Rating of
3.5/4
A black comedy that works on every level.
memento_mori - wrote on 07/13/13
Nicolas Cage in the beginning of the movie seemed like a very desolate character. He barely had any personality to him, but I got the feeling he's supposed to be that way. When we got into the story, he started to develop a feeling. Guilt. And slowly but gradually, a dead patient came back to haunt him. We start to learn about his conscience. He needs this last patient to survive, because if he doesn't, his last bit of happiness will be completely extinguished. The whole movie is like a character study of a character that starts out with no traits, and evolves. I love that kind of character.
I liked the blend of genres in this movie. Black comedy, drama, character study. It's a mash and for once, it works. It's fun and it's believable. It's also outrageously funny at times, but it manages to be dramatic in certain scenes and never feels like a forced change.
It has elements that are so interesting. Just like in Pulp Fiction, where they make fun of hit-men, in Bringing out the Dead they make fun of paramedics, and they don't shy away from the dark humor.
The direction is excellent as well. It feels like a fast, flashy insomniac haze, with many surrealistic angles and framing. It's Scorsese. A very in-your-face kind of style.
I can't really find anything wrong with this movie. It tends to feel a little isolated and confusing at times, but it is a smart, provocative, original thriller drama.
