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    Side Effects

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    "Side Effects" is a terrific thriller. As the story morphs from one tense situation to another, it continually keeps you guessing. It’s a bunch of little twists throughout that make the film as earth-shattering as it is, so I say go in knowing the least amount possible for maximum effect.

    After Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara) welcomes her husband Martin (Channing Tatum) back into their home when he is released from his four-year prison sentence for insider trading, she should be happier than she has been in years. Unfortunately the time spent worrying and scraping by have finally gotten to her and now that she can finally relax, she finds that she desperately needs help. As her assigned psychiatrist, Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) decides to prescribe a new drug to Emily, Ablixa. The drug company is testing the product meaning she’ll get the drug for free and he’ll get a big bonus. What could go wrong?

    Watching “Side Effects” is like sitting down in a bumper car with your eyes blinded. Just as you think you’re ready for a hit from one direction because you’ve gotten used to the noise… you’ll get sidelined from another direction entirely. There are a lot of things going on in this film (some of which are surprises that will not be mentioned in this review) and there is a lot to look forward to. The film begins as a very well acted drama about depression, the frustration and feelings of helplessness it brings to the people affected by it and the people who care for them. Then it turns into something else when the titular side effects kick in. We have an A-list cast and director Steven Soderbergh uses them to their full potential, sometimes in unexpected ways. While I thought everyone did a superb job, Rooney Mara, who is quickly becoming one of my new favourite actresses ever since she appeared in the American take of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (I’ll have to rewatch the remake of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” to see how she did in that one) stands out as particularly strong.

    What I like about the film is how realistic it is as a thriller. A large chunk of the picture is dedicated to giving us an insider's view on how prescription drugs and the politics surrounding them manipulate and bribe their way into potential patient's hands. It seems downright criminal that a representative from the drug companies can so easily influence doctors into prescribing their experimental new drugs. Sure most doctors are simply after getting their patients the best deal possible, but what if just a tenth of them decide to forego “the best decision” in favour of the lucrative deals they can get from the drug companies, or if their patients manage to bully/pressure them into the flashy world of prescription drugs? Everyone knows that there are risks involved but it feels like a casino game; while you're on a roll you don't even think of the possibility that something could go wrong and you could lose it all in a second. Then we get to the titular side effects and it becomes a genuinely frightening movie. You see what's going on with the insane mood swings, the weird behaviour and the changes that happen and you really think to yourself "is this the best solution we can come up with? " That’s when it came back to me, all of those drug commercials with the endless list of possible consequences. It all begins to spiral out of control… and all of this is within the first third of the movie.

    I’ve heard of January and February being dubbed the dumping ground of the movie industry. All the big Oscar films are out in the theatres so if your studio has a bad movie and you have to release it, just toss it at the first two months of the year. A lousy film is not worth wasting a good week on. Seeing “Side Effects” made me reconsider. This thriller is much too good to be released this early in the year. Not only because it shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle, but also because it should have come out a couple of months ago. I think it’s strong enough to compete with some of the Oscar contenders. Oh yeah, I’m going there. I absolutely loved this film.

    This sharp thriller will continuously keep you guessing and make you think. It’s all very frightening, but delightfully so. Although the story is fictional, some parts seem like they ring so truthful that they have to be inspired by some deal with the devil that went so sour that it got covered up or something. You better not walk into this feeling tired or thinking you can check your phone because “Side Effects” demands your full attention. It's well shot, very well acted, smartly written and full of unexpected revelations. The only problem with the movie is that it tackles so much you'll wish the movie was several times longer so it could slowly take you through everything you could ever want to know about the subjects explored (and there are quite a few) “Side Effects” keeps evolving before your eyes and you'll be excited to see what comes next. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 26, 2013)

    10
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    adamwatchesmovies@  16.11.2015 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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