Asphalt City follows two paramedics, young Ollie Cross (Tye Sheridan) and veteran Gene Rutkovsky (Sean Penn) as they navigate the streets of New York, trying to help as many people as possible. Along the way, they grow closer and learn a lot about life and their profession from each other.
The story doesn’t follow a single case, yet shows the growth of the two leads together, leading to one big final call they work together. I really liked how the two bounce off each other. Being in the field for so much longer, Rutkovsky makes Cross earn his trust. Cross, on the other hand, is just trying to get by until he takes his MCAT and can become a doctor. When they earn each other’s respect, the pairing is much better than I could’ve expected.
The movie doesn’t pull any punches. There is a lot of blood and uncomfortable real-life scenarios. It is going to stress you out with each new call the two tend to.
There is not much character work outside of those too, however. Cross has a partner who doesn’t do much outside of having sex with him and breaking up with him. Mike Tyson is the chief and all he does is yell at the two leads. There is another paramedic who is a prick and not much more.
The pacing of the movie is not the best either. It can really drag as we see more and more calls and more and more filler scenes until the next call. I will say, the final call that Cross and Rutkovsky take is very intense. It is what reminds us that these two are still very different people and while they are friendly, they don’t know each other super well. It leads to a sad conclusion that propels Cross forward.
FINAL THOUGHTS
At the end of the day, Asphalt City is a fascinating watch of two paramedics living out their lives on the night shift. Sheridan and Penn are very good, yet the pacing and the lack of structure hold the movie back. I don’t even care that there isn’t a notable character outside of the main two, but it doesn’t help make a 2-hour runtime feel any lighter. It is an interesting story though so I would recommend giving Asphalt City a watch if you’re interested in paramedic stories.
