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Code Blue

Code Blue

201181 minTV-MAMidcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Director
Urszula Antoniak
Starring
Lars Eidinger, Annemarie Prins, Sophie van Winden, Hans Kesting

Marian, a middle aged nurse, devotes herself to her patients like a saint. Sometimes she even takes on the role of a redeemer, by helping the gravely ill to the soothing order of ultimate silence. When she gets linked to a neighbor in an act of common voyeurism, she becomes fascinated by him. Faced with the fragility of these newfound emotions, Marian surrenders to her human needs.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Code Blue?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Code Blue on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Code Blue?

Code Blue earns 2 badges, led by Award Winner and Haunting.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Code Blue worth watching?

Code Blue's Midcredits score is the 30th percentile of all films, from 2K ratings across 4 sources. 36% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

30th percentile

Better received than 30% of films

25th percentile among Drama30th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)29th
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

55 /100

29th percentile of all films

25th percentile among Drama32nd percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

36% liked it

32nd percentile of all films

27th percentile among Drama31st percentile among 2010s
36% rated it 7–1064% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 3 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

57th percentile

2K ratings across platforms

60th percentile among Drama60th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 159% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$19K

19th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a slow, minimal-dialogue, graphic drama centered on a lonely nurse.

Fans praised

  • Bien de Moor's powerful lead performance
  • Urszula Antoniak's visual storytelling and minimal dialogue
  • Touching, poignant depiction of loneliness and isolation

Detractors panned

  • Originality runs out, borrowing from other European films
  • Shock value used to salvage the ending
  • Graphic content may be triggering

What stands out

Acting85

Bien de Moor's powerful, expressive lead performance

Atmosphere80

Heartbroken, lonely, and captivating tone

Characters75

Lonely nurse's isolation and flawed compassion

Emotional impact75

Poignant, touching, but disturbing moments

Cinematography75

Visual artistry and cinematic mastery

OriginalityDivisive60

Bold and unique, but derivative of other European films

Plot and storyDivisive55

Starts strong, but originality fades and relies on shock

Pacing50

Slow and silent, deliberately unhurried

Watch experience

What is Code Blue like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its grim, psychological material completely straight, with no ironic distance, treating Marian's loneliness and desires with solemn seriousness.
The rideThe film maintains a heavy, solemn tension, with moments of quiet sadness punctuated by growing dread, building to a disturbing climax.
StructureThe synopsis suggests a linear narrative following Marian's descent from controlled routine into chaotic desire, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lasting impression of sadness and unease, with its bleak portrayal of loneliness and its graphic, disturbing conclusion.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows Marian, a solitary nurse whose suppressed desires and acts of euthanasia lead her into a destructive encounter, suggesting a tragedy of a woman undone by her own loneliness and circumstance.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIsolationSociety
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Isolation · 5% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a woman's profound isolation and her yearning for human connection, manifesting in dangerous and taboo acts.
StanceThe film observes Marian's isolation and descent without moralizing, presenting her actions and desires as a case study in loneliness.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientExperimentalSupportive music · original score · Ethan Rose
Settinga hospital and a city apartment building in contemporary Netherlands
MusicEthan Rose's score likely underscores the film's quiet, unsettling atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Code Blue okay for kids?

TV-MA

Code Blue is rated TV-MA. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (100/100), sexual content at severe (83/100), language at mild (17/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Severe
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (14 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Code Blue have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Code Blue?

Cast

Lars Eidinger
as Konrad
Annemarie Prins
as Willie
Sophie van Winden
as Anne
Hans Kesting
as Doctor
Renée Fokker
Hanna van Vliet
as Cashier
Bien de Moor
as Marian
Christine Bijvanck
as Night nurse
Sam de Man
as Party Guest
Sabine Soetanto

Crew

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What are movies like Code Blue?

Movies like Code Blue include The Skin I Live In (2011), Veronika Voss (1982) and Michael (2011). Of the 7 closest matches, all are captor-and-captive stories, and most are films that feel bleak.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

3 of these 7 share its world: medicine. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Code Blue?

1.4K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: doctor. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.