The story of The Good Nurse and its haunting premise
The Good Nurse tells the story of Amy Loughren, a dedicated nurse working grueling overnight shifts at a New Jersey hospital while raising two children and battling a serious heart condition. Her world shifts when a charming new colleague named Charlie arrives — someone who initially seems like a godsend, a sympathetic presence in the chaos of nightshift medicine. But as patients begin dying under suspicious circumstances, Amy's instincts tell her something's deeply wrong. What unfolds is a psychological thriller about one woman's determination to expose the truth, even when the institution around her seems designed to protect its own. The film doesn't just dramatize a crime; it interrogates how systems fail, how good people can be complicit through silence, and what it costs to blow the whistle.
Behind the making of The Good Nurse and its acclaimed cast
Director Tobias Lindholm (known for his work on the Danish crime series Borgen) brought The Good Nurse to life in 2022, adapting Charles Graeber's 2013 true-crime book of the same name. The screenplay by Krysty Wilson-Cairns transforms a dense, investigative narrative into something cinematically urgent without sacrificing the moral weight of the subject matter. Jessica Chastain carries the film as Amy, while Eddie Redmayne plays Charlie Cullen—the real-life serial killer whose crimes shocked the medical establishment. The supporting cast includes Nnamdi Asomugha, Kim Dickens, and Noah Emmerich, each adding texture to the hospital's institutional landscape. Rated R for language and some graphic content, the film runs 121 minutes and was produced by Protozoa Pictures and FilmNation Entertainment. While it didn't dominate the box office, The Good Nurse earned recognition from major critics' bodies, securing a nomination for a BAFTA Award and garnering three wins and eight nominations overall. Its Rotten Tomatoes score of 74% (Fresh) and Metascore of 65 reflect a film that critics respected for its execution, even when they had reservations about its pacing or emotional register.
What makes The Good Nurse stand out among true-crime adaptations
What's striking about The Good Nurse is how it resists the sensationalism that often clings to serial killer narratives. Yes, the film is built on horror—Cullen murdered an estimated 40 patients over his career—but Lindholm keeps the camera trained on Amy's face, her growing dread, her moral isolation. The performances anchor everything. Chastain doesn't play a hero; she plays a woman exhausted, terrified, and gradually pushed into a corner where speaking up feels like the only option left. Eddie Redmayne's portrayal of Cullen is unsettling precisely because he doesn't perform "evil" in the theatrical sense. He's quiet, attentive, almost invisible—which is exactly what made the real Cullen so dangerous. The film captures something true about institutional horror: the way bureaucracy, understaffing, and the pressure to maintain a hospital's reputation can become accomplices to murder. I keep coming back to how the film treats the friendship between Amy and Charlie—it's not a simple betrayal narrative, but something more complicated and painful, because Amy wants to be wrong. She wants her colleague to be innocent. That human hesitation, that reluctance to accuse, that's what gives the film its emotional core.
Where to stream The Good Nurse online
The Good Nurse is currently available on major OTT services, and Movie OTT provides a comprehensive widget at the top of this page showing exactly where you can watch it right now. Streaming availability changes regularly depending on your region and subscription status, so checking the widget ensures you'll know the current platforms carrying the title. Whether you're subscribed to Netflix, Prime Video, or other major services, Movie OTT keeps track of where The Good Nurse is streaming so you don't have to hunt across multiple apps.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is The Good Nurse based on a true story?
Yes. The film is adapted from Charles Graeber's 2013 true-crime book and tells the story of Charles Cullen, a real serial killer who murdered patients at hospitals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The central character Amy Loughren is also based on a real nurse who played a crucial role in Cullen's investigation and eventual conviction.
Q: Who directed The Good Nurse?
Tobias Lindholm directed the film and co-wrote it with Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Lindholm is known for his work on prestige television, including the acclaimed Danish series Borgen, bringing that same sense of institutional critique to this hospital thriller.
Q: What's the runtime and rating for The Good Nurse?
The film runs 121 minutes and is rated R for language and some graphic content. It's not a gore-fest, but it doesn't shy away from the gravity of its subject matter.
Q: How did The Good Nurse perform with critics?
The film earned a 74% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metascore of 65, indicating generally positive critical reception. It was nominated for a BAFTA Award and received three wins and eight nominations across various award bodies, though it didn't achieve major mainstream awards recognition.
Q: Where can I check current streaming availability for The Good Nurse?
Movie OTT tracks where this title is currently streaming across all major platforms. The "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page updates in real time, so you'll always know which service has it available in your region.
Final thoughts on The Good Nurse
The Good Nurse isn't a comfortable watch, nor should it be. It's a film about institutional failure, moral courage, and the cost of truth-telling—themes that don't resolve neatly. If you're drawn to character-driven thrillers with real-world stakes, or if you're interested in how systems can protect the guilty while punishing the vulnerable, this film demands your attention. The performances alone justify the time investment. It's a reminder that the most terrifying crimes often happen in plain sight, hidden not by shadows but by bureaucracy and the human tendency to look away.
