Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

You won't be disappointed!

Overrated

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Sometimes you can watch a film and see that all the pieces are there and yet there's still something not quite right about it. 'Bringing Out the Dead' stars Nicholas Cage (while he was still highly-bankable at the Box Office) as a New York ambulance driver who's on the brink of burning out completely. He's seemingly lost the ability to sleep (properly) and turned to various substances to get himself through his - increasingly dangerous - nightshifts.Now, back in 1999 when this film was released, Cage was pretty much at the top of his game and you could guarantee that he'd put in a good performance, especially under an equally great director. Here we have none other than Martin Scorsese at the helm who is more than capable at keeping hold of Cage's reigns and making sure he doesn't do that 'over the topness' he sometimes slips into. The premise is great and there's plenty of scope for the story and characters to evolve. The films sports an equally impressive supporting cast including Patricia Arquette, Ving Rhames and John Goodman. So, baring all that in mind, it's hard to see that anything could go wrong with it.I certainly don't hate 'Bringing Out the Dead.' I just feel that with that much talent at its disposal it should be a lot better than it is. The actors and direction are amazing, but where it falls down is a general lack of focus as to where the story is going and what genre the film wants to be. It flips from everything from romantic comedy to gritty drama almost every other scene and even flirts with the possibility of a supernatural element (loosely). There's not an awful lot of motivation for the supporting cast and they just seem to do things to provide Cage with something bad/dramatic to react to. The films plays out like a string of sketches/mini episodes that are loosely strung together by the flimsy of narratives.If you're a fan of Cage and/or Scorsese, this is a 'must watch.' However, some may get a little tired with waiting for something to happen.

This is a film based off atmosphere. You legitimately feel Frank's stress and how tiring being a NY medic can be. The film slowly tires you in a way not different from having the job. The comedy from the film comes from the other medics played by John Goodman, Ving Rhames, and Tom Sizemore and their interactions with Cage. A few other comedic scenes include I.B. Banging, worst suicide attempt ever, and "Hold this or I won't kill you!". It really feels more like a David Fincher film than Martin Scorsese. Perhaps it's just the look, but I am serious. Some scenes do well portray the hardship of death to a medic. There is some supernatural element which is strangely enticing. Check it out.

Well, I tend to admire everything that Martin Scorsese does, mostly after the controversial 1991's "Cape Fear". However, for my taste, "Bringing Out the Dead" isn't one of his best works. You know, it's not that his direction is poor or anything, but the story just doesn't deliver. Nicolas Cage plays a paramedic that supposedly goes into major problems after facing with death for so many times. However, the movie doesn't make it feel like his character was going crazy or anything. Also, it doesn't have a big moment in which the spectator could be waiting for, turning it into a vague story with a good directing, that sadly couldn't save the whole thing. Some scenes are entertaining and occasionally moving, but that's the minority of them. I'm giving it six stars considering it has an original plot and a professional directing, otherwise I would give it a much lower rating. Passable.

Okay, that may be too harsh, as I've seen a lot of truly terrible films at film festivals, but this has spoiled me on Scorcese -- making me wonder if he's actually got talent, or just makes films with violence and top-notch crew and scripts, so that it comes together. Is he just a guy who made two films that established him as a "visionary" in people's minds, so that he gets tons of top talent joining with him, the best scripts, etc. This film made this questions come to the forefront, because this seems truly to be his "vision" also -- and it's not a good picture. Shots are not artistic; editing is clunky; direction of actors is clumsy; story has no direction or emotional investment. I really don't think this is worth the couple hours out of your life.