Spiritual sequel to Taxi Driver about another figure dealing with nutters at night - in this case a paramedic. Sunken eyed, restrained Nicolas Cage is perfect in the lead, as a Scorsese/Schrader hero par excellance, a man tormented with guilt.
Patricia Arquette is typically excellent in an understated way. Ving Rhames heaps of fun as a religious driver, Tom Sizemore electric as a manic driver, John Goodman and Marc Antony a great. (The film's stucture is basically Cage and three different partners over three nights, with some other plots threaded through).
It lacks the primeval aspect of Taxi Driver - the "rescue" of Jodie Foster, building up to a big shoot out. This builds to Cage stopping Sizmore beating someone up, and then allowing someone to die. (Immaculate acting on Cage's face then by the way.)
It's warm and heart affirming despite the dodgy world. Scorsese had a kid around this time, maybe that was it.
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