Rating: 
Summary: Masterful and underrated modern noir
Review: Martin Scorsese's film contribution of 1999 marks one'a his greatest graduations as a filmmmaker in the past decade. 'Bringing Out the Dead' documents three days in the life'a Frank Pierce, a paramedic whose journey into the abyss of human misery keeps him teetering on the brink of insanity. I mean, jus' look at the film's cover, a close-up shot of Frank's eyes, dark and stormy, narrowed in pain, and you already have a feeling of the mood that this film's gonna put forth. He cruises the streets of a gritty and growling early '90s New York City during the hellish after-hours reluctantly taking every call he gets from his dispatcher (Scorsese, in an effectively-droll cameo) and... well... he tries to save lives basically. But all these days, months, an' years'a watching people die and having to deal with the permanence of death up close has all harshly affected his psyche. Every night he must look the Grim Reaper in the face, and it teases and taunts him, a constant reminder of his own mortality. The symbol of his decent into madness is Rose, an 18-year-old homeless girl whose life he failed to save. He possesses so much guilt and regret at his inability to help her that each person he attempts to save each night, is in a way redemption for him, an' an attempt to save his OWN life. But lately he has been unable to save anyone. And the only connection or feeling he can muster up in himself comes in his consoling of a young woman named Mary Burke, played by Patricia Arquette, the daughter of a man Frank tried to save, and who is now in critical condition. This is, using the term a little loosely, a modern film noir with its sharp-edged shadows and shots, strange angles and lonely urban settings. It is undoubtedly grim material and a very dark film, but you be surprised at how entertaining it is. There are actually moments which are very funny, even if sometimes you ask yourself why you're laughing. The supporting cast here is VERY strong, a slew of underrated and underappreciated actors and actresses (i.e. John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore, Aida Turturro, among others) all of whom turn in first-rate work, particularly the ridiculously underrated John Goodman and the always-impressive Ving Rhames as a gospel Christian who is Frank's co-pilot on the second night; he uses emergencies as an opportunity to demonstrate the power of Jesus (the scene in the rave-club where they are attempting to save an overdosed gothic kid is close-to-hilarious if you can believe it). Nicolas Cage, excellent actor that he is, plays the lead with a subtle intensity, his heedless emotional availability allowing him to make transitions from counselor to embittered miserable man, desperate for a peace that seems unreachable. One thing I really admired about this film was the way Scorsese never ASKS for your sympathy regarding this character, he merely puts the truth out there and allows the viewer to decide whether they can find some way to sympathize with him and his torments and problems. The entire film unblinkingly shows you the world in which he lives an' from his own eyes. Like Scorsese's timeless masterpiece 'Taxi Driver', which this film is being UNFAIRLY compared to, everything you see is what the lead character sees and every feeling the movie has is what he's feeling. But, here, the character of Frank Pierce is a much more merciful man and one who, rather than lashing out at the society which causes him this torment, merely wants to escape somehow and leave it all behind. I'm'a end this review by jackin' sumpin' from Roger Ebert: "To look at 'Bringing Out the Dead'--to look, indeed, at almost any Scorsese film--is to be reminded that film can touch us urgently and deeply." The man knows what he's talkin' 'bout.
Rating: 
Summary: Broken Vessels is much better
Review: I watched this film expecting better from a genius such as Scorcese.The film is satisfying but Nicholas Cage turns in a typically annoying performance.If you want to see a better film about the seedy underbelly of the paramedics world,you'd be better off watching Broken Vessels.This amazing film was directed by Scott Ziehl and stars Jason London and Todd Field in two of the most amazing performances I've witnessed in a long time.Jason London is the naive newcomer who moves the big city and joins work with the paramedics.He is paired with the experienced ambulance driver Todd Fields who draws him in to the desperate world of Heroin abuse.Once you see this film,it will crawl under your skin and you'll never forget it.
Rating: 
Summary: A dissapointment
Review: Normally, I like Martin Scorsese's work. I've been a fan of his for quite some time now. He has made many great movies. This is not one of them, however. If you want to see a good Scorsese flick check out Taxi Driver and don't bother wasting time with this pretentious non-sense.
Rating: 
Summary: Downfall of Nicolas Cage
Review: The trailor of the movie gives you a real picture of what to expect but unfortunately I didn't believe that Nicolas Cage would make such a mistake! The film is very poor in all aspects + the story is meaningless + I do not understand what were Nicolas Cage thinking when he got himself into this!!! Watch the trailor before going ahead, it was very painful to watch this movie not to mention the DVD that I got stuck with!
Rating:
Summary: Exhilirating and exhausting
Review: In a offhand sort of way this is kind of like "Aliens", a movie that just grabs you by the throat and never lets go. Its a movie dripping with offbeat, genuinely good performances, technical film virtuosity and rife with metaphor, religious symbolism and imagery (just check out the ending). Nicholas Cage plays an ambulance driver who more or less retells several of the worst days of his life as an EMT. He is in the business of saving lives, but business has been really bad lately. In particular one lost patient, named Rose, haunts his nightmares - both in dreams and waking. Cage seems to be one of those actors that you love or hate, and is equally capable of overacting monsterously or nailing it right on the head. Here, he takes us willingly into the hell that is early 1990s New York City. This is a dark, frightening, neon-lit place, scarier than any vision of hell I have ever seen. He constantly tightropes the line between total of insanity and total detatched apathy. He had me a believer from moment one. I can't even begin to tell you how strong the supporting cast is - Tom Sizemore and Ving Rhames in particular shine here, but they are all just so good, you could pick names out of a hat. This movie is scary, funny, and moving all in the same package. It takes you up and down so many times that, like the hero, all you want to do is sleep it off. Its easily amongst the best films Martin Scorsese has ever directed. Like the best heavily psychological movies (Jacob's Ladder, Naked Lunch, Natural Born Killers) it gives you something far greater in the absence of a coherent plotline - it gives you a state of mind, real, raw emotions that you can connect to, scenes of trauma featuring unforgettable characters that are almost too loony to be just characters in a movie (as it turns out, its based on the memoirs of a real EMT). Finally, its filmed with cinamatography that just goes balls-out - wierd camera angles, fantastic conceptual shots - there's one amazing scene where Cage is riding off of the false resolution of his central crisis. As the camera pulls away from his face you can see the falseness of his jolity, and then it turns to what he is watching - every single passerby's face morphs into that of the patient that he lost. I can't remember the last time when a movie moved me to tears. It resonates with the boundless enthusiasm and passion of someone who wants to tell you about all of the potential of film as an art form, and then proceeds to sing an operetta about the whole truth right into your ear. Its an aimless film that yet somehow never manages to waste a moment, word, thought or image, and one of the finest examples of cinema I have ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: Scorsese returns to familiar turf and succeeds again.
Review: This is exhiliarating filmmaking. Gorgeously shot and masterfully directed, Martin Scorsese teams up with screenwriter Paul Schrader to create a tale simliar (yet strikingly different) from their first collaboration, the amazing 'Taxi Driver'. Comparisons between the two films are inevitable: both have lead characters near the point of breaking who patrol the streets nightly (De Niro is a taxi cab and here, Nicolas Cage in an ambulance) briefly walking into people's live, each unable to connect with anyone. Cage's character spends each night patroling the streets of New York City, trying desperately to save lives but failing. He has been on a bad streak, patients seem to keep dying on him. He is haunted by the ghost of a young girl who shows up in front of his eyes, almost constantly, asking 'why did you kill me?'. He is assigned to increasingly unhinged partners (John Goodman, Ving Rhames, and Tom Sizemore... all perfect), begs to be fired, and falls for the daughter of a stroke victim (Patricia Arquette, convincingly torn and broken). It is a harrowing film, complete with many grisly scenes, and could easily be the most depressing film ever made. But Scorsese has other plans. The film is very much about redemption and salvation. About saving one's soul and how hard it is to do just that. Carrying us through it all is Nicolas Cage's wonderful performance, a walking time-bomb fueled by guilt and lonliness. The DVD edition is super-light on extras. No commentary track, just a few trailers and interviews. But the startling picture quality is enough to warrant it's purchase. A film this alive and hallucinatory benefits from the clarity of DVD. This is Scorsese's finest work outside of his usual ganster foree and should be seen by his fans and non-fans alike. It is a nightmare of a dream come true.
Rating:
Summary: Certainly Something Else
Review: This flick defiantly gets points for originality. The movie is basically about a paramedic that starts cracking up (Nicolas Cage). He's surrounded by people that make him go even more mental, plus the fact that he can't save as many people as he used to. The movie has some humor and drama; I guess it's worth your time. Then again, there are a few poor qualities that leave the movie down. It drags and goes in circles repeatedly, and for the biggest city in the United States, he sure runs into the same people a lot. It's probably a 50/50 chance you'll like it. Watch it when your feeling lucky.
Rating:
Summary: Leaving Out The Plot Line
Review: I sat through this film (I should've received an award for that)and I really wanted to rip it in this review. But then I realized, maybe it was a good film, just not my cup of tea. I will say though, that if there is any factuality in this movie about the EMS system in New York City, I hope I never become sick or injured within 100 miles of there. If you like no beginning, no middle, and no end; this is your film. If you like choppy-justabout-make-you motion-sick editing; this is your film. I'm sure as an actor, you just don't turn down opportunities to work with Martin Scorcese, but this directing legend should've gotten a lot more out of this all-star cast. But for me, and for them, this movie was just a waste of time, and I'm not sure what I was supposed to get from it--because it was certainly not entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: The Dead Playing the Dead
Review: Scorsese's Taxi Driver' a power house 'Bringing Out the Dead' a power failure You just can't go home!
Rating:
Summary: Scorsese's best since Goodfellas
Review: Being the best living american director, Martin Scorsese has a licence to take risks. He took one with this movie, as with his underappreciated Kundun and Age of Innocence, this one fell beneath the radar. This movie has no central plot, it weaves like life from one event to the next with no beginning, middle or end. I like the story structure, it fits the meandering life of Nicolas Cages character. The acting is also flawless. Nicolas Cage gives an absolutely marvelous performance. The all-star supporting cast is great also, with stars such as Ving Rhames and Tom Sizemore, portraying franks various partners during his journey. The technicial aspects of the movie are flawless. Robert Richardson's cinematography captures the gritty reality that is New York City perfectly. The production design is also worth mentioning, the sets are dank and dirty, which adds to the depressing feeling this film portrays. Overall, the movie is an overlooked film deserving of at least one viewing from movie-lovers. Just the name Martin Scorsese should make it a must-see.
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