By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
It is hard to believe that the
Netflix drama,
"The Good Nurse," from director
Tobias Lindholm ("Another Round") and screenwriter
Krysty Wilson-Cairns ("1917") is actually based on a true story. It is adapted from
Charles Graeber's 2013 book of the same name.
The thrilling movie is about an intensive-care nurse named Charles Cullen from New Jersey. He bounced around various hospitals and killed numerous patients with lethal insulin injections. It took forever before police investigators and one nurse began to piece together evidence in 2003 which ultimately led to this psycho's arrest.
At first blush, it is easy to see how Charles-- who is played by the dynamic Eddie Redmayne-- ("The Trial of the Chicago 7" and "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore") fooled so many people for so long. He is personable, charming, has an infectious smile, and is willing to work whenever needed.
Charles was a Godsend for Amy Loughren, (an excellent Jessica Chastain, TV's "George & Tammy"), when he transferred in 200l to the same New Jersey hospital where she worked as an R.N. in the ICU. He took some of the pressure and workload off of her. The patients seemed to like him too. Amy and Charles developed a really good working relationship. Over time, he even watched her kids when he was off, and Amy had to work. It almost seemed too good to be true.
The single mom with two young girls, Alex (Alix West Lefler (TV's "Resident Alien" and "Riverdale") and Maya (Devyn McDowell, "Jerry and Marge Go Large") had been a nurse just a few years and is still struggling to raise her kids. Amy works as many hours as she can and often doesn't get to spend much time with them. She leaves them with a house sitter (Marcia Jean Kurtz, "If Beale Street Could Talk") that she can barely afford. Amy also she has a heart condition that needs immediate attention. She has kept that from her employer because she's at least a year away from getting the full medical insurance she needs to treat it.
Anyway, although stressed to the limit, Amy is always at the top of her game when it comes to patient care and bedside manner. She is an incredibly good nurse. She understands and respects her patients and they in turn appreciate her to no end.
However, when one of her patients, who seemed to be recovering from an illness, mysteriously and suddenly dies, it is concerning. Then when another one does along with some that Charles was looking after do too, well, things take a serious turn.
The other hospitals that Charles worked at had similar patterns of patient deaths and they refused to investigate them. Seriously?
When veteran detectives Danny Baldwin (an outstanding Nnamdi Asomugha, "Sylvie's Love") and Tim Braun (a superb Noah Emmerich, TV's "Suspicion"), inform the hospital administrators-- most notably-- the standoffish risk officer Linda Garran (Kim Dickens, TV's "Fear the Walking Dead" ) they intend to do a deep dive and find out the truth, they discover horrifying information about Charles. Once that info is confirmed by Amy, Charles’s secret life soon begins to unravel and madly spirals out of control.
What is perhaps most chilling about "The Good Nurse," is the information we learn about Charles before the end credits. This guy was a nurse for 16 years. Most of the hospitals he worked at were a bit suspicious of him, but the movie states that "none stopped him." Nor have there been any criminal proceedings against any of the hospitals.
To avoid a death sentence, Charles pled guilty to murdering 29 patients. Some maintain that number was much higher.
Charles is currently serving 18 consecutive life sentences in New Jersey State Prison. He won't be eligible for parole until 2403. Even crazier, he never said why he killed all those people. Not that there would be a reason to ever justify those murders.
The good news is that Amy, is still a "good nurse" and had successful heart surgery. She currently lives in Florida with her daughters and grandkids.
Jessica Chastain, still basking in the glow of her Oscar win for "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," and Academy Award-winner Eddie Redmayne, are a dynamic duo here. While "The Good Nurse" brims with powerful and commanding scenes throughout, the final act is a knock-out.
"The Good Nurse" debuts on Netflix Oct. 26.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show now at my new time on Fridays at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Check Out This Trailer For
"THE GOOD NURSE"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
