Late Shift (Heldin) - Spoiler Free Movie Review

Hospital work isn't easy, but Volpe cinematically captures the true horrors of an understaffed environment in a thrilling, realistic take. 

Original Title: Heldin

Genre: Drama

Director: Petra Biondina Volpe

Cast: Leonie Besch, Sonja Riesen, Selma Aldin, Alireza Bayram, Urs Bihler, Margherita Schoch, Ridvan Murati, Albana Agaj, Ali Kandaş & Pema Shitsesang.

Run Time: 92 min.

US Release:  N/A

UK Release: 03 June 2025 (SXSW Premier)

German Release: 25 February 2025

Heldin, internationally titled Late Shift, is a German-Swiss film directed by Swiss screenwriter Petra Volpe that captures a day in the life of a hospital nurse. When the first trailer hit online early this year, my girlfriend eagerly wanted to go see it, being a nurse herself. Unfortunately, we had such a busy first quarter that we didn’t manage to catch a screening. Now finally out on VOD, we rented the flick through Amazon Prime, and our emotional responses were brutal.. I had the sensation of something stuck in my throat, while my girlfriend was crying her eyes out, saying that the premise felt way too realistic.

So, charge with me through the corridors of the healthcare system, as I review Late Shift.

Floria Lind is a dedicated nurse who tirelessly serves in the understaffed oncological surgery ward of a hospital. However, this late shift soon turns into an urgent and tense race against time itself.

Audiences are thrown right into the midst of things, given a real-time sense of the protagonist’s profession through a window peek. This unusual structure assists with story immersion, constantly winding up tension, with time being of the essence. The script also ditches manufactured drama, focusing on hyper realism, which serves to bind viewers emotionally to the lead, as we feel the pressure of her job slowly crippling her. The inclusion of certain patients’ backstories creates true emotional stakes through personal connections.

The tight runtime results in a fast-moving pace, as it unleashes an unapologetic critique of the failing healthcare system, centring its attention on the understaffed plus overworked nursing sector. It's not just melodrama, but a study of the toll the profession can take when healthcare workers are cornered into impossible situations.

As for negatives, the dense narrative doesn’t leave much room for creative ambiguity or deeper character arcs, leaving some of the patients underexplored. Even the protagonist is primarily defined through her job, which is intentional, yet we never get to know much about her beyond being a nurse.

The dialogue is authentic and meaningful. It is closely tied to hospital routines, as well as tasks, which enhance the sense of temporal pressure and urgency.  

As for characters, Heldin focuses mainly on one single person: Floria Lind, the nurse juggling her late shift, caring for all her patients, doing paperwork, just like handling countless other menial tasks that aren’t part of her job description, all while being understaffed. Leonie Benesch, who plays Floria, gives an incredible, realistic performance, infusing her role with humanity and emotional restraint until reaching a breaking point. Even then, she maintains absolute professionalism.

The supporting cast includes both seasoned plus new actors, all of whom bring believable tension or vulnerability to their roles, especially the ones portraying patients. This anchors the movie even further in realism.

The camerawork by Judith Kaufmann is immersive, following the lead nurse from one patient to the next, in what feels like a continuous take. Though not covering a complete late shift, as it compresses ten hours of work into ninety minutes, it still feels like real time thanks to the visceral tension, as well as brisk pacing. The lighting is natural, the colours sterile, perfectly suiting the hospital scenery.

The choice to film in actual hospital environments gives the whole production design strong authenticity, additionally grounding the picture. The set subtly reflects the systemic issues in healthcare. The wardrobe for staff and patients looks genuine, giving the aesthetics a sense of functionality.

The score is subtle, highlighting the underlying stress without overpowering the scenes. Sound effects convincingly evoke a hospital environment, with the frequency of beeps/ alarms escalating as pressure mounts.

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Verdict: Late Shift effectively achieves what it sets out to do: to create a realistic portrayal of the failures of the healthcare system. With fewer people willing to work in these professions, rising pressure, as well as prolonged human lifespans thanks to modern medicine, the sector is on the brink of imploding. Nurses struggle to maintain humanity in the harshest working conditions, while patients try to find answers to their needs. The narrative injects a thriller-like vibe to the premise, building suspense as the staff fights against every passing minute. The dialogue sounds genuine, using technical language, as well as evoking true emotions. Leonie Benesch delivers a brutally honest performance as nurse Floria, while the supporting cast adds credibility to the world. The cinematography includes a feeling of claustrophobia. This is a well-crafted drama, deserving of a 9.0 out of 10. 

I can only recommend you see this movie if you have the opportunity. It's raw, straightforward & will leave you devastated, for both patients & hospital staff alike. Thank you, as always, for reading.