Nightmare Nurse

Typical TV movie I came across due Sarah Butler being in it. She was supposed to be the next scream queen after her performance in I Spit On Your Grave (2010 - 2015) and some other decent horror flicks but somehow people did forget about her. And I must say she's really nice having seen her in the flesh twice at a convention.

I can't really say that this is a horror although it had all elements to be one storywise but being a TV movie it's of course low on all facts to make it a horror. No blood or gore or nudity. This is a mediocre thriller with a twist towards the end.

It's worth seeing not alone for Butler but also for another forgotten name, Traci Lords. I wont go into her history we all know the story. Getting towards her 50's this is the type of acting she has to deliver.

Nightmare Nurse is one you could see if you want to relax and don't get goosebumps or scary moments. Pure example of a television production.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5

No pun intended with my summary line above. And I have to admit, I am a bit of a sucker when it comes to Sarah Butler. I could not imagine wanting someone else, if you were her significant other. Espcially when she is as cool as her character here. Of course even her character is not without flaws.

But can you blame her, after what happens with and to her boyfriend? Not really I'd say - but as with other movies/thrillers of this kind, you probably can guess who the culprit is and what their motivation is. So no brownie points for you, for guessing it right. Still if you are either a sucker like I am or just want an easy to digest thriller of the week kind of thing, there are worse options out there.

Somewhere in Los Angeles, professional chef Sarah Butler (as Brooke Harmon) gets a promotion. A happy cook, Ms. Butler has just moved in with handsome boyfriend Steven Good (as Lance Boston). An Internet web designer, Mr. Good proposed marriage to Butler. She decided the couple should live together for around three years, before making it legal. That seems reasonable, for our characters. After celebrating her work promotion, they have a tragic accident while driving home. For reasons unclear, a strange man walks into ongoing traffic and is hit by Good. Butler is fine, but Good has a broken leg. He needs a full-time nurse to help him take his medication and go to the bathroom. In walks attractive Lindsay Hartley (as Chloe Spade)...

"Nightmare Nurse" is your average "Lifetime" TV movie. The obvious weakness is a story with plot points that should have been clearer. Jake Helgren's story is implausible, as is necessary for the genre, but you'll see things happening that require further explanation. Most obviously, characters appear in places too unexpectedly...

Relatively new to this sort of movie, director Craig Moss is outstanding. His early hospital scenes capture the mood and characters very well. The shot of Good with his leg raised way up was great. Having the hapless couple wake up in Verdugo Hills Hospital with nurses "Barb" and "Paul" set the stage for a "Nightmare Nurse" adventure. Coming to consciousness with "Barb" and "Paul" in that hospital would make me squeamish. VHH nurses don't look like Traci Lords and Michael Finn. Still, considering the story, they are well cast. The folks who make TV movies should send the director a multi-picture contract, as Mr. Moss keeps the characters engaging with limited sets and budget. Moss should also consider holding out for bigger pictures.

***** Nightmare Nurse (3/5/2016) Craig Moss ~ Sarah Butler, Steven Good, Lindsay Hartley, Traci Lords

I would think the seductive nurse would obviously be played by Traci and the mastermind of the scheme would be Lindsay. The plot has a lot of unbelievable elements. I doubt if nurses ever get this personally involved with patients.

Lifetime movies is usually a simple drama or thriller done for casual night, although there have been some remarkable mentions. "Nightmare Nurse" is not incredibly provoking or terrifying by any means. It plays in safe formula of constrained patient and the reliance on stranger. A couple creepy scenes aside, there's nothing terribly shocking on both acting and presentation.

Lance (Steven Good) is hurt in a bizarre car accident and in need of a nurse. Along comes Chloe (Lindsay Hartley) the odd seemingly too nice of a nurse who has equal dark side. The actors are presentable, all looking like models or beautified young adults. However, there's not much in term of setting the tone for dread, mainly because its runtime is relatively short.

It's a drama at heart, with a little bit of suspense and strange attraction in between. This won't be effective for those craving a solid scare or even jump scare since it's fairly timid. It will do for a popcorn night with basic drama, but one should maintain a manageable expectation since "Nightmare Nurse" won't treat any patient with visceral conviction.