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Side Effects

2/12/2016

5 Comments

 

A-
3.67

A young woman's world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh
​Starring Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, and Jude Law
​Initial Review by Drew Landry

Picture
Side Effects was a mystery thriller that took viewers on a topsy - turvy, psychological path.  The direction, writing, and acting was something the MMC has yet to appreciate in that kind of genre and it was something the group needed to view.

The story took an interesting turn when Emily sought therapy from Dr. Victoria Siebert while Martin was in prison.  This was where viewers realized she was attracted to Dr. Siebert. It was, as if, they started to plan their future under the guise of psychological sessions.  Everything that transpired after Martin’s release was with a purpose.  That plan was foiled when Dr. Jonathan Banks’ doctoral reputation was threatened.  The downside, however, was his questionable motives and near obsession to clear his name.  Despite that, the end justified the means.

Side Effects’ plot was incredibly interesting.  Upon first view, it setup viewers for the ultimate slam.  These types of films are vastly underrated.  It could be, in part, due to the necessary time to develop the story.  Such betrayal and conniving takes time to mature and director Steven Soderbergh played his hand masterfully. 

He was able to take some underappreciated actors and plug them into roles that made them shine.  Jude Law played Banks in a flawless fashion.  To further the point, it is difficult to name several quality films that starred Catherine Zeta – Jones but this was one of her best performances.  Finally, Rooney Mara played her manipulative role so well that she could easily do another just as well.  Kudos to Soderbergh for finding the right pieces to a complex puzzle.

The only downside to Side Effects was Banks’ obsession to clear his name.  Law played it great but Banks became obnoxious.  It certainly worked out for him in the end but his antics pushed the ethical limits and his passion could easily be mistaken for tantrums.

Despite that one flaw, this was a solid film.  It easily deserves a high mark for Soderbergh’s direction, Scott Burns’ writing, and actors’ portrayal.  It could be plausible that viewers found other problems such as the film’s flow, some odd dialogue, but none of those heavily detracted from the film’s story.  Highly recommended and reviewable.
 
Grade: A-

- Drew Landry
5 Comments
Admin
2/12/2016 10:15:42 pm

For comments.

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Jon
2/15/2016 03:16:11 am

We were bound to do a Steven Soderbergh movie eventually, and Drew picked one of his best with Side Effects. Soderbergh isn't quite in my top tier of directors, but with Traffic, Contagion, The Knick, The Informant, and Magic Mike also on his resume, plus the perfectly fine Ocean's 11 remake, it's always interesting to see his work. Typically filling multiple roles, like cinematographer and editor, he's a cinematic workhorse, churning out an average of more than a movie a year between 1989 and 2013, after which he supposedly retired from directing movies, though I've read very few critics that think it will stick. Soderbergh's collaboration with writer Scott Z. Burns has characterized the last phase of his career, as Burns' scripts for Side Effects, Contagion, and The Informant all do an excellent job of educating as well as entertaining. Those films all meld the technical with the human to an impressive degree, and with a director like Soderbergh, who is one of the handful of directors that possesses the indefinable ability to make scenes just look cool, they're a compelling team. Hopefully, they'll collaborate again in the future, because Side Effects is a highly successful psychodrama that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat.

Of the three Burns-Soderbergh films, what I love the most about them is that they live in the land of the plausible. The Informant recreates an obscure stranger-than-fiction corruption tale, while Contagion accurately depicts a viral outbreak from multiple angles, never once falling into hyperbole or stretching credibility. Side Effects does the same with its scheme of SSRI's and mental health, taking underreported facts out of the real world and grafting them onto a film noir potboiler. It plays a trick on the viewer in that Emily's murder of her husband seems utterly straightforward, that Dr. Banks may very well have erred in his treatment of her, and that the film might proceed into a legal battle/dissolution story. That film would have been totally fine, but Burns swerves and crafts a femme fatale brought down by the highly-realistic omission of a couple details and an understandable concern for her own safety. I remember seeing this in theaters and literally leaning forward in my seat as I gradually figured things out. There's no twist that isn't grounded in some kind of recognizable reality.

The big underlying premise is how unpredictable psychiatric drugs are. There's talk in the movie of pharma companies settling huge lawsuits or paying huge fines, and it's implied that this is just the cost of doing business. In a perfect world, the mechanism of drugs would be solved before they are marketed, and while that's often the case, the brain remains too opaque to know how altering its chemistry is going to shake out. This doesn't apply to only the clinically diagnosable. The world of the film implies that most people onscreen are taking one drug or another for unclear benefit, if any. Is the conclusion that every person could be diagnosed by any one doctor for any one mental condition? What constitutes normal in the first place, and does such a person exist? I makes my living off pharmaceuticals, but that doesn't preclude me from being generally wary of anti-depressants. Side Effects grabs that wariness and runs with it.

The setting/environment is one big strength; the other is the characters. Of the four main characters, all their motivations and reactions are reasonable, or at least understandable. I get that Emily is enraged at her husband. I even think that there may have been a period where the whole plot was going to be called off, but then Martin immediately starts talking about getting hooked up with a fellow white collar criminal, and the die is cast. Even as selfish and arrogant as that decision is, I get that Martin would want to get back to normal in a generally legal-ish industry. Dr. Banks shares the bulk of the film with Emily, and it's easy to get on his side first as someone who potentially makes a mistake and then as someone fighting for his reputation. Dr. Siebert is the most opaque, and the bisexual reveal isn't a strong point of the film, but I do think that her ultra-professional portrayal is a nice contrast to her more passionate, hidden side.

Soderbergh doesn't have a lot of bad performances in his filmography, and Side Effects continues that trend. Rooney Mara and Jude Law are capable adversaries, Tatum can do oblivious like nobody's business, and this is one of the best thing Catherine Zeta-Jones has been in. There's no weak links from the big parts on down the line, with Ann Dowd's mother-in-law a particular standout. Combined with the sleek look, Thomas Newman's pulsing score, and the fuzzy color palate that Soderbergh likes to use, Side Effects works, diminishing very little on a second viewing despite the big twists that can't help but lose some of their luster. I was blown away when first seeing Side Effect

Reply
Jon
2/15/2016 03:16:47 am

Last sentence got cut off.

I was blown away when first seeing Side Effects, and I remain so three years later. A-

Reply
Bryan
2/20/2016 01:45:49 pm

I was dreading going back to watch a murder-mystery-drama. Usually the second watch doesn't hold up. However in Side Effects, despite knowing what's going down, the acting, story, and plot twists still hold.

I recommend Side Effects to anyone seeking to dive into the world of psychiatric drugs, greed, and the human state of mind. There are some great quotes and scenes of genuine discomfort.

I started at B+, but I could go A-.

Reply
Shane
2/23/2016 04:01:08 pm

I had completely forgotten that I had seen this. I recall that I liked it a decent amount, though I find the "Big Pharma" plot to be contrite and over-played. However, I had about zero interest in watching it again. It got a bit too cute in the end for me to sit through it all again. That's a subjective negative.

But, the movie looks incredibly smooth and is well-shot. The twists take the viewer up and down and aren't arbitrary or forced (except for one) plot-points.

Jude Law, who was also a man against Big Pharma in Contagion (he killed in that roll) comes across as likeable as the hero. Rooney Mara does an admirable job with her mood swings. Catherine Zeta-Jones, however, I wasn't buying. The bi-sexual portion of the film was a bit much in the unnecessary department, however.

In the end, I gave this 4 stars on Netflix and that seems right.

B

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