Review of Bringing Out the Dead (1999) by Willis M — 19 Jan 2009
Less about plot and characters than an experience. Bleak and depressing films are rarely packed with so much energy and intensity. Every frame makes it clear that Scorsese knows what film is capable of, and his Manhattan-sized bag of tricks creates an utterly surreal world paralleling that of Frank's insomniac, adrenaline-fueled mania.
From something as big as shooting a scene backward, to as subtle as a fading light, every image on the screen carries a emotional effect. This is what sets Scorsese apart from style-for-the-sake-of-style directors (looking at you Tarantino).
The immediacy and looping nature of the story and steady insanity of each character makes the experience feel inescapable, everlasting, and, after a while, commonplace.
This review of Bringing Out the Dead (1999) was written by Willis M on 19 Jan 2009.
Bringing Out the Dead has generally received positive reviews.
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