Asphalt City

"Welcome to the frontlines."

2024 2h 0m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 238

ThrillerDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young paramedic is paired with a seasoned partner on the night shift in New York revealing a city in crisis. Discovering the chaos firsthand, he is tested with the ethical ambiguity that can be the difference between life and death.

“Welcome to the frontlines.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Sean Penn
Gene Rutkovsky
Tye Sheridan
Ollie Cross
Gbenga Akinnagbe
Verdis
Raquel Nave
Clara
Kali Reis
Nia
Michael Pitt
Lafontaine
Katherine Waterston
Nancy
Mike Tyson
Chief Burroughs

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire
Writers: Ben Mac Brown, Ryan King
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, shot by David Ungaro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Nicolas Becker. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Saar Klein shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan and Gbenga Akinnagbe carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Welcome to the frontlines.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt9663896 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire directs. David Ungaro behind the camera. Nicolas Becker scores. Saar Klein cuts. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 2 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
3Directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, shot by David Ungaro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Nicolas Becker. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Saar Klein shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan and Gbenga Akinnagbe carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Welcome to the frontlines.".
8IMDB entry: tt9663896 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: David Ungaro
Original score: Nicolas Becker
Editing: Saar Klein
Production design: Robert Pyzocha
Costume design: Stacy Jansen
Makeup / hair: Ben Bornstein
VFX supervisor: Jamison Scott Goei
Sound: Ken Yasumoto
Stunt coordinator: Pete Klein
Runtime: 120 min · 2h 0m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $488,002
Original language: EN
Certification (US): 16
IMDB: Asphalt City (2024)

Also by

Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Lachlan Thiele2023-05-28
★ 4/10
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 Zealots2024-07-17
★ 6/10
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