What gritty 1976 psychological thriller, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro as the disturbed insomniac Travis Bickle, explores themes of alienation and urban decay in New York City?

The film described is indeed "Taxi Driver," a seminal work of 1970s cinema. Directed by Martin Scorsese and released in 1976, this psychological thriller stars Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, a disturbed Vietnam War veteran and insomniac who works as a night-shift taxi driver in a decaying New York City. The movie vividly explores profound themes of alienation, loneliness, and urban decay, presenting a grim portrait of a city steeped in crime and moral decline through Bickle's increasingly unhinged perspective.

"Taxi Driver" is renowned for its raw emotional power and its unflinching portrayal of Bickle's descent into madness. Robert De Niro's intense method acting, including spending time working as a taxi driver in New York to prepare for the role, brought an unsettling realism to the character. The film's iconic lines, such as "You talkin' to me?", were famously improvised by De Niro, contributing to its lasting cultural impact. The gritty atmosphere of mid-1970s New York, exacerbated by a heatwave and sanitation strike during filming, became a character in itself, enhancing the sense of urban decay.

Despite its controversial depiction of violence and its casting of a young Jodie Foster as a child prostitute, "Taxi Driver" received widespread critical acclaim, earning the prestigious Palme d'Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival and four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for De Niro. Its influence on subsequent films and its exploration of a disillusioned post-Vietnam America have cemented its status as a culturally significant masterpiece. The film's dark and brooding score, Bernard Herrmann's final work, further amplifies the pervasive sense of unease and isolation.