Film review: Late Shift (Heldin)

After working mostly in television across her career, actor Leonie Benesch has garnered acclaim on the big screen of late with standout appearances in The Teachers’ Lounge and September 5 – both of which see her character’s work life take traumatic turns for the worse. Her latest portrayal is in another workplace thriller as she stars in Swiss-German feature Late Shift. Written and directed by Petra Volpe, the plot follows a hectic day in the life of surgical nurse Floria at a severely understaffed hospital ward. As problems mount from challenging patients and their family members, she comes under intense pressure.

Opening with the bus commute, we see Floria arrive and get ready for what’s to come, changing into clean scrubs and a box fresh pair of trainers – these act as a visual metaphor for her mental state as the film progresses. Within the almost claustrophobic confines of the sterile aesthetic, Volpe’s busy lens stays close to the action, hurriedly tracking movement in a way in which illustrates the stressful energy and non-stop nature of her shift.

Though it is not carried out in one-shot style, the approach from accomplished cinematographer Judith Kaufmann is not dissimilar to in Philip Barantini’s relentless restaurant piece Boiling Point. Instead of spinning plates, our protagonist is juggling all kinds of challenges; some are quite trivial but many are very much life and death, and the incisive writing shifts tone masterfully.

Demonstrating Floria’s sensitive bedside manner with humility and authenticity in her performance, Leonie Benesch is terrific. As the suspense is amped up by the film’s subtly creeping score, we see the panic, exhaustion, and frustrations build up behind the eyes of her mostly professional façade – this barrier comes down occasionally, and in hilarious circumstances in one particular subplot which uses an excellent streak of humour to defuse the heightened emotions of the environment.

With another character put through the wringer, someone needs to give Leonie Benesch some annual leave but until then her terrible days at work will continue to make for absolutely gripping experiences at the cinema. Petra Volpe’s powerful and poignant Late Shift is the greatest example of this so far.