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	Vol.7, No 34, October 27, 1999
	Reality film features strong performances By Kristopher Hanson Daily Forty-Niner Racing to the scene of one medical emergency after another, paramedics face the dead and the dying on a daily basis.         The shocking reality of life as a graveyard-shift Manhattan paramedic is depicted in Martin Scorsese's latest film, "Bringing Out the Dead." A compassionate and emotional individual, Frank Pierce (Nicolas Cage) is a burned-out Emergency Medical Service paramedic whose job is affecting not only his health but also his sanity.   MOVIE REVIEW After one too many nights on the job, Frank is becoming more troubled by what he sees. Haunted by the lives he has been unable to save, especially that of a 17-year-old prostitute named Rose (Cynthia Roman), Frank is convinced he is not well. Seeing Rose in the faces of countless others, Frank begins to believe he is going crazy.  "I need to get rid of this sickness," Frank repeats to himself after another long night on the job.  Emotionally, Frank is at the end of the line. Rolling aimlessly through the scum of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen in an ambulance only worsens the situation. The gung-ho Larry (John Goodman), Frank's sometime partner, is the type of paramedic who loves going to the goriest emergencies - suicides, murders and accidents - while Frank would rather treat heart attacks and drunks. The other partners are the psychotic Tom Wolls, played by the inimitable Tom Sizemore ("Saving Private Ryan", "Natural Born Killers") and Marcus, hilariously portrayed by Ving Rhames ("Pulp Fiction", "Don King: Only in America.")  Salsa/Tropical singer Marc Anthony plays schizophrenic Noel, a frequent EMS patient who provides humor to the film. Mary Burke (Cage's real-life wife Patricia Arquette), is Frank's only hope for a piece of stability. After treating her father for a heart attack, Frank becomes attracted to Mary and longs for the comfort he feels when talking to her. However, the film's attempts at romance and redemption are its weaker points. The film is best at capturing the horrors and joys of life as a big city paramedic. Frank comes in contact with people from all walks of life -- saving some, losing most.  The film portrays the spiraling madness he descends into over a weekend of thrills, spills and chills on the job.  Unable to sleep, he numbs the pain by drinking excessively, even while on the job. By the third night, he is extremely high-strung -- a nervous wreck about to suffer a breakdown. Performances are strong, which is typical for one of cinema's greatest directors. Many of the scenes were shot in and around Hell's Kitchen, capturing the dark underbelly of society, which is what Scorsese does best.  Set almost entirely at night, the nightmarish cinematography lends a creepy feeling to the film, reminiscent of Scorsese's classic "Taxi Driver."  The director teamed up with "Taxi Driver" screenwriter Paul Schrader, whose work often details the inexplicable frustrations of society's loners and outcasts. This film is a must for those who enjoy Scorsese's work. A bundle of anxiety, pain and fear rolled into one,"Bringing Out The Dead," is a highly original, fast-paced film that explores the role EMS paramedics play - and the price they pay for it.		Happiness found in L.B.   College tuition lowered   Fine Arts buildings to be made over   Overseas scholarship awarded to CSULB student   Crime Log Death is part of war   Gun dealers senselessly targeted Fright Fest   Apollo Four Forty worth import price   Legendary band reunites for new release   Reality film features strong performances   Bizarre comedy film a hit Home schedule ends with defeat   Hockey team clubs its way to existence Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.