Side Effects initially lulls you into thinking that the movie is about abuses in the pharmaceutical industry (which it is indirectly), but director Steven Soderbergh has bigger fish to fry. With the help of Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum, and Jude Law Soderbergh creates a twisty-turny psychological thrill-ride where nothing is what it seems. Side Effects reminds me of another Steven Soderbergh film, Out of Sight (which started George Cooney and Jennifer Lopez). Side Effects surprised me several times. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the movie plot morphed again. If you’re up for a complex movie with solid performances, try Side Effects. GRADE: A-
We almost went to see this on Friday but caught up in other things and never got there.
SIDE EFFECTS is the trickiest movie now in the theaters, Jeff. Well worth watching!
SPOILER ALERT-SPOILER ALERT
Didn’t you find it unbelievable that they would put the doctor who had prescribed a drug that sent her into a psychotic rage in charge of her case in the psychiatric hospital. I could never get past that.
Yes, Patti, there are some flaws in the scheme and you pointed out one of them. But, still, I enjoyed all the performances especially Rooney Mara’s and Jude Law’s.
Well, we saw it today and I was very pleasantly surprised. Yes, Patti’s objection is a valid one but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the movie. Of course, recognizing all the New York settings always enhances a movie for me too.
Jeff, glad you and Jackie enjoyed SIDE EFFECTS. It held my attention all the way through.
Snap! Glad you liked this one too – I suspect I was a bit less up on this one because I would have preferred a bit more about Big Pharma, but one shoudln;t complain about what isn’t there when what is is so good.
The bit that for me sticks out in a really bad way is the scene with the two women at the end, which is just such a dull cliche – suddenly felt like it was a movie from at least two decades ago!
I was struck by Jude Law’s character, Sergio. First, he seemed like a pawn in the game, but suddenly he figured things out and got the upper hand. A striking reversal!