Looking at life, through the eyes of a worn out, depressed, insomniac
paramedic, Frank Pierce, we follow him through his nightmare world over three
consecutive nights in Manhattan.As each night unfolds, with a change of Frank's partner, we see how deep his
torment is, how he is haunted by Rose, a girl he failed to save, and how he
tries to come to terms with his situation.
This is a world of gun trauma, drug abuse and insanity. Of fast food, despair
and loneliness. This is Casualty and ER stripped bare.
The journey is chaotic, frenzied and at times surreal.
There was a strange mix of film technique used; some worked some didn't. The
result was something which slightly jarred, reflecting the pain Frank was
suffering but also distracting.
The speeded up sequences never really worked, failing to convey the chaos as
intended. Some panning seemed a little semi-pro.
Although not his best work, this film definitely had the feel of a Scorsese
film about it.
As a very dark film, with just a hint of deliverance, it could have been
almost depressing were it not for the humour which leaked out from the
background as the dispatcher called out emergencies requiring attention.
Cage delivered an excellent performance, capturing his plight superbly.
The supporting cast were equally proficient; Goodman especially.
Screenplay-wise, it is not unfair to say the plot is pretty simplistic, but
that is to devalue the result.
