What is the point?  I played that question repeatedly in my head while watching Night Nurse. I have worked in a variety of settings with customers in hospitality and facilities and to me Night Nurse presents a strange form of connection in a retirement setting. It is both unnerving and interesting at the same time, yet the execution of it drags. It’s attempt at being creative as well falls flat. The film surrounds an old man in a home and prank calls to make bank. The twist though, is the nurse is also his assistant and part-time lover. The storyline is bizarre and kept me wishing for a stronger show of decent writing to appear.

 

The film’s main character is Eleni, played by Cemre Paksoy. She takes a job at a retirement community. She is assigned to take care of Douglas, played by Bruce McKenzie. Douglas presents bad forms of dementia, but also strange characterizations. He has Eleni make a fake call for him, she goes for it and soon they become con artists together. He also has another nurse named Mona, played by Eleonore Hendricks. The head doctor at the retirement community is Doctor Mann, played by Mimi Rogers. The scenario creates a rapid dynamic where cash and wrong connection to get more money keeps floating around in a matter that is quirky. I had a hard time trying to put my serious face on with Night Nurse.

 

It is interesting that Eleni gets addicted to the pattern with Douglas. It is like the film was written to look at someone taking a job at a retirement community to help overcome daddy issues. Her “daddy issues” are clearly those of not having enough attention around her.  At the same time, she jumps into that unexplained romantic vibe too easily.  Douglas’ brain is surelynot in the right mind, yet he still manages with his malevolent prank calls and blindsides people. When there is a man living in a retirement community creating loving moments with nurses and driving them around in a convertible, audiences know instantly this is a silly thriller. Just in that context alone, it is hard to present elements to be considered of importance.

 

The peril presented here is the chance of these calls going wrong. That is because they target others around the retirement community—another aspect of poor taste. The concept of those already suffering with health issues being preyed upon as victims gave me a weird feeling that I struggled with to be entertained.  Douglas is clearly “cheating” the system at his retirement community, and Eleni helps him with this. So does Mona. The consequences do not show up well in Night Nurse. Watching Night Nurse felt like working a shift where you keep asking yourself repeatedly when the shift will be over. This one is very poorly written. Three con artists in a pod that lacks fulfillment. Night Nurse is so strange yet enthralling. Not enough to feel enthusiastic about though. Two out of four stars.