Code 3

I expected a silly comedy, along the lines of American Pie. Instead, I got a great dramedy. Great acting, script, dark humour, good pace, everything you need for a very good movie. It was infuriating and hilarious at the same time. I really enjoyed it. I kept putting off watching it, because I was not in the mood for silliness, but it was not silly at all.

The film Code 3 takes a distinctive approach to the grueling life of paramedics, moving between dark comedy and human drama. Rather than glorifying heroism, its narrative focuses on exhaustion, burnout, and the inner conflicts of the profession. Rainn Wilson's performance stands out as the film's greatest strength; he convincingly shifts between suppressed anger and biting humor, delivering one of the finest roles of his career. However, the screenplay sometimes struggles with tonal inconsistency and lack of cohesion, preventing the work from fully reaching a higher level. Despite these shortcomings, the writer's lived experience creates a tangible and authentic atmosphere, while the interplay of comic situations and raw tragedy, though uneven, still carries dramatic weight. Code 3 is a valuable film that reminds us of humanity amid cruelty, but it ultimately falls short of complete maturity.

I was a little hesitant to watch this, as Rainn Wilson has been in some rather odd and uninspired movies, with more misses than hits.

I'm glad to report this is probably his best work yet. He plays a paramedic, expressing his life both in his role and wall breaking monologues.

I'd be hesitant classifying it as a comedy, though. There are maybe a couple chuckle moments, but it's mostly a drama, leaving you frustrated with the state of the system at times. Even so, it's an important message to spread, and I was ultimately glad to have watched.

I expected a low-brow comedy on what it means to be a paramedic in 2025 USA, but Code 3 blew it out of the park for me. It not only brings in the laughs, but also effective social commentary, tense dramatic moments, and the unsparing emotions in between. Rainn Wilson (as Randy) is an absolute riot here, and superbly supported by Lil Rel Howery and Aimee Carrero. Yvette Nicole Brown and Rob Riggle also put in good performances. Randy breaks the fourth wall early on and speaks to the audience about the dire state of work for paramedics and their constant battle to save lives (..sometimes at least until patients make it to the hospital). The writing cleverly strikes a balance between situational hilarity and moments of shock that most of us won't see coming. The burnout does feel intense, plus the sorry state of health (both mental and physical) is alarming.. even when we, as viewers, barely witness 24 hours in the lives of our leads.

Earlier this year, I watched Late Shift, a German drama about a dedicated nurse slowly experiencing a breakdown over the course of a single evening. Code 3 is the weirder, funnier American cousin to Late Night, one can say. Both films are gonna stay with me longer than I'd initially anticipated, and I get the feeling that the common denominators here include solid writing, direction, and lead performances. It also explicitly paints the American picture of pay disparity in the healthcare field, making even a couple of breakfast muffins not worth missing out on. The closing bits, while predictable, are heartfelt. Maybe, for these folks, humour is just passing relief.

I used to work in EMS. The dark humour in this is very accurate but if you're looking for a belly-laughs comedy then this is not the film you want. It is a really good portrait of a crew and their work, with lots of details that show the writers know the subject, but it doesn't get stuck on procedural stuff and is really about the people.