The Good Nurse review: Is the new Netflix serial killer biopic worth it?

Netflix has recently become a hotbed for serial killer shows and films like the recently released Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and now The Good Nurse, chronicling the capture of the prolific Charles Cullen, a nurse who has allegedly murdered over 400 people by administering medications in their IV bags. Directed by Tobias Lindholm, the film is an oddly satisfying approach to the familiar story of the killer.

Taking on the perspective of the nurse who worked with Cullen and eventually aided his capture, Amy Loughren (played by Jessica Chastain), the film approaches the topic with remarkable ease and patience, focusing more on the human aspect of friendship and empathy over the thrills of an investigation. This is a very different serial killer biopic than the ones we have seen before.

The Good Nurse houses a brilliant cast, great tone, nuanced direction, and an overall satisfying script by Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Perhaps the only thing it struggles with is conviction. The film often seems unsure of what it wants to be. But that is not reason enough to make it bad. It is a thoroughly enjoyable take on Cullen's life and crimes and deserves attention from true crime fanatics and cinephiles alike.

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The Good Nurse review: Riding on the tide of unpredictability

Putting the magnanimous Eddie Redmayne in the shoes of Charles Cullen, the man convicted of killing at least 29 patients, with experts stating the count could go up to 400, The Good Nurse does not experiment with the tone of the film at all. The moment the film starts, there are hints of something sinister happening around, with a dark-toned color grade and cello music on a minor scale.

The credit goes to Lindholm's understanding of the subject. Being a case that most people are familiar with (or have read up on before the film's release), the director chose not to shy away from the subject by creating ambiguity and suspense. Instead, Lindholm and Wilson-Cairns saved up the suspense for Amy Loughren and her reaction to her friend's deeds.

Jessica Chastain as Amy Loughren and Eddie Redmayne as Charles Cullen in a still from The Good Nurse (Image via Netflix)

The slow unfolding mystery does not have anything special about it, but the bond between Loughren and Cullen does. It is the bond that drives the story forward. Chastain, an experienced actor in playing real people, embodies Loughren with minimum fuss, making sure every beat of the character syncs with the emotions. Redmayne, on the other hand, is always expected to stand out but does so completely in the final interrogation scene.

Due to Cullen’s story, the film, too, has a lot of ambiguity. But The Good Nurse does not run away from this. It decides to ride on the ambiguity and unpredictability of the character without trying to dig harder than the plot permits. This makes the film stand out in ways other serial killer biopics cannot.

One problem the film suffers from is in finding its standing. The majority of the film tries to focus on the emotionally poignant story of an unpredictable killer who somehow displayed a lot of emotions and empathy, but was behind many murders. The Good Nurse also tried to comment on the capitalistic system of healthcare that did not care about its patients more than its reputation, leading to letting a mentally unstable killer run loose.

Eddie Redmayne as Charles Cullen in the film (Image via Netflix)

There are also massive lessons of empathy and understanding scattered in the plot, but by not committing to one of the larger pictures, The Good Nurse fails to become a perfect example in its own right.

Reasons to complain are scarce, and with a stellar cast, great performances, and a smooth-flowing storyline, The Good Nurse is worth the attention and time.

The Good Nurse is now streaming on Netflix.