MovieChat Forums > Down in the Valley (2005) Discussion > Rural Taxi Driver?

Rural Taxi Driver?

posted 18 years ago by BleekersPorkSword
11 replies | jump to latest

i noticed alot of similarities between Harlan and Travis from Taxi Driver, everything from talking to himself in the mirror to mysteriously writing a letter to someone( i wont say who) even his slow descent into pure craziness, the director said he was watching westerns when writing this film but id be surprised if this character wasnt inspired buy Taxi Driver. While this is not nearly as good a film it was interesting, i love when movies blur the line between good and evil, it forces you to think, also another great performance from the smokin' hot Evan Rachel Wood.

down in the valley 7/10

"Do you believe in...time travel?" - Frank

[–] Tchock 18 years ago

right when i saw edward norton playing with his guns, i knew it was biting taxi driver, it was an ok movie, but it copied taxi driver way too much, scorsese and schrader should be getting some royalties from this movie

Yesterday I woke up sucking on lemons.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] BleekersPorkSword 18 years ago

yeah the plot is different plus the main character's arc is completely different, i mean they're both out there but what happens to them in the end is different, i liked Valley even the second time around but it was a bit of a rip off i think.

"Do you believe in...time travel?" - Frank

[–] shark-43 18 years ago

Actually - anyone who mentions the Taxi Driver influence is dead-on - they are VERY much alike - mentally unstable guy sees a young girl (Tobe in this, Jodie Foster in TAXI) and wants to take her away and protect her - loads up on guns, talks in mirror and his obsession leads him to a bloodbath at end. And even though I admire Taxi Driver, I found Valley to just be a total mess - with some good scenes but the script just drags and is full of lazy symbolism. Norton is a terrific talent but this is one of his lesser efforts.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] nomad20 18 years ago

Let's not forget, and this may weave into the mentally unstable part, but they were loners. They didn't fit in...didn't know how or didn't care to know how to fit in with society. This could go for Travis taking Cybill Sheppard to a XXX theater or for Harlan trying to be an urban cowboy (yeah, i realize this was a title to a crappy John Travolta film (but aren't 90% of them like that?)).

[–] Prom_Queen_Carrie 18 years ago

Edward Norton is the biggest Robert De Niro wanna be I've ever seen. Talking in mirrors and playing with guns in Down in the Valley? Trying to take on bad ass roles like in American History X? He does a few strong roles and people act likes he's the greatest actor in the world? His acting is wooden but you know he thinks he's so great. He strikes me as very conceited. Like he believes he's our generations Brando or De Niro a little too much. And he seems to take himself way too seriously. Get your own thing you pretentious jackass.

[–] haru24 18 years ago

The similarities between Taxi Driver and Down in the Valley are why I feel that Harlan hates cars. Taxi Driver was set almost entirely in cars, so Down in the valley is set almost entirely out of cars.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Dennis_Cooper 18 years ago

Yeah except that Travis was a hero who rescued the girl from prostitution while Harlan shot his girl in the chest for no reason.

[–] 18 years ago

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