His films obsessively explore the corrupting nature of ambition and the psychological toll of climbing hierarchies in 'Taxi Driver,' 'Raging Bull,' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'

He consistently examines the destructive cost of artistic and professional ambition through intense character studies in 'Whiplash,' 'La La Land,' and 'First Man.'

His humanistic films explore how career ambitions conflict with family and personal relationships, examining what truly matters in life through works like 'Shoplifters' and 'Broker.'