Marcos (Carlos Portaluppi) is an ICU Nurse whose life outside of work consists of isolation and loneliness. He sits at the bus stop on his way two and from work while meals at the hospital are simply a can of cold peas. He is dedicated to his role as a health care provide getting to know each patient's needs and quirks comforting them at every turn. When a patient Marcos saves by continuing CPR after the Doctors have given up is taken off pain med because the unavoidable end is approaching. Marcos takes affairs into his own hands turning into an angel of death or mercy depending on how one sees his actions.
Onto the scene comes Gabriel (Ignacio Rogers). He is positive, upbeat, and sparks an immediate kinship with Marcos. He gives him rides to and from work. Offers to cover less desirable shifts and buys him an electric can opener for his peas. Gabriel claims the posting is his first but Marco is no so sure and begins to investigate as things don't sit well with his gut.
Writer-Director Martin Kraut's story is slow to build, seems at first to be about mundane daily life that's a bit on the depressing side. Then after a few interactions between Marcos and Gabriel plus those of different intensity with Noelia ( Lorena Vega) a full fledged plot has quietly developed with an unlikely hero and a villain who both are in jeopardy.
The Dose is a film that works mainly due to the performance of its understated leading man Carlos Portaluppi. He dives deep into the role delivering in every scene. Rogers' Gabriel is the perfect foil. He is an extrovert, charismatic, and liked immediately by all almost everyone on staff. The production tackles a subject that unfortunately may be more prevalent that one would like to believe. It's a challenging piece that an audience needs to patiently let develop to be rewarded and glad that they did.
*** Out of 4
The Dose | Martin Kraut | Argentina | 2020 | 93 Minutes
Tags: Night Nurse, ICU, CPR, Pain Medication, Syringe, Euthanasia, Internal Investigation, Canned Peas
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