Side Effects (2013)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Story: Scott J. Burns

Cast: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Music: Thomas Newman

Time: 106 minutes

Bottom-line: Smartly written, and superbly acted

Steven Soderbergh’s psychological thriller film is, sadly, one of his most underrated and unrecognised films. While it may not have big stars or an action-packed script, Side Effects is a quiet, smart thriller with enough twists to keep your pulse racing at all times.

 

Law as Dr. Banks

Martin Taylor (Tatum) has just completed a four-year prison sentence for insider trading. His wife is Emily (Mara), who has been severely depressed in his absence, and is under medication for the same. Despite her attempts to bring back the romance in the relationship, she doesn’t get any better. When she drives her car into a wall in a suicide attempt, she is assigned a psychiatrist: Dr. Jonathan Banks (Law), who prescribes her a set of antidepressants but none of them seem to work. Banks visits Emily’s previous psychiatrist, Dr. Victoria Siebert (Zeta-Jones), who suggests a new experimental drug. This works, but Emily has sleepwalking as a side effect. When Emily stabs Martin to death in one of her sleepwalking episodes, who is to blame? Is she insane? Is it the new drug? Is it negligence from Dr. Banks? Or is it all a conspiracy?

 

Mara as Emily

The first thing I liked about the film is how clean the story is. In a plot involving a lot of characters, a lot of complicated incidents, the sequence of events is neat. It unfurls like a proper mystery thriller, with the build-up, the high point, the investigation and the climax. From the time of the murder to the last scene, there are startling twists around every corner. In a tale full of manipulative schemes, I like the way the film focuses only on the battle of wits without bringing in any needless violence or stunts.

 

Zeta-Jones as Dr. Siebert 

Rooney Mara’s performance as the disturbed and depressed patient is the best of the lot. As we learn more about the true nature of her character, the more we appreciate the way she portrays all the different emotions and disguised traits. Jude Law’s determined and intelligent character brings a lot of energy to the screen. Zeta-Jones, with her diabolical behaviour and equivocal statements, is by far the shadiest character in the film. The acting, overall, is so good that you will never find out who is the “white” character and who the “grey” one is.

 

Tatum as Martin

There is not a single dull moment in the film. Few scenes give the viewers hints to guess what’s happening, as we uncover the mystery along with Dr. Banks. The script is so crisp and the way the psychological games are played is brilliant. Just when you think Siebert has the upper hand, Banks pulls something unexpected to get even with her. The acting is top notch, the cinematography and score are effective, and I fail to see why this film isn’t given the praise it deserves. One of the best thrillers in recent times, I strongly recommend this film.

My Rating: 4/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 83%