Side Effects Reviews
Emil K
Super Reviewer
May 9, 2013
Scott Z. Burns' screenplay does serve a nice play of powers between the leading trio, but too often it focuses on pharmaseutical facts and feels a bit too preachy about the possible corruption behind the big medical corporations that create drugs for people who suffer from mental illness. There are strenghts in Burns' screenplay and it plays quite effectively with viewers expectations, but ultimately it cannot live up to it's expectations.
There were moments in Side Effects which reminded me of films of Brian De Palma, but Soderbergh's clinical approach did not go well together with those moments and too often when things were supposed the get more suspenseful the end result felt too flat to gain real thrills. There are some typical trademarks of Soderbergh's in here. His cold and hypnotic way to approach the story is something we've seen in many of his films and there is also a highly moody score made by composer Thomas Newman.
Overall this is a film that will keep you most likely entertained for it's entire running time, and it is never boring, but honestly we have seen these kind of films made so much better earlier that in the end Side Effects is more closer to an average entertainment than something truly unique as a film.
This might not be nothin more than a routine thriller from Steven Soderbergh, but it is also a thriller with delicious twists and eerie calculated style. It is interesting to see someone like Soderbergh dive into this kind of genre but i myself hoped that he would go much further into it than he actually did.
Scott Z. Burns' screenplay does serve a nice play of powers between the leading trio, but too often it focuses on pharmaseutical facts and feels a bit too preachy about the possible corruption behind the big medical corporations that create drugs for people who suffer from mental illness. There are strenghts in Burns' screenplay and it plays quite effectively with viewers expectations, but ultimately it cannot live up to it's expectations.
There were moments in Side Effects which reminded me of films of Brian De Palma, but Soderbergh's clinical approach did not go well together with those moments and too often when things were supposed the get more suspenseful the end result felt too flat to gain real thrills. There are some typical trademarks of Soderbergh's in here. His cold and hypnotic way to approach the story is something we've seen in many of his films and there is also a highly moody score made by composer Thomas Newman.
Overall this is a film that will keep you most likely entertained for it's entire running time, and it is never boring, but honestly we have seen these kind of films made so much better earlier that in the end Side Effects is more closer to an average entertainment than something truly unique as a film.
TomBowler
Super Reviewer
March 9, 2013
The same is true of Side Effects. When it begins, with our lead character going through an endless transition from anxiety pill to anxiety pill in an attempt to feel better, or at least something, it seems that Soderbergh's last film is going to be an open fire on the pill industry. But as it progresses through a murder and some beautifully strung paranoia, we realise it's done a somersault in a different direction and becomes a mystery to rival Agatha Christie's most gleefully loopy narratives for twists, turns and all-exposing final reveals.
And you can't help but feel Soderbergh's steady influence throughout these proceedings. His signature look and feel aside, it's the calm ease with which he ushers us through this transition; the seamless joins where one genre ends and the other begins. And despite the fact that mystery movies by now have the been-there-done-that feel to them, through key sequences and cleverly framed moments, Soderbergh never loses our attention for a second. When Emily drives her car into a wall, for instance, it's clearly stated to be a suicidal attempt, a cry for help in her time of mental anguish. But when this is shown to be something else entirely, all but the most suspicious of viewers will be taken by surprise by a trick which has been seen many times before. Or when Emily breaks down at a party, we see it as an understandable display of a complex emotion which Emily must be going through. Yet when it, too, is shown in its true light, it once again takes us by surprise. This rejuvenation of an often clichéd genre is what sets Stephen Soderbergh apart from a director who may have taken the work at face value. It's his understanding of the genre and its tropes which makes it possible for him to pull off such a blindside on an audience who are used to being blindsided.
Audiences aren't surprised by things anymore. Twist endings have less and less effect the more they are used. And they are used often. Time and time again, audience members, myself included, walk out of a cinema saying, "I saw that coming." We've been conditioned not to trust anyone on the screen. The Usual Suspects taught us that the most convincing of narrators can be false. Citizen Kane taught us to look for the tiniest detail. Planet of the Apes taught us to think on a wider scale. We know this twist-ending stuff back to front. In light of this, Stephen Soderbergh has pulled off something of a coup d'etat on our understandings. This is a director pulling a switch on a genre, not just a plot; something which is entirely more difficult to do and much more difficult to predict. If this is confirmed to be the film he's going out on, he's going out with a bang.
But it would be more of a whimper if the cast didn't bring their A-game, and they definitely do. Rooney Mara, already having garnered critical acclaim for her tough, raw performance in David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, is fantastic as Emily; the depressed wife of a con-man newly released from prison. In keeping with Soderbergh's sleight of hand, Mara is 100% believable as both the housewife in the throes of depression, sinking in a sea of anti-anxiety pills and anti-depressants, as well as her second act counterpart as a scheming mastermind. It's a fantastic performance, not as explosive or shocking as her 2011 role, but no less demanding. She has more emotion to work with here, more sides to her character, and she plays them all with utter conviction.
But as the film does an about face, so too does its leading character, jumping from Emily to her doctor, Jonathan Banks, played by Jude Law. Law has always proven to be an impressive actor but he hasn't had many chances to show it recently. Here, finally given a chance, he brings the talent which made him such a valuable commodity in the first place, moving from professional therapist to quivering wreck as he lands under the microscope of a massive investigation, then to seemingly paranoid conspiracy theorist and finally to satisfied victor. It's a performance which demands a huge range and Law displays just that, never failing to connect with the audience whether he's harassing Emily or desperately trying to convince his wife to stand by him. Catherine Zeta-Jones is all fire and energy in her small but important role and Channing Tatum shows his ever-increasing skill as Emily's ill-fated husband, but at the centre of the film are the two performances from Jude Law and Rooney Mara, and they both do a fantastic job.
But it really is Soderbergh's film. Though he's never onscreen, his presence is always felt, through either his understated, murky style of filming which walks some unseen line between realism and fairytale so deftly that he is able to jump between one or the other at will. Or through the ease with which he's able to change so quickly from devastating drama to paranoid thriller without tipping his hand. It's impressive work from someone who has always been a generator of impressive work and the movie scene will be that much poorer in his absence.
Steven Soderbergh will never be typecast. In a career spanning 24 years after exploding into the world of film with Sex, Lies, and Videotape in 1989, Soderbergh has gone through sci-fi with Solaris, biopics with Erin Brockovich and the Che series, heist films with Danny Ocean's ever-increasing band of thieves, action with Haywire, psychological thrillers with Contagion, pitch-black comedy with The Informant, whatever genre you feel like calling Magic Mike, and now a good old-fashioned murder mystery with what is purported to be his last film. Michael Bay may dominate the bad action movie scene, but when you walk into a Steven Soderbergh film, you never know what you're going to walk away with.
The same is true of Side Effects. When it begins, with our lead character going through an endless transition from anxiety pill to anxiety pill in an attempt to feel better, or at least something, it seems that Soderbergh's last film is going to be an open fire on the pill industry. But as it progresses through a murder and some beautifully strung paranoia, we realise it's done a somersault in a different direction and becomes a mystery to rival Agatha Christie's most gleefully loopy narratives for twists, turns and all-exposing final reveals.
And you can't help but feel Soderbergh's steady influence throughout these proceedings. His signature look and feel aside, it's the calm ease with which he ushers us through this transition; the seamless joins where one genre ends and the other begins. And despite the fact that mystery movies by now have the been-there-done-that feel to them, through key sequences and cleverly framed moments, Soderbergh never loses our attention for a second. When Emily drives her car into a wall, for instance, it's clearly stated to be a suicidal attempt, a cry for help in her time of mental anguish. But when this is shown to be something else entirely, all but the most suspicious of viewers will be taken by surprise by a trick which has been seen many times before. Or when Emily breaks down at a party, we see it as an understandable display of a complex emotion which Emily must be going through. Yet when it, too, is shown in its true light, it once again takes us by surprise. This rejuvenation of an often clichéd genre is what sets Stephen Soderbergh apart from a director who may have taken the work at face value. It's his understanding of the genre and its tropes which makes it possible for him to pull off such a blindside on an audience who are used to being blindsided.
Audiences aren't surprised by things anymore. Twist endings have less and less effect the more they are used. And they are used often. Time and time again, audience members, myself included, walk out of a cinema saying, "I saw that coming." We've been conditioned not to trust anyone on the screen. The Usual Suspects taught us that the most convincing of narrators can be false. Citizen Kane taught us to look for the tiniest detail. Planet of the Apes taught us to think on a wider scale. We know this twist-ending stuff back to front. In light of this, Stephen Soderbergh has pulled off something of a coup d'etat on our understandings. This is a director pulling a switch on a genre, not just a plot; something which is entirely more difficult to do and much more difficult to predict. If this is confirmed to be the film he's going out on, he's going out with a bang.
But it would be more of a whimper if the cast didn't bring their A-game, and they definitely do. Rooney Mara, already having garnered critical acclaim for her tough, raw performance in David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, is fantastic as Emily; the depressed wife of a con-man newly released from prison. In keeping with Soderbergh's sleight of hand, Mara is 100% believable as both the housewife in the throes of depression, sinking in a sea of anti-anxiety pills and anti-depressants, as well as her second act counterpart as a scheming mastermind. It's a fantastic performance, not as explosive or shocking as her 2011 role, but no less demanding. She has more emotion to work with here, more sides to her character, and she plays them all with utter conviction.
But as the film does an about face, so too does its leading character, jumping from Emily to her doctor, Jonathan Banks, played by Jude Law. Law has always proven to be an impressive actor but he hasn't had many chances to show it recently. Here, finally given a chance, he brings the talent which made him such a valuable commodity in the first place, moving from professional therapist to quivering wreck as he lands under the microscope of a massive investigation, then to seemingly paranoid conspiracy theorist and finally to satisfied victor. It's a performance which demands a huge range and Law displays just that, never failing to connect with the audience whether he's harassing Emily or desperately trying to convince his wife to stand by him. Catherine Zeta-Jones is all fire and energy in her small but important role and Channing Tatum shows his ever-increasing skill as Emily's ill-fated husband, but at the centre of the film are the two performances from Jude Law and Rooney Mara, and they both do a fantastic job.
But it really is Soderbergh's film. Though he's never onscreen, his presence is always felt, through either his understated, murky style of filming which walks some unseen line between realism and fairytale so deftly that he is able to jump between one or the other at will. Or through the ease with which he's able to change so quickly from devastating drama to paranoid thriller without tipping his hand. It's impressive work from someone who has always been a generator of impressive work and the movie scene will be that much poorer in his absence.
Julie B
Super Reviewer
April 1, 2013
Did not see that coming, which always impresses me. Cause I'm a good guesser.
Michael S
Super Reviewer
February 22, 2013
How often do we get films this good so early in the year? "Side Effects" is a great film, a new release that has all the class and confidence of a classic thriller. If this is to be Soderbergh's last film, it's also one of his best. Hitchcock would be proud.
axadntpron
Super Reviewer
March 11, 2013
It is a taut thriller. One whose direction elevates material that would have been better suited for a high-minded episode of NYPD Blue. I say high-minded because the first half of the film sets up a smart exploration of culpability in the pharmaceutical age. But unfortunately devolves into a revenge tale featuring as many twists and turns as the Cyclone.
Should Soderbergh decide that he isn't throwing in the towel, I hope that he can finally team up with an equally able writer and start producing the type of work that we all know he is capable of.
I was hoping for Soderbergh's "farewell film" to finally be the perfect marriage of style and substance that his previous film "Traffic" proved could be possible. Unfortunately, what we have instead is typical of his latest efforts.
It is a taut thriller. One whose direction elevates material that would have been better suited for a high-minded episode of NYPD Blue. I say high-minded because the first half of the film sets up a smart exploration of culpability in the pharmaceutical age. But unfortunately devolves into a revenge tale featuring as many twists and turns as the Cyclone.
Should Soderbergh decide that he isn't throwing in the towel, I hope that he can finally team up with an equally able writer and start producing the type of work that we all know he is capable of.
Liam G
Super Reviewer
August 4, 2012
A director making their last feature would usually pull out all the stops and give us something thrilling, gripping and using every opportunity they are given. Soderbergh does all of this, but in the most effortless and, dare I say it, Hitchcockian way possible. The performances are terrific, the characters are interesting and Jude Law's character in particular, is very easy to connect with. It's twisty, surprising and never lets go of your attention thanks to Burns' superb script and Soderbergh's excellent direction, including a few neat camera tricks. This is easily the best film of 2013 so far and a great send-off to Soderbergh's directing career.
366weirdmovies
Super Reviewer
March 8, 2013
A psychiatrist prescribes a cutting-edge antidepressant for a suicidal woman who has resisted other treatments. It works, except that she suffers a strange side effect; she now sleepwalks and doesn't remember anything she does during the blackout. Steven Soderbug's swan song lurches unsteadily from drama to medical/legal thriller while taking some passing swipes at the pharmaceutical industry, before finally settling down into a satisfying, noirish mystery.
c0up
Super Reviewer
March 2, 2013
The opening shot, panning and zooming in from the skyline into one of many high-rise apartments already had me head-over-hells. What followed was a crazy, twist-filled ride that bordered on absurd at times, but grounded by a solid ensemble cast, and an especially great Rooney Mara and Jude Law.
Scott Z. Burns' writing is way more daring than I expected, with the plot taking twist after twist and the some. What I really noticed early on was the realism of the dialogue.
Soderbergh can do no real wrong in my eyes, and maybe that's a side effect of unconditional love towards every other film he's made. Ok, maybe not 'Oceans 13'.
'Side Effects'. Rooney Mara is fantastic, and so is the camera movement, dialogue, plot and score. A fitting end, if so, Soderbergh.
The opening shot, panning and zooming in from the skyline into one of many high-rise apartments already had me head-over-hells. What followed was a crazy, twist-filled ride that bordered on absurd at times, but grounded by a solid ensemble cast, and an especially great Rooney Mara and Jude Law.
Scott Z. Burns' writing is way more daring than I expected, with the plot taking twist after twist and the some. What I really noticed early on was the realism of the dialogue.
Soderbergh can do no real wrong in my eyes, and maybe that's a side effect of unconditional love towards every other film he's made. Ok, maybe not 'Oceans 13'.
Bill D 2007
Super Reviewer
February 26, 2013
For reasons I won't explain, a terrible act of violence occurs. Then the question becomes who is responsible? How much responsibility do psychiatrists have over the actions of their patients when they are prescribing a cocktail of pharmaceuticals. Jude Law and a chilly, eerie Catherine Zeta-Jones play the psychiatrists.
But unfortunately in the last hour "Side Effects" devolves into a fairly predictable crime thriller with a dollop of lesbian soft-core porn. The film would have been far more interesting if it had pursued its original themes more completely. "Side Effects" is 50% a work of art and 50% a work of fairly cheap genre fiction.
Steven Soderbergh's "Side Effects" starts out as a provocative and haunting exploration of what I would call the pharmaceuticalization of America. Every little problem we have has a pharmaceutical solution. We watch as a young woman (Rooney Mara) goes from one drug to another, trying to combat her depression. Watching her personality change is disturbing.
For reasons I won't explain, a terrible act of violence occurs. Then the question becomes who is responsible? How much responsibility do psychiatrists have over the actions of their patients when they are prescribing a cocktail of pharmaceuticals. Jude Law and a chilly, eerie Catherine Zeta-Jones play the psychiatrists.
But unfortunately in the last hour "Side Effects" devolves into a fairly predictable crime thriller with a dollop of lesbian soft-core porn. The film would have been far more interesting if it had pursued its original themes more completely. "Side Effects" is 50% a work of art and 50% a work of fairly cheap genre fiction.
E.J. B
Super Reviewer
February 22, 2013
Soderbergh is one of the few remaining contemporary auteurs whose impressive resume consists of experimental films, mainstream blockbusters, and art-house masterpieces often shown in film schools. If Side Effects is his last film, then he's going out with a bang because this is a thriller that keeps the suspense high and the plots twists as unexpected as any of Alfred Hitchcock's best works. Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Channing Tatum are all excellent. Yes, Channing Tatum can act and he can act incredibly well.
Go see Side Effects. It is a first-rate mystery/thriller and a film that too often gets passed on by studios because there aren't enough explosions and car chases.
Movies like Side Effects quite simply don't get made often these days. And now that this is reportedly director Steven Soderbergh's final film before retirement, it is likely another one of this kind won't be made again.
Soderbergh is one of the few remaining contemporary auteurs whose impressive resume consists of experimental films, mainstream blockbusters, and art-house masterpieces often shown in film schools. If Side Effects is his last film, then he's going out with a bang because this is a thriller that keeps the suspense high and the plots twists as unexpected as any of Alfred Hitchcock's best works. Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Channing Tatum are all excellent. Yes, Channing Tatum can act and he can act incredibly well.
Go see Side Effects. It is a first-rate mystery/thriller and a film that too often gets passed on by studios because there aren't enough explosions and car chases.
Kase V
Super Reviewer
February 9, 2013
Steven Soderbergh's thriller 'Side Effects' is much more than meets the eye. The film's highest points come from its ability to be unpredictable and very well paced. It keeps you guessing as much as it keeps your eyes glued. Soderbergh's direction is as deft as ever, with a peculiar eye for color correction and lighting that gives an eerie atmosphere similar to that of 'Contagion's. Potent and provocative, Soderbergh's entrancing film is a joy for this part of the year and a solid exit for the versatile director...for the time being.
Markus Emilio Robinson
Super Reviewer
February 13, 2013
The Plot: Rooney Mara plays Emily, a well to do New Yorker who suffers from depression and anxiety. After her husband (played by Channing Tatum) and her psychiatrist (played by Jude Law) begin to show concerns for her well-being, Emily is put on a drug called Ablixa; a fairly new drug on the pharmaceutical market, but one which contains a nasty side effect. Now, there are more plot developments throughout this story (a bit too many if you ask me) which welcome different interpretations of the term "side effects", but like any Hitchcock film, it's not as if spoilers are going to nullify the brilliant filmmaking, but the less you know about "Side Effects" going in, the more suspenseful of a movie-going experience it will be.
Now, as I alluded to before, it is not until this film turns into a mystery movie, that things begin to sputter a bit. The main issues with which I am referring to center around the layers of contrivances which begin to accumulate the further and further into the story we get; until an ending, which may cause some audience's eyes to roll right out of their heads. In saying that, there are two things I came out of this film wholeheartedly knowing:
1.Steven Soderberg has now solidified himself as one of the most successfully versatile directors working today.
2.Soderberg's ability to elevate a plot that isn't the strongest into something of consistent entertainment, even when the script begins to fail him, proves that he, much like Spielberg, is one of the few GREAT DIRECTORS who can take a routine idea and make it a compelling watch.
The Acting: OK, so while Rooney Mara is the central focus of "Side Effects" for a good chunk of its first half, make no mistake about it, as far as performances are concerned, this is Jude Law's movie; as he gives maybe the best performance of his career. Not to say Mara's performance is bad, but it's definitely overshadowed. I'll put it this way: The first half is clearly Soderberg's film and the second half I would say belongs to Law (with maybe a little snippet near the end handed over to Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays the foil to Law's character). Therefore, Mara and Tatum's performances are humbled, essentially by default.
Final Thought: "Side Effects" falls somewhere in between "Magic Mike" and "Haywire" as far as my recommendation goes. Meaning, even though I would consider "Side Effects" as a second tier Soderberg production, a second tier Soderberg production is still more interesting to watch than most established director's award winning stuff.
Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland
Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
With an opening and closing shot reminiscent of Almodovar's "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" and a story which turns into something very Hitchcockian in nature, "Side Effects" is the latest and supposedly the final feature film from acclaimed director Steven Soderberg. So, is it any good? Well yes, "Side Effects" will be considered by most as a "good movie". The problem with that being, "Side Effects" starts off as a GREAT movie, and quickly settles into its "good movie" status. Allow me to explain: In a tale of two halves, what could have been another "Contagion", or in this case a cautionary/dystopian tale about the abuse of prescription medication, after minute 45 is turned by writer Scott Z. Burns (who actually wrote "Contagion") into something of a routine psychological thriller, predicated on a seemingly forced mystery style outline.
The Plot: Rooney Mara plays Emily, a well to do New Yorker who suffers from depression and anxiety. After her husband (played by Channing Tatum) and her psychiatrist (played by Jude Law) begin to show concerns for her well-being, Emily is put on a drug called Ablixa; a fairly new drug on the pharmaceutical market, but one which contains a nasty side effect. Now, there are more plot developments throughout this story (a bit too many if you ask me) which welcome different interpretations of the term "side effects", but like any Hitchcock film, it's not as if spoilers are going to nullify the brilliant filmmaking, but the less you know about "Side Effects" going in, the more suspenseful of a movie-going experience it will be.
Now, as I alluded to before, it is not until this film turns into a mystery movie, that things begin to sputter a bit. The main issues with which I am referring to center around the layers of contrivances which begin to accumulate the further and further into the story we get; until an ending, which may cause some audience's eyes to roll right out of their heads. In saying that, there are two things I came out of this film wholeheartedly knowing:
1.Steven Soderberg has now solidified himself as one of the most successfully versatile directors working today.
2.Soderberg's ability to elevate a plot that isn't the strongest into something of consistent entertainment, even when the script begins to fail him, proves that he, much like Spielberg, is one of the few GREAT DIRECTORS who can take a routine idea and make it a compelling watch.
The Acting: OK, so while Rooney Mara is the central focus of "Side Effects" for a good chunk of its first half, make no mistake about it, as far as performances are concerned, this is Jude Law's movie; as he gives maybe the best performance of his career. Not to say Mara's performance is bad, but it's definitely overshadowed. I'll put it this way: The first half is clearly Soderberg's film and the second half I would say belongs to Law (with maybe a little snippet near the end handed over to Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays the foil to Law's character). Therefore, Mara and Tatum's performances are humbled, essentially by default.
Final Thought: "Side Effects" falls somewhere in between "Magic Mike" and "Haywire" as far as my recommendation goes. Meaning, even though I would consider "Side Effects" as a second tier Soderberg production, a second tier Soderberg production is still more interesting to watch than most established director's award winning stuff.
Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland
Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
boxman
Super Reviewer
February 12, 2013
Nate's Grade: B
Steven Soderbergh's supposed last stop before retirement is another if his genre exercises, but Side Effects feels like a firmer success, albeit modest, for the director to go out on. It's the story of a woman battling depression, played with terrific cageyness by Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). She gets prescribed a new drug and... does some very bad things. Who is culpable? The doctor, being funded by the drug companies? The woman who was sleepwalking at the time? The industry for blanketing patients with ads to demand their drug? After a rather slow start, the movie gets interesting and starts to try out different genres. It appears for a good while we're now going to be following her doctor (Jude Law) and his downfall as the industry turns on him and the media coverage intensifies. Written by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion), the movie has that same enticing sense of realism about how all the moving parts of a complicated industry would come into sync and conflict. Then the film tries out another identity, that of traditional thriller, with wronged parties orchestrating vengeance. I was invested until the end and felt sufficiently satisfied with the end results. Soderbergh's smooth camerawork and cool color palate are well suited for a film about the battles of depression, and for a good while, before the thriller aspects take over, the movie is a fairly mature look at the struggles of depression and the industry that profits off it. Side Effects doesn't seem like a closing statement for an artist as varied and unpredictable as Soderbergh, but as far as a Saturday afternoon goes, it'll sure pass the time nicely.
Nate's Grade: B
Kristijonas F
Super Reviewer
February 10, 2013
Another expertly filmed entry for veteran director Steven Soderbergh. Side Effects is elegantly rendered with crisp camera work and artistic, shallow depth of field effects. The musical score is just as vital as the visuals, relentlessly haunting the proceedings, looming over the set-pieces like a dreary "fog bank." The performances from all the leads (including Tatum) are convincing and realistic, but it's Jude Law and Rooney Mara that bring home the gold in terms of bravura acting. Most importantly, though, is the story line. And boy is it a twisty, shocking, and head scratching ride. Bravo.
JonathanHutchings
Super Reviewer
February 10, 2013
As with most Soderbergh films, Side Effects is expertly directed and compositionally compelling. It's really the tale of two films: a probing look at the proliferation of the pharmaceutical industry, a critique of how our country deals with depression, etc., and a neo-noir thriller with 90s sexual politics (evil, scheming lesbians!) and double and triple crosses that really stretch the limits of plausibility. If you're willing to go along for the ride, the film is generally worth it, but by the third act, you'll have to be willing to buy some flimsy plot points.
Tired of Previews
Super Reviewer
February 9, 2013
High hopes are usually made when anyone announces they are retiring especially when you know the person is too young, extremely talented, and many of their past films fill your favorite's lists. It's rather sad to think there will no longer be any more hours of enjoyment from the director of Out of Sight, Traffic, Eric Brockovich, and Ocean's 11 to name just a few of his well-beloved and critically acclaimed films. Also, just look up his resume, his hand was into everything from producing, writing, cinematography, editor, actor...etc...This filmmaker was so prolific, successful and filled with a talent that is so rare. It is then completely understandable the want/need to let a not-so-great story pass as a good one.
However, with all that said, Side Effects started off very well with a story-line that was fresh and extremely intriguing. Emily (Rooney Mara) is married to Martin (Channing Tatum) who has been in prison for four years for a white collar crime. They went from very wealthy to losing everything due to the husband's crime. Nonetheless, the couple remained faithfully in love. On the flip side, Emily suffered from depression and sought professional help from a psychiatrist (Catherine Zeta-Jones) with therapy sessions and medications during her husband's incarceration.
We start off the film following the couple trying to rebuild their lives. Unfortunately, Emily's depression is exasperated when her husband is finally released and each day it appears to worsen until she apparently can't take it anymore. Once again, Emily receives help from a new doctor (Jude Law). He, too, speaks with her in sessions and prescribes anti-depressants whose side effects are too cumbersome on her body and mind. This part of the film was thoroughly entertaining.
Then the so-called "twist" came after a tragedy happened apparently spurred on because of the latest medication Emily took. The side effects of the new meds were great for Emily, at first; but it also had terrible ones as well. Side Effects showed the aftermath of the tragedy, who was affected and who garnered the blame for it. Again, the story was totally gripping at this point.
Then the story began to lose its freshness. The rest of the film was bland, unoriginal and a cop-out. Since this is a thriller I won't go into any details. Plus, many will still probably enjoy Side Effects and all the duplicity that tries but fails (in my opinion) to keep the audience in the dark till the very end. Again, that may be due to the aforementioned swan song ethos.
Rooney Mara's performance was extremely believable as was Jude Law's. The other two main characters were weak but acceptable (Channing Tatum and Catherine Zeta-Jones). Perhaps the level of focal points left on Emily and Dr. Banks' (Jude Law) plot-line did not allow the other's to step forward. However, the reason for the smoke and mirror façade of most thrillers is to force your eye to go elsewhere, anywhere other than the truth. For the first half of the film that was communicated very well thanks to the actors' abilities (and the director's). The second half, however, was too familiar of a story-line and any "tricks" used were lame or lazy. Disappointment soon became the best word to describe the film, sadly.
There are enough redeeming details in Side Effects to make it worthy of viewing. Just don't expect this to be the best Soderbergh film of his career.
Review: 6 out of 10
Side-note: I would the first half a 9 out of 10 but the second half paled in comparison.
Question: Do you think we give a director a pass if the film happens to be their swan song but know it's not as great as the critics are claiming? How many say yes? Or do you disagree? Personally, I feel that with Steven Soderbergh's film, Side Effects, that is probably what's happening with all the recent praise for his final film.
High hopes are usually made when anyone announces they are retiring especially when you know the person is too young, extremely talented, and many of their past films fill your favorite's lists. It's rather sad to think there will no longer be any more hours of enjoyment from the director of Out of Sight, Traffic, Eric Brockovich, and Ocean's 11 to name just a few of his well-beloved and critically acclaimed films. Also, just look up his resume, his hand was into everything from producing, writing, cinematography, editor, actor...etc...This filmmaker was so prolific, successful and filled with a talent that is so rare. It is then completely understandable the want/need to let a not-so-great story pass as a good one.
However, with all that said, Side Effects started off very well with a story-line that was fresh and extremely intriguing. Emily (Rooney Mara) is married to Martin (Channing Tatum) who has been in prison for four years for a white collar crime. They went from very wealthy to losing everything due to the husband's crime. Nonetheless, the couple remained faithfully in love. On the flip side, Emily suffered from depression and sought professional help from a psychiatrist (Catherine Zeta-Jones) with therapy sessions and medications during her husband's incarceration.
We start off the film following the couple trying to rebuild their lives. Unfortunately, Emily's depression is exasperated when her husband is finally released and each day it appears to worsen until she apparently can't take it anymore. Once again, Emily receives help from a new doctor (Jude Law). He, too, speaks with her in sessions and prescribes anti-depressants whose side effects are too cumbersome on her body and mind. This part of the film was thoroughly entertaining.
Then the so-called "twist" came after a tragedy happened apparently spurred on because of the latest medication Emily took. The side effects of the new meds were great for Emily, at first; but it also had terrible ones as well. Side Effects showed the aftermath of the tragedy, who was affected and who garnered the blame for it. Again, the story was totally gripping at this point.
Then the story began to lose its freshness. The rest of the film was bland, unoriginal and a cop-out. Since this is a thriller I won't go into any details. Plus, many will still probably enjoy Side Effects and all the duplicity that tries but fails (in my opinion) to keep the audience in the dark till the very end. Again, that may be due to the aforementioned swan song ethos.
Rooney Mara's performance was extremely believable as was Jude Law's. The other two main characters were weak but acceptable (Channing Tatum and Catherine Zeta-Jones). Perhaps the level of focal points left on Emily and Dr. Banks' (Jude Law) plot-line did not allow the other's to step forward. However, the reason for the smoke and mirror façade of most thrillers is to force your eye to go elsewhere, anywhere other than the truth. For the first half of the film that was communicated very well thanks to the actors' abilities (and the director's). The second half, however, was too familiar of a story-line and any "tricks" used were lame or lazy. Disappointment soon became the best word to describe the film, sadly.
There are enough redeeming details in Side Effects to make it worthy of viewing. Just don't expect this to be the best Soderbergh film of his career.
Review: 6 out of 10
Side-note: I would the first half a 9 out of 10 but the second half paled in comparison.
