Somewhat lost amidst Martin Scorsese's incredible catalog of work is 1999's tremendous "Bringing Out the Dead." Armed with a phenomenal cast, a gritty plot line, an ideal backdrop and a universal message, this flick blends intensity, humor, drama and horror into a two-hour viewing session that will leave you exhausted. It's an emotional-enough experience to make you want to emulate the lead character and give yourself a shot of adrenalin—and maybe one of whiskey as well.
The story, based on the novel by Joe Connelly, follows the path taken by a haunted paramedic named Frank Pierce, played by Nicolas Cage. During the course of a nonstop 56-hour tour that proceeds at a break-neck pace, Frank is dogged by the spirits of those he could not save, personified by Rose, a Hispanic girl lost by Frank due to a poor decision as he treated her. Frank worries that he has lost his touch, that everyone he treats is dying, that the ghosts of Rose that he sees on every corner and in every face will never let him sleep.
His initial partner on the Thursday that this manic shift starts is Larry, played by the tremendous John Goodman. The Cage-Goodman dynamic is alternately hilarious and pain-evoking, as we increasingly see that Frank is a guilt-ridden alcoholic ("These are hard times … sobriety's killing me") that Larry can't reach or help. Worse, due to the demand for ambulances and paramedics in violence-torn New York City, nothing Frank does will result in his firing, which he practically begs for. Spurred on by the arrival of the lethal street drug "red death," every shift is heavy with the potential for blood, even as sunrise approaches, with Larry reminding Frank that it's always darkest just before the dawn.
Armed with an awesome soundtrack replete with plenty of Clash, the movie shows Frank as he progresses his way through other crazy partners, including the laid-back Marcus (a great Ving Rhames) and the overly violent Wolls (a tremendously memorable turn by Tom Sizemore). Frank deals with an endless series of disturbed characters, from the mentally challenged Noel (a surprisingly good effort by Marc Anthony) to the silky-smooth drug dealer Cy (Cliff Curtis), as well as a plethora of accidents and events that only add to the high-octane intensity of the three-day haul. Scorsese speeds up the cinematography at times, cranks up the soundtrack and pulls the curtains on the city to project a dark, downtrodden, gritty NYC.
Frank tries to find solace from his endless guilt by partaking in Cy's Dayrise Enterprises/Stress-Free Factory, but he has a bad trip and flips out, pursued even in his altered state by the ghosts who won't let him rest. His time is increasingly taken up by the mercurial Mary Burke (Patricia Arquette), a pained woman who draws Frank in due to her dueling personalities as a saint-like victim and a common junkie. The chemistry between the two is built through Frank's treatment of Mary's father, who begins to communicate with Frank telepathically while on his death bed, begging him to let him die. The budding Frank-Mary relationships is propelled by grief and guilt, and is undoubtedly aided on-screen by the fact that Cage and Arquette were married at the time.
Increasingly, we realize that "Bringing Out the Dead" is about much more than just the crazy lives of medics and the toll that profession takes on its participants; it's also about New York City itself. Mary tells Frank, "This city … it'll kill you if you're not strong enough." After a pause, Frank responds, "The city doesn't discriminate—it gets everybody." As the flick winds to a close, Frank helps Mary's father find peace, rescues Noel and consoles Mary ("We're all dying") leaving himself morally, mentally and physically exhausted, a shell of a human being. Yet he achieves some inner resolution when he confront's Rose's ghost, and then light begins to enter the film at the very end … the conclusion is marked with religious overtones, as Mary embraces Frank as they are bathed in light, effectively releasing his burden in a scene that echoes the Madonna-with-child portrait.
Despite its bleak, anarchic portrayal of NYC; realistic depiction of a life lived on the edge; and its excellent voiceover work, "Bringing Out the Dead" was largely overlooked when it came to award time. When you consider the stellar cast (which also featured Scorsese himself as a hysterical dispatcher, Queen Latifah as another dispatcher, and Judy Reyes, who also plays a nurse on "Scrubs," and Tony Soprano's sister, Aida Turturro, as nurses), it's amazing that this flick didn't get more run on the awards circuit. Cage is both hilarious and sad—does any actor more fittingly or easily play a beaten-down, world-weary character?—and the movie hits a home run as a no-holds-barred perspective of New York's hidden heroes. If you're like me and this one slipped past you amidst other, more publicized releases, do yourself a favor and check out Scorsese and Cage at or near their very best … you'll be glad you did.
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