Movie Reviews

‘Nightingale’ (CIFF Entry) Review – A Monstrous Game of Cat and Mouse

Synopsis:

Pondering a hospital’s eerie hallways, a nurse makes her rounds on the night shift.

The 56th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) recently ran from October 14th through October 25th. I was lucky enough to be granted some virtual screenings, as the entire experience was virtual due to The Rona. This is the seventh of about nine works I viewed that are apart of their ‘After Dark’ series and they all fit perfectly in October. The following film is available as part of Shorts 3: A Creeping Chill (After Dark).

I don’t about you but I’m not the biggest fan of hospitals. As a matter of fact, I try to avoid them at all costs. After playing sports for so long, everything hurts anyway so I’ve grown accustomed to it. Besides that, they’ve always just felt very eerie to me. They’re like people refrigerators with some of the goods about to expire; the reaper lurks on every shelf. Nightingale steps it up a notch by setting its story in a hospital at night. The Dutch short is a monstrous game of cat and mouse with an unexpected twist. The tone of the short film and its cinematography is what really stuck out to me. It felt as if I was watching a classic horror film, which I loved. The long and empty halls with flickering lights, the feeling of something leering at you from around the corner, and the dead silence that makes any random noise put you on edge, that’s what the film provides. The tone is very ominous, the story is subtle, and the payoff is big. We see in many horror films that no one ever listens to kids or the elderly, this film is no different. However, who do you tell when the people in charge are your only lifeline and they can’t be trusted? Nightingale not only offers a creepy aesthetic but it provides a story that might not be as simple as it appears. Overall, I enjoyed the short a great deal. Its rewatchability is high.

Plot & Pace

Like any other night, Julia arrives to work at the hospital and begins to make her rounds. As she begins to take care of the elderly patients, there seems to be something and someone stalking her. As the night progress, strange noises can be heard through the corridor. While investigating the sounds Julia still feels someone or something lurking and she has to then take matters into her own hands.

The shorts suspenseful tone makes it feel as if it’s moving slow but it’s pace is rather perfect.

Characters & Chemistry

Nina Fokker as Julia does an amazing job. The scene of her at the end is still burned into my memory. Julia is a kind and thoughtful caretake but also has a monster hidden inside her that she struggles to keep at bay.

Nightingale was recently playing during the 56th Chicago International Film Festival.