This article discusses 10 films like Capturing the Killer Nurse you must watch.
Capturing the Killer Nurse is a gritty true-crime documentary detailing the work that went behind bringing ICU nurse, Charles Cullen, to justice. Released just after the premiere of Tobias Lindholm’s feature movie The Good Nurse, this documentary introduces viewers to the real people behind the award-winning film. For years, Cullen got away with taking the lives of those entrusted to his care and he would have gotten away with it, if not for the diligent work fellow nurse Amy Loughren put into proving his crimes.
If you’ve just watched this riveting documentary and want more true crime stories to keep you up at night, here’s a list of similar films you might want to check out.
10 films like Capturing the Killer Nurse you must watch
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
When she was a child, actress Jan Broberg was abducted twice by a family friend and neighbor, Robert Berchtold. This documentary details the bizarre case of how an entire family was fooled into trusting a sociopath. Based on a memoir by Broberg herself, the documentary won several awards when it first came out. Peacock recently released A Friend of the Family, a drama series based on this strange story.
I Am Vanessa Guillen (2022)
Vanessa Guillen was an Army Specialist who, after telling her mother about the harassment she was facing at the base, ended up murdered by a fellow soldier. I Am Vanessa Guillen chronicles the efforts made by family members to hold the U.S. Army accountable for their failure to properly investigate sexual assault allegations.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
This critically-acclaimed feature was written and produced by Kurt Kuenne. The film centers on the murder of Andrew Bagby at the hands of his ex, Shirley Jane Turner. Not only does this feature detail a horrific crime, but there’s also a heartwrenching twist to ensure there are no dry eyes in the room when the credits start rolling.
Catching a Serial Killer: Bruce McArthur (2021)
Bruce McArthur has gone down in history as Toronto’s most prolific serial killer. His wholesome Granpa facade assured he got away with brutally terrorizing the city’s LGBTQ+ community for nearly a decade. This Canadian documentary follows the twisted investigation into finally bringing this killer to justice.
Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story (2020)
In 2004, a 16-year-old victim of child trafficking shot and killed a man who paid her for sex. Police and prosecutors showed her no mercy and the young girl was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 2019, the state governor finally took into account her extremely extenuating circumstances and granted clemency. This poignant documentary tells her story from the crime that landed Cyntoia Brown in prison to the celebrity-led campaign leading up to her release.
I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs. Michelle Carter (2019)
This HBO documentary film details the brutal story of a young woman who encouraged her boyfriend to commit suicide. Erin Lee Carr’s two-part film shows the story of how Michelle Carter’s actions led to the death of 18-year-old Conrad Roy and the failed attempts at proving her innocence in court.
American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
Directed by Jenny Popplewell, this Netflix film makes good use of social media footage and private messages to tell the story of the highly publicized Watts family murders. When Shannan Watts and her kids first went missing in 2018, her husband, Chris dutifully played the role of a concerned spouse and parent. As the investigation went on, police realized there was more to the story than Chris let on.
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
When The Thin Blue Line first came out it revolutionized documentary filmmaking and the true crime genre. It was among the first films to use detailed reenactments and a filming technique allowing subjects to speak directly to the camera. More importantly, the film told the story of Randall Dale Adams’s wrongful conviction for capital murder. The publicity around it eventually led to the man’s release.
Murder on a Sunday Morning (2001)
This French-American documentary movie was directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and it follows the efforts a team of lawyers puts into proving the innocence of a 15-year-old African-American boy accused of murder. After a tourist was killed, Brenton Butler was interrogated for hours without a parent present, despite being a minor, and was eventually coerced into a confession. Police and prosecutors decided to charge the teen with the murder despite having no physical evidence linking him to the crime. The case brought intense scrutiny to the police and prosecutors involved in the case.
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)
This film is probably the most lighthearted on the list, but still a worthy addition. Back in 2017, a bunch of celebrities promoted the luxurious Fyre music festival, which led to people spending thousands of their hard-earned to attend. However, upon arrival, festival-goers found anything but luxury. They were served cheap sandwiches and accommodated in tents left over by an emergency management agency. The 2019 Netflix documentary tells the story of the biggest scam in the festival world and the con artist behind it all, Billy McFarland.
Do you have any other recommendations for films like Capturing the Killer Nurse? Let us know!
