Watch 12 Hour Shift
- NR
- 2020
- 1 hr 28 min
-
5.5 (5,309)
12 Hour Shift is a 2020 dark comedy/black comedy film written and directed by Brea Grant. The movie takes place over a single night in 1999 and follows the character Mandy, a nurse at a hospital in Arkansas. The hospital is short-staffed, and a black market organ-trading scheme has been put in place to make up for the shortage. As the movie begins, we see Mandy, played by Angela Bettis, arriving at work for her night shift. She is clearly exhausted and at the end of her rope, having already worked several 12-hour shifts in a row, and the last thing she wants is to be there. She spends a few minutes talking with her friend, the receptionist Karen (played by Nikea Gamby-Turner), who is about to leave for the night. Karen tells Mandy that she needs to take care of herself and get some rest, but Mandy is too busy complaining about her job and her life to listen.
Once Karen leaves, things start to get weird. Mandy is met by her friend and accomplice, Regina (Chloe Farnworth), who we quickly learn is involved in the organ trafficking scheme. Regina asks Mandy to get a fresh kidney from the hospital's supply, but Mandy tells her that they are all out. Regina is furious and tells Mandy to find a donor before the end of her shift or else.
From there, the movie takes some dark and unexpected turns as Mandy finds herself increasingly embroiled in the black market organ trade. Along the way, she has to deal with an assortment of odd and dangerous characters, including a drug-addicted nurse named Dorothy (Nina Mansker) and a sleazy cop named Mehrs (Mick Foley).
The plot is fast-paced and chaotic, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the audience guessing. There are moments of humor, but also moments of genuine tension and suspense. The movie is shot in a very stylized way, with lots of bright neon lights and interesting camera angles.
One of the standout performances in the movie comes from Angela Bettis, who does an excellent job of portraying Mandy's exhaustion and frustration. She's a relatable character, and we root for her even as she gets in deeper and deeper over her head.
The supporting cast is also strong, particularly Chloe Farnworth as Regina. She's a delightfully unhinged character, and Farnworth plays her with just the right mix of manic energy and underlying vulnerability. Mick Foley, best known as a retired professional wrestler, is also surprisingly effective as the corrupt cop Mehrs. He brings a sense of menace to the role that is genuinely unsettling.
Overall, 12 Hour Shift is an entertaining and engaging movie. It's not for everyone - it's quite dark and can be a bit gory at times - but for those who enjoy black comedies or suspenseful thrillers, it's definitely worth checking out. Brea Grant has crafted a smart and stylish film that keeps you guessing until the very end.
12 Hour Shift is a 2020 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 28 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.5 and a MetaScore of 63.