The dark side of the city

Production and year: USA 1999 Originaltitle: "Bringing Out the Dead"Genre: Drama, Black comedyDirector: Martin ScorseseScreenplay: Paul SchraderCast: Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames Medicalthemes: burnout, depression, emergency medicine Description: The film’s screenplay is based on a novel by Joe Connelly, who worked as a paramedic for 10 years. It received very positive reviews from critics in the U.S., but turned out to be a box office flop (with a budget of approximately $55 million, it grossed just under $17 million). The film depicts 72 hours in the life of Frank Pierce (Cage), a burned-out, depressed paramedic working for the New York City Emergency Medical Service. The story begins when he and his partner are called to respond to a cardiac arrest in an elderly man and he meets his patient’s daughter—Mary (Arquette). A series of events leads him through dark streets, hospital corridors, and shady dens. The director takes the viewer on a journey through the recesses of the protagonist’s soul while simultaneously revealing the darkest side of human nature. Drug addicts, dealers, gangsters, violence, moral decay, blood, filth, and madness all flash across the screen. At some point, we lose track of what is a figment of the protagonist’s mind, what is a terrifying memory, and what is a sad reality. The paramedics, who are there to help, are stripped bare of the image of heroes fighting to save lives. In the grim reality, a successful resuscitation is a rarity; drug addicts and drunks clinging to life with their last ounce of strength are the norm. The job of a paramedic is to be a silent witness to the ever-present evil. Each of Frank’s ambulance partners has their own way of coping with stress and the depressing daily grind; they are shown alongside their own madness and addictions. They turn out to be no better than the cops they transport to hospitals every day. Even the ambulance director has no choice. He has to hire them because there are no other volunteers for the job. The medical storylines are, of course, clearly visible, but not the main focus (as in "ER," for example). The work of paramedics and doctors is, however, portrayed very realistically. The whole thing is accompanied by great music that creates a unique atmosphere. Viewers can see what emergency medicine looked like in the U.S. at the turn of the century. It seems to me that at times it was even more advanced than in Poland. I recommend this film to everyone, and I especially encourage those thinking about becoming a paramedic or an emergency medicine physician to watch it. From my own experience, I can say that it doesn’t differ significantly from reality. Not even from the Polish reality...