Side Effects is a perfect psychological thriller. With an all-star cast–Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones—and an ace director, Steven Soderbergh, this film has all the right ingredients to make a captivating film.
Mara plays Emily Taylor, a young girl coping with the return of her husband, Martin, played by Channing Tatum, from a stint in jail for insider trading. Her emotional distress causes her to see a psychiatrist played by Jude Law. He prescribes a new drug for her, which has unfortunate side effects. Mara, known for her hard, almost vigilante performance in ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, is tender and emotionally charged in ‘Side Effects.’ Her troubles make her a walking time bomb, with desperate emotional lows and unpredictable behaviors.
Law is a dedicated psychiatrist, whose practice is in jeopardy and scrutinized by fellow doctors and even the media when Emily’s side effects cause people to question the motivations of psychiatrists and pharmaceutical companies. Law is intense in this film, fighting tooth and nail to save his career and prove to his colleagues and family that he is an honest doctor.
This film has a great twist, as all good psychological thrillers do. And you won’t see it coming! Much cannot be said in order to keep the twist a secret, but it’s a brilliant shocker. This is a great film with a storyline that takes many turns and keeps you guessing the entire way.
