User Reviews

"You can't save everyone."

That's the most important lesson that rookie FDNY paramedic Ollie Cross (Tye Sheridan) needs to learn from his veteran partner Gene Rutkovsky (Sean Penn) in the dark and edgy new film, Asphalt City.

The pressure of knowing you're the only thing that might be keeping a victim from turning into a fatality haunts the duo as they drive the overnight shift on the mean streets of East New York.

Gunshot victims, heart attacks, premature births, dog bites, gang violence, and schizophrenics are just a sample of the people who we briefly meet and are just as quickly dismissed and disguarded in Director Jean-Stephane Sauvaire's new film. Like the EMT crew, we're never given time to care about these people, especially those who may be one short push from the grave.

And that's the point that Rutkovsky continually tries to impress on his new partner. Do what you can, in the time that you have, and move on. Don't remember their faces. Don't remember their families. Because to carry that with you will drive you insane. Above all, don't feel responsible because you didn't put them on the ground with a fatal gunshot wound in their femoral artery.

Unfortunately, as the movie unfolds, "Rut" has a change in his personal circumstances and takes one case too much to heart. Meanwhile, Cross is struggling to keep his head above water. Between the low pay, his horrible living situation, and the lack of friends or family, Cross feel he is continually drowning in unending tragedies. He has zero confidence in his ability to save anything - not a gunshot victim, not even a dog.

One has to wonder, are the people who seek these jobs craving the absolute psychosis that comes with it, or are they made psychotic by the stream of crazy?

Cross does have a goal: to pass the MCAT and leave this dark, depressing world behind for the more regulated system of a hospital. But it's obvious that he's learning far more with his on-the-job training than he'll learn in any study guide.

Mike Tyson pops up as Cross and Rut's superior officer. Michael C. Pitt is cast as the EMT who's chiefly entertained by picking on the new guy. Every one of the EMT's seems to be walking PTSD victims.

Gritty. There's no better word for Asphalt City. It's a film as gritty as the city it portrays. You'll be exhausted, but go for the rush.

"We all work in the darkness, you don't got to let it inside you."

Asphalt City is directed by Jean-Stephane Sauvaire and stars Tye Sheridan, Sean Penn, Michael Pitt and Mike Tyson.

Based on the book called Black Flies the long in development Asphalt City originally had Mel Gibson attached in the Sean Penn role back in 2019 before he dropped out or was replaced for unknown reasons. This movie tries to present the harsh reality of what it's like to be an EMT in a big city like New York and while watching I was reminded of three separate and better movies. This movie sort of has the same kind of stress and dread a Safdie Bros movie would have because every scene a character is pretty much involved in a stressful situation and there's this existential dread hanging over this movie. Then this obviously bares comparison to Scorsese's Bringing Out The Dead and in the last half it turns into Training Day with the movie making us question the morals of Sean Penn's character and if he should have his job or not.

Performance wise Penn and Sheridan both do a good job. However Mike Tyson whenever he does pop up was more distracting than effective in his role. Michael Pitt didn't really need to be in this movie either. Overall I'd say this is a somewhat effective movie that is worth watching once, it kind of loses itself because it gets overly consumed in dread and darkness like Tye Sheridan's character does here but in the final five minutes I'd say it kind of works it's way back and presents an overall positive message where you'll finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of this movie. From the opening scene, it grips you and doesn't let go until the credits roll. The performances are top-notch, each actor bringing a raw authenticity to their role. The close-up shots add to the intensity and suspense, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats throughout. What's truly impressive is how the cinematography effortlessly places us right in the heart of the action, without any unnecessary gimmicks. It's a testament to the pure talent behind the camera. This film offers a gripping glimpse into the world of EMTs, showcasing both the challenges they face and the passion they bring to their work. I'm hoping for more intense and compelling movies like this where talent and passion takes over.

I can't tell if that's a step up for Mike or a step down for Sean Penn. Unfortunately for Penn, I need to say the latter. This movie came and went without any promotion for it, despite what a great film it is. Tye Sheridan got to flex his acting muscle sparing with Sean Penn and of course Mike Tyson, who was fit for the role so it made sense. The film kept reminding me of the Martina Scorsese film Brining up the Dead, which starred Nicolas Cage in a role similar to Sean Penn, in fact, the concept of both movies almost makes Asphalt City a sequel. It does not help that there are not enough movies about the subject to think otherwise.

Anyway, this movie is too good to be hidden away like it seems to be.

It's atmospheric, slow, dark. All the things that a good and bloody drama should be.

Perfectly cast with some great acting and not too over the top. Even the legendary Mike Tyson makes an appearance which, even though questionable as a casting, he pulls it off perfectly.

Thrown in at the deep end, the main protagonist, a rookie paramedic is on the verge of madness. The film shows exactly what emergency workers have to attend to, day in, day out, and how it affects them, bustling on the verge of madness and faced with the adversity of violence.

It certainly packs a punch. Known as 'Black Flies' in the UK. Give it a watch.

Asphalt City is the type of movie that endlessly forces the heavy message onto the audiences face with it's overbearing emotions and cynical approaches which ends up creating an poor, messy and comedically unserious story about a serious subject of paramedic workers and the trauma they experience.

The writing and direction is trying to be like Bringing Out the Dead with the themes of the dark sides and struggles of paramedic workers but this movie fails to capture the trauma and tone properly due to it's forced message that is shoved right into your face, bland direction, unlikeable characters and unengaging structure that makes the movie difficult to observe. With bland direction, the performances were the best parts as Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn are giving solid performances throughout the movie and there are some nice camerawork throughout. Unfortunately, they are overshadowed with poor dialogue, poor editing and really uninteresting character developments.

As someone who had worked in the medical field and known a feel friends who worked as paramedics, the movie really does a disservice to real paramedic works and fails to really give them the respect it thinks it does. Because this movie is cynical with it's portrait and fails to deliver.

As someone who does this for a living, this was pretty close to the mark. Although the amount of tragedy and grief we see the protagonist experience in his first few weeks is somewhat more than a senior paramedic would see in an entire career, it was necessary in order to tell the story and depict what EMS workers go through in a two hour time limit. Yes, some scenes were exaggerated, but it is no secret that over a career as a paramedic, these are things you WILL see, for sure. Legitimately.

The acting was absolutely superb - on all accounts. The chemistry between Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn was incredible. Sean Penn did such a good job here, he really sold his role with Rutkovsky. Tye Sheridan was a fantastic protagonist who really captured the truth of what it feels like starting in EMS in NYC. The place really is a jungle out there. Direction was great. A near perfect film - just some minor gaps in the story telling that , honestly, I forgot about.

I'm not sure how this movie has a low score. This was a very solid 8/10, IMO.

Asphalt City aims to give a realistic, unfiltered look at the life of paramedics in America's hellhole inner cities. Scene after scene unfolds with new nihilistic horrors that take their toll on the main protagonists.

Gunshot victims dying, HIV infected heroin junkies giving premature births, children bitten by dogs, gang violence, being cussed out by crazy people recounting their childhood rape traumas...

The film is well shot and acted (except Mike Tyson who sticks out like a sore thumb), which makes these scenes even more impactful. Some of them stay with you, but the question is why? There's little to no overarching narrative, it's just scene after scene of absolute misery.

And maybe that's the point. If so, kudos to the producers for pulling it off.

It's not an experience I could imagine anyone enjoying, but it may have value as training footage for paramedics and ER doctors.

There are movies that are devastating, yet you want to watch them again and again over the years, they leave a lasting memory behind, and even with a soul crushing subject they manage to be magnificent.

Now this one was not that sort of movie. It's hard to even look at it as a movie. It feels like a hastily thrown together rough outline that someone jotted down to at some point make a movie out of it, but never gotten there. The camera is often pushed right into the subject's face, so much so that it feels like parts of the frame are missing. It's overlong, overly drawn out, overly slow without much of a story. Everybody is either seriously mentally ill (including those that supposed to help), or a habitual drug abuser, or a gang member. Everything is dark and wet and dilapidated and repulsive. Not a glimmer of hope or light, as if the whole of NY has not ONE "regular" injury or ailment an ambulance crew would occasionally encounter, only the drug overdoses, drive by shootings etc., not to mention not one decent person around in general. It's laying the misery on so thick it's just obscene. And by overdoing it so much it manages to not elicit any empathy or sadness, it just remains incredibly boring and pointless.

I suffered through it, waiting for something to happen, some sort of story to emerge, some sort of connection with the film to form, but it never happened. To my mind this was not "gritty", just a long misery porn.

On paper it's a very classic script: rookie emergency service worker is paired with older and more experienced colleague and, well, things happen. But many films are classic on paper, yet not on the screen.

This is a film with powerful scenes which stay with you for days after watching it.

And it has its flaws: it lacks finesse at time, editing is sometimes inconsistent and the narrative may seem not original enough.

But it makes up for all of that through the passion of showing the viewer a powerful message. Black Flies is a movie you will remember, and this is what all good films have in common. Years after seeing it you may still think about scenes you've seen and the characters' lifes and what happened to them. And isn't that what cinema is about, beyond perfect mise-en-scene and guidebook takes?

I particularly appreciated the way it was filmed, especially during very graphic scenes, where the disturbing side was accentuated by the quickly moving and sometimes shaking camera.

I also liked that, despite the fact the movie is supposedly much anchored to reality given its subject, it is filmed in a way that makes it feel like the characters are in another world, parallel and similar to ours, but with slightly different codes. Black Flies is almost like a video game world where violence is programmed and reason nonexistent, New York City is dark, gloomy and burning. In this inferno, the characters live an infinite struggle to save sometimes unsaveable people, making their role look like a necessary curse, a drop of good in an ocean of evil.

8/10.

There is absolutely no doubt that 'Black Flies' is a grim movie. I confess I hadn't even heard of it and it seems to have slipped under the radar but for all of it's gloom and doom it is well worth watching. One thing the movie does very well is to make the viewer fully aware of just how horrendous being a paramedic can be and boy will you respect them more after this.

This is a well acted film with the two leads showing good chemistry and at times some ad-libbing if I'm not mistaken. One thing I absolutely hated though is the totally unnecessary nudity from one actress which added nothing to the movie apart from cheap thrills. It got to the stage where I was actually yelling at the screen 'put some cloths on love for crying out loud'. Rant over, this is a good effort, bleak but pretty decent.

A disjointed script, poor editing, incongruous music, questionable flashbacks, repetitious shots of NYC, and mediocre acting from the principals do not a good film make. On the other hand, some of the brief series with actors/actresses who play patients are wonderful. Makes you want a new AA category - "best acting in less than 2 minutes on screen."

Why make such a depressing film. Maybe they should have made a documentary? Maybe it should be a pilot for a new TV series? What it shouldn't be is a film.

I knew after 10 minutes I should walk out. 9 out of 10 times I feel that way, and don't do it, I regret doing it. About 10% of the time staying works. This time it didn't. I stayed because I respect Penn's acting, and from time to time it does show up, but all to rarely.

Didn't know anything about this. Pretty chaotic start with high tension. The shaky camera work and heavy breathing added to that. Shocked to see Mike Tyson.

The movie did feel real. It didn't appear forced to make it more engaging; rather, it simply depicted the day-to-day life of a paramedic. While it may not be the most memorable, I appreciated its realism. Throughout the film, various elements are introduced to the plot, including events outside of work life, particularly in the first half. But really it all revolved around work.

It's like a buddy cop movie, but with paramedics. We witness tough decisions, patient losses, workplace tensions, and personal relationship dynamics. At times, it's quite graphic. The movie does pretty well at effectively portraying how the job can affect one's mental well-being.

I'm curious about the symbolism behind the wings-both the painting and the jacket. It started feeling quite lengthy, especially in the third act. Despite being super loud, the soundtrack does a pretty good job of building a tense atmosphere.

In relentlessly harrowing drama "Asphalt City" (aka "Black Flies") grizzled veteran Sean Penn & naive newbie Ty Sheridan are ambulance paramedic partners. Trying to help NY's ungrateful scum dregs every night, their souls are in danger of sliding into a black abyss. There are minor supports from the likes of Katherine Waterston, Mike Tyson & Kali Reis, but this is all about Penn & Sheridan (excellent actors in fine form) and Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire who directs Ryan King & debutant Ben Mac Brown's screenplay with style & intensity. It's noble fare that'll garner great respect for those doing the paramedic job, but at over 2hrs long it is an admittedly HARD watch.

Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan perform just excellently in this one (the rest of the cast is rock solid too). Asphalt City delivers good old storytelling, with characters we learn to care about. A dark and gritty tale about some paramedics lost in the maze of a mad gone city, with only a bit of sugar-coating in the end. Production and camera work are fine, acting too. For sure, this is not your usual Netflixed-marvelesque generic popcorn cinema to numb and stun your brain cells, but an well written classic drama with some strong and sometimes even intense scenes. No doubt, not a feel-good movie, but if you know how to enjoy movies like (just a few that came up in my mind quickly) Barfly or The Wrestler (both Mickey Rourke), Monster (Charlize Theron), Destroyer (Nicole Kidman), and the like, you will get two fine but dark hours.

The painting, based on the novel "Black Flies" by Shannon Burke, is a rare case of a meaningful idea and discussion of a difficult topic, as well as the expression of the author's opinion.

The mission of street saviors is not suitable for fans of "gentle cinema". This depressing work, which allows you to see through the dirty reality of Brooklyn life, destroys pink illusions and covers soft skin with bleeding scars.

The first part of the film presents the audience with a series of scenes depicting the heartbreaking work of paramedics in poor immigrant neighborhoods. This part leads to a crisis point, where the midnight express breaks out with a piercing cry of conscience, and the plot takes shape and meaning.

"We, the dead and the dying, that's our job. We are suffering, and we don't care about anything. If you don't acknowledge what you see in front of you, then... Then you are a coward!" - this is the quote that conveys the main idea of the film.

Pain, suffering and blood - all this represents a world from which some will not be able to get out. The decision depends on you: to become another lost ghost or to get out of the darkness. The heroes of this story will face such a choice, and their actions will divide the hot asphalt into two parts - one soaked in gloomy realism, and the other stretched by the nerves of human doom.

It is not necessary to identify this movie with Martin Scorsese's "Raising the Dead". They represent two different views on the same topic, two different methods of conveying a story. There is depth in this painting, a thick atmosphere and light in the pitch darkness of human indifference.

At the beginning of the film, in my opinion, there was too much air, laconic contemplation and an atmosphere that was oppressive with its morbidity. There was a lack of internal dynamics, but the brilliant play of Sean Penn and Ty Sheridan creates a contrast of good and evil.

It is important to mention the high suicide statistics among paramedics, and the film reflects the harsh and unsightly realities of this profession on the verge of life and death.

If your looking for a movie that you feel a shower is necessary after, then this is your picture. It may be accurately depicting a NYFD Paramedic's life in the city, if it does, God Bless each and every one of them. I have to be honest, I could not get through this whole movie so I don't know if there was some redeeming value at the end. It takes you down such a dark path so early in the movie, I can't imagine it can bring you back up. It was surprising to see Mike Tyson in the movie who really was the voice of reason and disciple for the chaos the main characters experienced. How about that for surprise! He really did a good job in his role.

Well, I'll start out by saying I'm a huge Michael Pitt fan so always awesome seeing him! And he did amazing!

I checked this out in a local theater in the Minneapolis metro. I hope they have a good turnout for their theatrical debut!

It was intense at times. Great to see what I would assume the brutal reality of paramedic's in their everyday life on the job.

The actors did a wonderful job. Especially, on all emergency calls they were rushed too.

I won't contain any spoilers but what I wanted from this movie I received.

Not sure why there are low ratings. It kept me engaged the whole time and so I'm happy I had the opportunity to see on the big screen.

Enjoy!

"Bringing Out the Dead" & "Training Day" - first movies that come to mind when watched "Asphalt City". However, this indie will definitely occupy its own spot as its just gonna stick with you for a while after your left the theater.

Both main actors did an amazing job - how they respond to different emergencies, unpack their bags, react to condition of their patient - outstanding acting that makes you believe both characters work at EMC.

Movie contains some nudity and can't say it was something really needed for the main plot, but given that this is a French director who filmed and move is an independent feature - something that can be accepted.

P. S. Ignore critics' opinion for this feature, if you would like to experience a dark and grim visuals, one-by-one tense episodes, disturbing soundtrack - and yet important life's story - this movie is a must-watch.

I like Tye and I think he should make a film where he plays an asexual character for once so we don't have to see each and every time a nude woman laying on the floor etc. Hollywood is very 80s today and very European like with the killing of animals scenes. Very fascinating and amazing scenes. I really hope that the director will one day realise what he did with these scenes and he will regret it sometimes. Karma maybe. I hope so. Anyways if there are any aliens out there that would like to abduct me so I leave this planet once and for all please do so as soon as possible please? Thank you very much have a great day,

I didnt expect much from this movie, since Sean Penn has been starring in several flops lately, but he has only got a smaller, supporting role now and fortunately he does act rather well this time around. The real leading role is reserved for Tye Sheridan though, who does an impressive job.

The good: from the get go we as viewers get overwhelmed with an orchestrated BARRAGE of disorienting and distorted sounds and visuals, masterfully depicting the intensely STRESSful life of an ambulance crew (Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn), who have to BATTLE the big city's jungle, working under incredibly strenuous conditions, in some of which they even have to FIGHT their way out of a building trying to save a patient's life.

Fireblazes, overdosed pregnant mothers covered in blood, children in shock who are refused help because their parents religion wont allow them to intervene. One after the other emergency situation gets washed over us viewers, nonstop, in a blistering videoclip styled pace.

What's good about this movie, (it's feverish, hypnotizing nonstop visual and sonic barrage of misery), that visual barrage is also it's weakest part, because this movie got a bit out of balance during the middle part, because there are too FEW breathers, in which the characters and not the visuals and sounds are on the foreground. This movie needed more character interaction half way through.

The start of this movie is ONE CONTINUOUS RUSH of witnessing LIFE and DEATH moments. And I got a bit overwhelmed by it, up to a point I wanted a breeze, a pause from all the mayhem. I got that pause, only to get hammered by a final that was even more hardhiting and emotional, but fortunately in a more balanced and satisfying way in which the CHARACTERS were central to the story. These final 30 minutes are really what made me award it with 8 stars!

NOT a cheery movie (pun intended). It has got a rewarding, even uplifting final though, but with a very DARK edge to it. Probably best (only?) suited for those die hard arthouse movie fans out there who can stumach (and appreciate) a bleak, hardhitting, depressing portrayal of big city's darkest side.

This has to be the worst movie I have ever watched. What's up with the fur burger scene? It was pointless with absolutely no storyline. I wanted to poke my eyes out. I am going to have PTSD for the rest of my life.....,,,,,,.

If I could save anyone who thinks this looks good from the 2 hour nightmare you will have to force yourself to see, I would say PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR PRECIOUS TIME on this flop of a movie. Unless of course you want to see two white adults running around naked and holding a baby. What in the actual heck does that have to do with the life of medical driver? If that's what goes on in their mind.. please let me die on scene.......

Asphalt City is an intense, moving film that depicts the lives of EMS workers in NYC. Watching the film you are really gripped by what paramedics have to go to. Even when you save someone's life that is not always welcomed. Tye Sheridan as Ollie Cross is superb in his role as a rookie EMS worker whilst also trying to study to get into medical school. Sean Penn as Gene Rutkovsky is fantastic in his role, as shows the toll that being an EMS can have in your private life. This movie shows you how these workers are constantly putting their lives on the line to help others and receiving little thanks in the process. They are there at the most critical time and are left unsung heroes, and lack the respect and wages that they truly deserve. Asphalt City is extremely intense with a tinge of melancholy to it. Well worth watching, especially if you like movies that slowly sizzle.