There has always been a line in the cinematic world between the uncomfortable and the repulsive — good films know how to toe it; bad ones take either too much or too little graphic liberty. Undoubtedly, Netflix’s “The Good Nurse” falls into the former category, using discomfort as effectively as it can.
“The Good Nurse” is based on the true story of Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne) — a nurse who was arrested for murdering 29 patients in 2003. While the film is centered around Cullen’s case, he is not the main character. The title, in fact, is not sickeningly ironic; rather, it references the woman who helped lead to Cullen’s arrest, Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain).
Amy is one of Charlie’s first friends when he begins working at Parkfield Memorial Hospital. She is a single mother of two daughters and suffers from cardiomyopathy. As a result, she must work night shifts to cover her health insurance and hire a nanny. Often, she cannot be there for her children.
Charlie quickly inserts himself into Amy’s life, seizing upon the unfilled father and husband role. She confides in him about her heart condition, lets him drive her to doctor’s appointments and introduces him to her daughters. Initially, she is grateful for his friendship, but Amy soon begins to question Charlie’s true intentions after things start to go wrong in Parkfield’s intensive care unit. Two of her patients die unexpectedly, despite both being on track to recovery. And Amy is not the only one with suspicions. Detectives Danny Baldwin (Nnamdi Asomugha) and Tim Braun (Noah Emmerich) investigate the deaths as murders, although they find themselves stuck in what seems like an impossible maze of dead ends. After soliciting Amy’s help, Baldwin and Braun are finally able to arrest Charlie. Forty-eight hours later, she succeeds in extracting a confession from him. But still, Charlie refuses to explain why he committed such atrocities. All he really has to say is, “I just did it.”
Since the circumstances of the Cullen case are already well known, the film is not set up as a whodunit. Instead, it creates suspense via aesthetics. One of the first scenes consists solely of a patient dying, as viewed from the ankles down. Viewers are faced with a literal toe-curling image, and though it may cause some to turn away, the desired effect is achieved.
Similarly uncomfortable moments follow for the rest of the movie, including a quick shot of the face of a dying patient. One of the most terrifying sequences of the film occurs when Amy finds herself in a hospital bed — her bad heart having been worked too hard — with Charlie by her side. Immediately, audience members feel the vulnerability of her position, fearing for her life as if it were their own.
The most impressive moment of the film occurs shortly after Charlie is arrested, as detectives Baldwin and Braun interrogate him. All they need is a confession, but he refuses to give them one, simply saying, “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t,” in what eventually sounds like nonsense. Here, Charlie is able to rob the words of their meaning; repetition has turned them into mere noise. Finally, viewers are able to see him for what he truly is: depraved and nonsensical.
The film ends with a sequence of facts about the Cullen case, all of which are disturbing. Although Charlie has been charged with 29 murders, estimates put his actual number of victims closer to 400. To this day, both he and Amy Loughren are still alive. Amy eventually received the heart surgery she needed and currently resides in Florida with her family. Charlie is living out 18 consecutive life sentences in New Jersey State Prison.
Rya is an Arts & Culture editor from Albany, NY. She is a senior studying English and Literary Arts, and her favorite TV show is Breaking Bad.
