Sean Penn

Tye Sheridan

Gbenga Akinnagbe

Raquel Nave

Kali Reis

Michael Pitt

Katherine Waterston

Mike Tyson

Onie Maceo Watlington

Alisa Mironova

Robert Oppel

Donna Glaesener

Decater James

Charrisse Matthews

Kareemeh Odeh

Jagan Badvel

Tom Ortenberg

James Masciello

Matthew Sidari

Mitchell Zhang

Christopher Guzman

Lia Parks

Ben Bornstein

Trevor Osmond

Tina Wang

Babak Anvari

Jamie Buckner

Shannon Burke

Gia Muresan

Luke Rodgers

Saar Klein

Vinny Alfano

Matthieu Autin

Wesley Grant

Valentin Keung

Beata Klimaszewska

Robert Kruk

Kamil Kwiatkowski

Bartosz Mazur

Filip Stefanowski

Michał Wilczewski

Jacek Wiśniewski

Ken Yasumoto

Mike Burke

Robbie Smith

Nicolas Becker

David Ungaro

Lori Eastside

Robert Pyzocha

Johna Landi

Stacy Jansen

Ben Mac Brown

Katie McQuerrey

Rob Harmon

Shannon Rae Mulligan

Urs Hirschbiegel

Scott Bowers

Hsin Ho Yang

Dennis Rainaldi

Jamison Scott Goei

Ricky Barksdale

Chris Barnes

Pete Klein

Derrick Simmons

Jenel Cota

Matthew Atwood

Lou Massa

Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire

Warren T. Goz

Eric Gold

Christopher Kopp

Lucan Toh

John Ira Palmer

John Wildermuth

Ryan King

Betty Austin

Thriller

Drama

Asphalt City

Sculptor Media

Projected Picture Works

AZA Films

Two & Two Pictures

FilmNation Entertainment

United Kingdom

United States of America

English

new york city

based on novel or book

trauma

drugs

paramedic

medical

Lachlan Thiele

INT. SEAN PENN AND THE MEDICAL MEN - DAY 

Truly a 'Midnight Movie' yet, was in competition at Cannes 76! Have your expectation set now, the drunker you are the better this will be! 

Can’t wait for the sequel: Fruit Flies

FADE OUT.

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots

Director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire thoroughly succeeds at creating a bleak atmosphere of despair in “Asphalt City,” a dark, challenging project that is going to be a tough watch for many viewers. Based on the 2008 novel “Black Flies” by Shannon Burke, the film delves into the gritty reality of New York City as seen and experienced through the eyes of paramedics navigating the chaos and violence that beats beneath the urban jungles of America.

The film tells the story of a young paramedic named Ollie Cross (Tye Sheridan) who, in preparation for medical school, is assigned to the night shift with seasoned partner Gene Rutkovsky (Sean Penn). Every 911 call reveals a city in crisis as the men put their lives in danger to help others, but the nightly horrors send Ollie down a nightmarish rabbit hole that takes a serious toll on his mental health.

The film offers a visceral and unflinching look at the harsh realities of emergency medicine, and the opening minutes plunge viewers into the heart of the action. Riding along in the ambulance with these men, Sauvaire creates a palpable and dramatic realism that sets the tone for the rest of the film. It’s not pleasant, but it’s undeniably gripping.

The themes at play are complex, especially the exploration of moral and ethical ambiguity that plagues the characters. The story takes a dark turn as it unfolds, giving an unflinching look at the psychological toll of witnessing trauma and death that’s all in an evening’s work for these men. Mental health breakdowns ensue, leading to a violent change in Ollie’s personality and a descent into darkness. Things get even worse when the men start to act on their belief that they’re saviors who are playing God on the streets of NYC.

A word of warning to the squeamish: the medical scenes offer a highly realistic and extremely gruesome portrayal of emergency medical procedures. They are vivid and grisly, and those who can’t handle blood and gore will have a hard time with this film. Medical enthusiasts, however, will appreciate the attention to detail and authenticity.

Despite boasting strong performances and a gripping narrative, “Asphalt City” fizzles with a corny ending that falls victim to clichéd dark drama tropes. I really loved the majority of the film, though, and it’s so bleak that I felt the need to wash off the layer of darkness and despair that I could feel clinging to me long after the credits rolled.

By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

Asphalt City Q&A with Tye Sheridan, Jean-Stephane Sauvaire, and George W. Contreras

UK Trailer

Multiple Gunshot Wounds

Official Trailer

Asphalt City( 2024)

Welcome to the frontlines.

Overview

Top Billed Cast

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A review by Lachlan Thiele

Written by Lachlan Thiele on Sun May 28 2023

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