The streaming giant Netflix has once again delivered a gripping addition to its crime thriller lineup with The Good Nurse, a chilling 2022 film that has captivated audiences worldwide and kept them glued to their screens. Starring Eddie Redmayne as a haunted nurse at the center of a dark mystery, this psychological thriller, now available on Netflix as of its release on October 26, 2022, blends real-life horror with suspenseful storytelling that proves impossible to look away from. As of 03:40 PM on Friday, July 18, 2025, the film’s haunting portrayal of a medical professional turned suspect, paired with Redmayne’s mesmerizing performance, continues to draw viewers into its unsettling narrative, cementing its status as a must-watch for fans of true-crime dramas and horror-infused mysteries.
The Plot and Premise
Directed by Tobias Lindholm and written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, The Good Nurse is based on the 2013 true-crime book by Charles Graeber, The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder. The film centers on Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain), a compassionate yet overworked ICU nurse and single mother battling an undiagnosed heart condition at Parkfield Memorial Hospital in New Jersey. Her life takes a dramatic turn with the arrival of Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne), a new nurse whose gentle demeanor and willingness to help quickly earn her trust. As mysterious patient deaths pile up, Amy begins to suspect Charlie’s involvement, setting off a tense investigation with detectives Danny Baldwin (Nnamdi Asomugha) and Tim Braun (Noah Emmerich). The narrative unfolds as a slow-burn thriller, peeling back layers of deception within the hospital’s walls and the broader healthcare system.
The story is rooted in the real-life case of Charles Cullen, a nurse estimated to have killed up to 400 patients across nine hospitals over 16 years, making him one of America’s most prolific serial killers. The Good Nurse reframes this horror not as a sensational chase but as a study of trust betrayed and systemic failure. Amy’s journey from ally to whistleblower drives the plot, her personal stakes—needing health insurance for her condition—adding urgency. The film’s 121-minute runtime, rated R for language and disturbing content, builds a claustrophobic atmosphere, with its muted hospital lighting and quiet tension keeping viewers on edge.
Eddie Redmayne’s Haunting Performance
Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Charlie Cullen is the heartbeat of The Good Nurse, transforming the film into an unmissable experience. Known for his Oscar-winning role in The Theory of Everything and nuanced performances in The Danish Girl, Redmayne brings a chilling subtlety to Cullen. His character begins as a seemingly kind colleague, offering to cover Amy’s shifts and sharing personal anecdotes about his divorce, lulling both her and the audience into a false sense of security. Redmayne’s ability to shift from this affable facade to a cold, calculating presence is uncanny—his eyes betray a flicker of something sinister during patient deaths, a detail that becomes impossible to ignore as the evidence mounts.
Redmayne prepared extensively, meeting the real Amy Loughren and studying Cullen’s demeanor, which he described in a 2022 Hollywood Reporter interview as “a quiet, unassuming man with a hidden storm.” His performance peaks in the interrogation scenes, where Cullen’s breakdown—denying yet confessing through tears—earned Redmayne nominations for a Golden Globe, BAFTA, and SAG Award. Critics have lauded this as one of his finest roles, with The Guardian noting, “Redmayne’s understated creepiness makes you question every smile,” a sentiment echoed by viewers who find themselves unable to look away from his unsettling transformation.
Plot Twists and Suspense
The Good Nurse thrives on its plot twists, keeping viewers hooked with revelations that deepen the horror. Early in the film, the mysterious deaths are attributed to natural causes, a misdirection that lulls Amy—and the audience—into complacency. The first major twist comes in the second act when hospital records reveal Cullen’s history of moving between jobs due to suspicious deaths, a pattern Amy uncovers with the detectives. This shifts the narrative from a personal drama to a thriller, with Amy’s realization that her friend might be a killer delivered through a haunting close-up of her face, a moment Chastain plays with devastating subtlety.
The climax delivers a double twist. As Amy and the detectives corner Cullen, he confesses to some murders but claims others were “mercy killings” to end suffering—a justification that horrifies yet complicates his portrayal. The final twist emerges in the closing credits: Cullen’s arrest in 2003 led to only 29 convictions, with estimates of up to 400 victims, and the hospitals’ negligence allowed his spree to continue unchecked. This systemic indictment, paired with Amy’s tearful return to work, leaves viewers stunned, unable to tear their eyes from the screen as the credits roll, pondering the real-life implications.
Supporting Cast and Atmosphere
Jessica Chastain’s Amy is a perfect counterpoint to Redmayne’s Cullen, her performance earning praise for its emotional authenticity. As a nurse risking her health and family to expose the truth, Chastain brings a raw vulnerability, her scenes with Redmayne crackling with an odd, co-dependent chemistry. Nnamdi Asomugha and Noah Emmerich as the detectives add procedural grit, while Kim Dickens as risk manager Linda Garran embodies the healthcare system’s cold pragmatism. The supporting cast, including Malik Yoba and Maria Dizzia, enhances the ensemble, their naturalistic performances grounding the film’s tension.
The atmosphere, crafted by Lindholm’s direction, is a character in itself. Filmed in Stamford, Connecticut, the hospital sets are deliberately dim, with long shots of empty corridors amplifying the sense of dread. The score, a minimalist composition by Biosphere and Deathprod, underscores the suspense with eerie drones, ensuring viewers remain transfixed. This stylistic choice, avoiding exploitative gore, aligns with the film’s focus on human cost over sensationalism, a departure from typical horror-thrillers that keeps the focus on Redmayne’s haunting presence.
Reception and Impact
The Good Nurse has been a critical and commercial success since its Netflix release. It debuted at number one on Netflix’s English-language films list with 68.31 million hours viewed, hitting the top 10 in 93 countries, according to a 2022 NextBestPicture post. Critics have mixed views: Rotten Tomatoes rates it at 74% based on 168 reviews, with an average of 6.7/10, praising Redmayne and Chastain but noting “stilted dialogue” and a “slow pace.” The Hollywood Reporter called it “a gripping but unmanipulative true-crime tragedy,” while The Guardian found it “creepily watchable” yet losing steam. Audiences, however, are enthralled, with a 7.4 IMDb rating and posts on social platforms describing it as “a slow burn you can’t stop watching.”
The film’s true-crime roots amplify its impact, with viewers on X expressing horror at Cullen’s real-life scale—up to 400 deaths—calling it “a nightmare made real.” Its critique of the U.S. healthcare system, where profit over life enabled Cullen’s spree, resonates globally, sparking discussions on medical ethics. Redmayne’s performance has been a focal point, with fans arguing it rivals his best work, keeping them riveted through every frame.
Why You Can’t Look Away
The film’s inability to let viewers look away stems from its psychological depth and Redmayne’s portrayal. His transformation from a nurturing nurse to a suspected killer mirrors the real Cullen’s unassuming nature, a duality that keeps audiences questioning until the end. The slow unraveling of the mystery, paired with Amy’s personal stakes, creates a tension that demands attention, while the final twist about systemic failure lingers, hauntingly relevant. As of July 18, 2025, The Good Nurse remains a testament to how a true story, told with restraint and stellar acting, can captivate and disturb in equal measure, ensuring it’s a Netflix thriller you won’t dare pause.
