driver, try The French Connection, Joker, GoodFellas and Once Upon a Time in America.