Monday, October 14, 2013

Movie Review ... Side Effects

 

 

side effects posterSteven Soderbergh has always been an interesting director.  Gaining fame from films like the ‘Ocean’s 11’ series and ‘Traffic’, his works have been accessible whilst maintaining independent film-making sensibility.  His cross-over into mainstream productions has been a success with his latest just as engaging.  ‘Side Effects’ marks one of his last movies before his self-imposed retirement.  Like many with genuine talent, cinema may be about to lose his great skills but his catalogue of movies will always endure.

After her husband Martin (Channing Tatum) is released from prison, Emily (Rooney Mara) attempts suicide.  Concerned for her state of mind, she is sent to a hospital under the care of psychiatrist Jonathan (Jude Law).  Consulting with her previous psychiatrist Victoria (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Jonathan recommends Emily to take a new experimental drug. Emily’s life apparently returns to normal.  Little does anyone know of the drug’s consequences with everyone’s lives taking unexpected turns.

Initially an examination of the effects of heavily sold drugs to becoming a thriller, ‘Side Effects’ somewhat suffers from this shift in tone.  Although the mystery aspect is fairly engrossing, it takes away from the realism of the early scenes.  You are drawn into Emily and Jonathan’s plight as they attempt to craft a cure.  What transpires and society’s compulsion to shift blame is effectively handled.  Suddenly these are thrown away for a more conventional yarn with one too many improbable twists.

Maybe Soderbergh wanted to emulate Alfred Hitchcock’s films in terms of style.  It doesn’t particularly work due to the performances being too low-key.  Law and Mara are fine although both lack the passion needed for their roles.  Zeta-Jones gives a very over the top performance highlighting ‘Side Effects’ unevenness.  Thomas Newman’s score is effective adding much to the prevailing sinister atmosphere.

‘Side Effects’ is a strange concoction infrequently coming to life.  This isn’t the sort of cinematic epitaph a director would want. Hopefully his upcoming final few films will restore the balance onto the good side of the directorial ledger.

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Movie Review Rating out of 10:  6

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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