DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese

CAST
Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore, Mark Anthony

MPAA RATING
R

RUNNING TIME
121 Minutes

STUDIO
Paramount

Based on a novel by Joe Connelly, BRINGING OUT THE DEAD reflects the life of a paramedic named Frank Pierce (Cage), who used to think he could save anyone's life. But in the past year, he's been on a bad streak. His patients seem to be dying on him now and the ones that have passed won't forgive him.

Cage's manic ambulance driver is one of his better performances. He himself is almost a walking zombie. Since he doesn't eat, his intake consists of coffee and wiskey. You can tell he's an insomniac by looking at his puffy, purple eyes. This man is tired. Tired of not only life, but his exhausting job.

The story follows Pierce's seemingly last three days on the job, with a different partner each night shift. Those three are played by a sane John Goodman, a preachy Ving Rhames, and an edgy Tom Sizemore. All three provide strong supporting roles.

Patricia Arquette plays Mary Burke, who's father Cage and Goodman successfully bring back to life. You see her most of the time waiting around in the hospital, which has a zoo-like feel, as you see patients and doctors running around like wild animals.

Scorsese is known for his visual dominance. This film is no exception, as you'll notice alot of darkness mixed with the color red. His camera style is really hard to describe. The camera is relentless, never holding steady for a moment. The camera speed ranges from the speed of light to the pace of a snail. He really mixes things up and you'll feel like your in the ambulance.

The movie's backbone is morality. It's a mixture of who Cage has saved and who he hasn't. And those he couldn't save, he sees their faces and hears their voices throughout the entire picture. It's the ghosts jail sentence to Cage, which is constant reminding of what he didn't do for them. Arquette's father may be the only person you could call the centerpiece. The film's last 5 minutes are extremely nerve-racking.

You can put this movie up there with TAXI DRIVER and GOODFELLAS as some of Scorsese's best work. It didn't last long in its very brief theatrical. The movie's dreariness and storyline probably scared off most average moviegoers. But this film is very enjoyable, particularly because of its original story. Ambulances won't quite look the same again.