Who does what in response to an evolving whodunit becomes the prime focus–rather than the person who did it or might have done it–in The Good Nurse (Netflix), with Jessica Chastain in the title role. It’s a case of the serial murder mystery thriller being turned on its head, centering not so much on the suspect/perpetrator but rather a person of conscience and how she deals with a horrifying string of events–all the while facing the prospect of her own mortality.
Tobias Lindholm–who directed The Good Nurse, marking his English-language feature debut–was drawn to the film by the opportunity, as incongruous as it seems, to tell a serial killer story centered on “humanity.” Lindholm, an acclaimed Danish writer and director, described “humanity” as the “superpower” of Amy Loughren, a nurse and single mom portrayed by Chastain who is struggling with a life-threatening heart condition exacerbated by her demanding night shifts during which she treats patients in an intensive care unit. But helps arrives with the hiring of Charlie Cullen, a nurse played by Eddie Redmayne, who becomes aware of Loughren’s situation and is supportive above and beyond the call of duty. The two make a strong connection and develop a devoted friendship. But a series of mysterious patient deaths triggers an investigation with suspicion cast on Cullen. Loughren potentially puts herself in harm’s way to uncover the truth.
Based on Charles Graeber's book “The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness and Murder,” the screenplay by Krysty Wilson-Cairns centered on Loughren’s perspective as the guiding light, with Lindholm further encouraging that shift in POV. This, said Lindholm, made the story a journey into charity, forgiveness, loving, empathy, compassion and goodness. “We live in a world that fights hate with hate, violence with violence,” observed Lindholm, who found it invigorating to turn a serial killer drama into a story with “a hero who sacrificed her own safety to fight evil with goodness, to fight darkness with light.” In essence the caring aspect of her relationship with Cullen led to a truth the police could not bring to the fore, a truth that had been covered up by a hospital system only concerned with avoiding financial liability.
Lindholm finds The Good Nurse, which is based on a true story, to be life-affirming. “It reminds us of how great humanity can be. Anytime would be a good time to tell this story–but now it’s needed even more in light of our present day circumstances.” This is not the story of a whistleblower who is publicly recognized. Rather it’s an individual who tries to do right, without fanfare or economic benefit, simply because of her humanity and goodness.
Making its world premiere last week at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Good Nurse is slated for release in select theaters on October 19 and globally on Netflix on October 26.
Six-plus years ago around the time his Danish film A War came out and he was about to embark on a writing and directing gig for David Fincher’s Netflix series Mindhunter, Lindholm was sent a first draft of The Good Nurse. Producer Scott Franklin sent him the script by Wilson-Cairns, who went on to become an Oscar-nominee for the screenplay she wrote in tandem with director Sam Mendes for 1917. Upon ultimately agreeing to direct The Good Nurse, Lindholm brought two long-time collaborators on board–editor Adam Nielsen and sound designer Morten Green who had contributed greatly to his Danish filmography. Lindholm deemed these trusted mainstays as important in terms of helping to maintain his style and vision for The Good Nurse. “I had seen so many European colleagues get lost in the American studio system,” explained Lindholm. “I’ve also seen great work. I felt that by bringing in two of my band members, I could get closer to making the film I had envisioned.”
First-time collaborators also helped immeasurably in realizing that vision, among the most notable being cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes whose work includes Lena Dunham’s series Girls and feature Tiny Furniture (which earned him a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography). Lindholm described himself as a huge fan of the DP’s work, citing in particular the lensing of Derek Cianfrance’s HBO series I Know This Much Is True. Lindholm was drawn to Lipes’ approach to cinematography, observing that it is “naturalistic in the opposite way that I am.” Both the director and DP share a naturalism but have a track record of arriving at it from different directions. “In the Danish production environment, we shoot handheld because we don’t have the time or money to do anything else,” related Lindholm. Lipes brings a naturalistic eye to a production even without the “benefit” of such constraints, elevating the visuals and making them more focused “than I have ever been before,” assessed Lindholm. From this a new trusted collaborator and working rapport emerged for the director.
And of course, Lindholm cited the major gift he got from The Good Nurse–the chance to work with consummate Oscar-winning actors Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) and Redmayne (The Theory of Everything). Lindholm has been an admirer of Chastain ever since her performance in Zero Dark Thirty. “Her humanity is second to none,” assessed Lindholm, adding that he felt fortunate that Chastain connected with the character of Loughren. As for Redmayne, Lindholm noted how the actor can seemingly change his body and convey emotion and state of mind through his eyes. “You can’t learn that. You have it or you don’t. In a film with a lot of closeups like this, I wanted to explore his [Cullen’s] character, to portray him as a human being.” Redmayne was ideal for being “able to humanize this guy, not humanize his actions.”
Among the prime challenges that The Good Nurse posed to Lindholm was its larger scale as compared to his Danish films. Lindholm noted that he’s accustomed to having 12 friends around to help him make a film. That’s an easier proposition than having hundreds around for The Good Nurse. Lindholm reflected that he had to learn how to maintain on The Good Nurse the friendly, familiar, intimate atmosphere he experienced and valued on Danish films. Thankfully that esprit de corps came to life on The Good Nurse with people bonding together to tell the story and to deal with the uncertainty of the COVID pandemic. Lindholm said that he came away from The Good Nurse with “a recharged belief in humanity, I loved every person on that film who during the terrible circumstances of the world managed to tell a story about humanity, all being present in the situation. That moves me and makes me smile when I think about it.” The cast and crew, he continued, “proved how great we can be when we work together.”
Indeed the close-knit collaboration Lindholm felt on The Good Nurse was akin to what he has long enjoyed in Danish cinema. In that world, Lindholm amassed numerous accomplishments. For example, the aforementioned A War–a film written and directed by Lindholm which centered on a Danish military company in Afghanistan captured by the Taliban–earned a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination in 2016. He also served as writer-director on A Hijacking, which premiered at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. And Lindholm co-wrote Another Round with director Thomas Vinterberg, which won the Best International Feature Film Oscar last year.
