Oliver Matheson’s review published on Letterboxd:
"Is this really expensive?"
Luke Lorentzen’s second feature sets itself apart from most documentaries by being more atmospheric than informative, and is all the more effective because of it. I haven’t taken a trip to Mexico since Matthew Heineman’s fantastic Cartel Land in 2015, so I am very grateful to Lorentzen for giving me a look at the streets of Mexico City I would never have seen otherwise.
The government of Mexico City operates less than 45 emergency ambulances for a population of 9 million people. To fill that gap, people like the Ochoa family (Fer, Josue, and Juan) operate private ambulances that answer a very real need. Whether or not the Ochoas will be paid for their services, after begging hospitals or relatives of their patients to pay them and giving the necessary cut to the corrupt cops, is an ever-present question for the oft-broke family. To that end, Midnight Family’s greatest strength is that Lorentzen never points the finger or influences us to think a certain way. All he does is present things as they are, bits and pieces of different scenes, and leaves the viewer to decide. It does not take long to start rooting for the Ochoas, but even though we know they need money to survive, the last thing some of these victims can do is afford a steep ambulance bill. It is tempting to assume that the Ochoas always drive to the hospital thinking will give their patients the best chance of survival, but they also know which hospitals are more likely to pay them, and they are not afraid to drive a few extra miles to make a payday a little more likely. By allowing us to understand where everyone riding in the ambulance is coming from, whether they’re driving or strapped to a stretcher in the back, Lorentzen paints a very effective picture of the flaws in Mexico’s current health care system.
My mind has recently been blown by the podcast “The Clearing,” a close look at Edward Wayne Edwards, a serial killer that was eventually caught because his own daughter discovered that he had committed a decades old murder. Edwards recorded himself compulsively, and it has been fascinating to hear recordings of a voice that sounds so normal, but you have to keep reminding yourself that what you are listening to are the words of a pathological liar and serial killer. Slight aside (and plug for "The Clearing"), but that’s how I felt watching Midnight Family. Lorentzen shows moments of such extreme emotion and gravity in such a straightforward manner that you almost take them for granted. Once the concept of what you are watching settles in though, you won’t ever forget the image.
Lorentzen follows a strict show not tell policy. There are no talking heads on display here, or explanations for what is going on. Why show me stats about education in Mexico City, when you can show me a child who doesn’t feel like he can attend school because he can’t afford a backpack or notebook. Why explain to me the status of Mexico City’s roads when I can see two ambulances racing one another to be the first one at the scene of an emergency. Lorentzen will put us up front and personal with moments of extreme tension, and then intentionally leave us in the dark about what happened to the patients; we will only find out what happened if Josue tells his girlfriend over the phone and we can listen in. We don't get all the answers here, but we get the desire to seek them out, and Midnight Family will spark a desire to do so.
Midnight Family is an effective look at Mexico City’s healthcare system, its police force, and even just how the city feels at night. It is also a very human look at a family, specifically three different men at very different points in their lives and how they react to their role as ambulance drivers. All of this is done by Lorentzen’s skill as a director, but equally so by his cinematography. The photography here is so clear and crisp and beautiful, and the film is filled with close-ups and wide-shots that thrust the viewer into the scenes we see unfold. And in nearly ever shot the frame is filled with the flashing red and blue lights, indicating that someone is in dire need of medical attention, and the Ochoas may have another paycheck waiting for them.