For a Scorsese film "Bringing Out the Dead" seemed to get a bit of a lukewarm reception, but I really liked it and think it is one of his best films. It may not be the caliber of "Goodfellas" and "Raging Bull" but it is still a powerful and moving film. In the movie we follow paramedic Frank (Nicolas Cage) over three nights as he begins to unravel from stress and starts seeing ghosts and visions of people he has not been able to save. The film is a dark and intense character study with Cage turning in one of his best performances. Scorsese continues to show why he is one of the greatest directors by establishing an evocative tone and creating unforgettable scenes. This may not be a frenetic as some of his other films, but it is still a visual treat in every way. This is not a happy film but, thanks to a brilliant screenplay by Paul Schrader, it is a profound and moving meditation on death and how it affects us. "Bringing Out the Dead" is a truly great film full of sorrow, morbid humor, and intensity and deserves to be considered among Scorsese's best.
Review of Bringing Out the Dead
