Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn's upcoming paramedic thriller, Asphalt Cityhas dropped a new intense sneak peek. Set in New York City, the upcoming film aims to explore the delicate life-and-death balance that is obtainable in the world of paramedics. With every career path, everyone starts off as a rookie, hopefully to be eased into the rigors of the job at a slower pace. However, there are certain fields wherein a slow bedding process might not be possible. For Sheridan’s Ollie Cross, he gets thrown in the deep end from the get go.
The four-minute clip is an adrenaline-fueled showcase from start to finish, immersing viewers in the sometimes grisly process of saving a life. The clip kicks off in a chaotic scene, where there are multiple victims with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. Sheridan’s Ollie Cross, is a rookie who is instantly thrust into a fast-paced situation, where he has to help save a man with multiple gunshots. Throughout the sneak peek, it becomes increasingly clear that Asphalt City will not shy away from the bloody nature of the world of paramedics, with the clip going into immersive details. The pressure Cross feels on the job is equally highlighted, but so is the calm and poise of his experienced colleague, Penn’s Gene Rutkovsky.
Asphalt City is based on the novel Black Flies written by Shannon Burke. In preparation for the written piece, Burke worked with paramedics in the Brooklyn area to better understand the job of these first responders. The film will follow Ollie Cross (Sheridan), a young paramedic who has been assigned to the night shift alongside seasoned and uncompromising New York City EMT, Gene Rutkovsky (Penn). The dark nature of the city soon begins to unveil itself to the young rookie as Rutkovsky guides Cross. Each 911 call is often dangerous and uncertain, putting their lives on the line every day to help others. Cross soon discovers firsthand the chaos and awe of a job that careens from harrowing to heartfelt, testing his relationship with Rutkovsky and the ethical ambiguity that can be the difference between life and death.
The Team Behind the Nail-Biting Thriller
The upcoming thriller is directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, whose past credits include A Prayer Before Dawn and Johnny Mad Dog. The script for Asphalt City, written based on Burke's novel, is penned by Ben Mac Brown and Ryan King. The presence of Penn and Sheridan in the cast adds a level of undeniable star quality as buttressed by the strong performances seen in the clip. "Tye and Sean deliver such raw, intense performances that truly draw the viewer into the heroism EMTs exhibit, but also explore the dark underside of having to walk the line between life and death every day," was the description assigned to the pair's performances by studio executives. Asphalt City's cast is rounded up by Gbenga Akkinagbe, Raquel Nave, Kali Reis, Michael C. Pitt, Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), and Mike Tyson (The Hangover).
Asphalt City hits theaters on March 29. Watch the clip above.
