Martin Scorsese's last film of the 20th century takes place "back in the early 90's" and it serves as an accurate and engrossing portrayal of what that decade was all about. Scorsese created an eclectic, hyperactive, and pulsating movie that is absolutely mesmerizing to watch.
The film stars Nicolas Cage, who gives a phenomenal performance as the alcoholic paramedic Frank who's psychological stability long ago slipped away. He drives an ambulance through the streets of a desperate, gritty New York City practically from dusk till dawn. The entirety of the movie happens over the course of a few nights. Frank drives the ambulance like a maniac, but it seems to be the only way to keep the ghosts of the people that have died in his arms away. Frank's partner is Larry, a middle aged family an who serves as a sort of rock for Frank, keeping his psychosis in check. But Larry is only there the first night, and Frank's descent is fast. He meets a girl who's father has had a heart attack, and he falls for her. But it is not as if she can save him; in fact she is probably worse off than he is.
Nicolas Cage is excellent as Frank. His performance is certainly over the top, but that is by no means a bad thing. Cage absorbs himself into the character, creating a man who is visibly on the brink of a nervous break down, and who we can easily identify with and understand. John Goodman plays Larry with a subdued and calming aspect that acts as a nice foil for Cage early on. Patricia Arquette gives a subdued and excellent performance as the wounded girl Frank tries to save.
The script was written by Paul Schrader, who wrote several other films for Scorsese, including Taxi Driver and The Last Temptation of Christ. Schrader delves deep into the character of Frank, but never reveals too much. We are left with questions that cannot be answered about all of these characters, but we see many of them in their most revealing moments.
Scorsese directs this movie with a eccentric fever that he has never replicated. The entire movie is from the point of view of Frank, and so we get a dazed, delirious look at the City and its inhabitants. Scorsese deals with themes of alienation, death, and the crack epidemic all together in one huge lump of insanity, all while maintaining the clearest of storytelling. While a simple description of the plot may make it seem like a subdued and lengthy character study, it is in essence quite different. Scorsese's directing turns the film into a drug induced meditation on life and death.
Complete with a soundtrack that includes The Clash, The Who, and The Rolling Stones, Bringing Out the Dead is a forgotten masterpiece of Martin Scorsese. The movie is hypnotic to watch and hard to pull away from once it sucks you into its insane world.
thatguythatlikesmovies.blogspot.com/ridingwithdeath
The film stars Nicolas Cage, who gives a phenomenal performance as the alcoholic paramedic Frank who's psychological stability long ago slipped away. He drives an ambulance through the streets of a desperate, gritty New York City practically from dusk till dawn. The entirety of the movie happens over the course of a few nights. Frank drives the ambulance like a maniac, but it seems to be the only way to keep the ghosts of the people that have died in his arms away. Frank's partner is Larry, a middle aged family an who serves as a sort of rock for Frank, keeping his psychosis in check. But Larry is only there the first night, and Frank's descent is fast. He meets a girl who's father has had a heart attack, and he falls for her. But it is not as if she can save him; in fact she is probably worse off than he is.
Nicolas Cage is excellent as Frank. His performance is certainly over the top, but that is by no means a bad thing. Cage absorbs himself into the character, creating a man who is visibly on the brink of a nervous break down, and who we can easily identify with and understand. John Goodman plays Larry with a subdued and calming aspect that acts as a nice foil for Cage early on. Patricia Arquette gives a subdued and excellent performance as the wounded girl Frank tries to save.
The script was written by Paul Schrader, who wrote several other films for Scorsese, including Taxi Driver and The Last Temptation of Christ. Schrader delves deep into the character of Frank, but never reveals too much. We are left with questions that cannot be answered about all of these characters, but we see many of them in their most revealing moments.
Scorsese directs this movie with a eccentric fever that he has never replicated. The entire movie is from the point of view of Frank, and so we get a dazed, delirious look at the City and its inhabitants. Scorsese deals with themes of alienation, death, and the crack epidemic all together in one huge lump of insanity, all while maintaining the clearest of storytelling. While a simple description of the plot may make it seem like a subdued and lengthy character study, it is in essence quite different. Scorsese's directing turns the film into a drug induced meditation on life and death.
Complete with a soundtrack that includes The Clash, The Who, and The Rolling Stones, Bringing Out the Dead is a forgotten masterpiece of Martin Scorsese. The movie is hypnotic to watch and hard to pull away from once it sucks you into its insane world.
thatguythatlikesmovies.blogspot.com/ridingwithdeath