Side Effects

Rooney Mara, showing off a resemblance to her sister Kate.

Side Effects starts off ominously, with a lot of blood and subsequent ‘Three Months Earlier’ title card, and soon settles into being a compassionate look at a depressed woman (Rooney Mara). Her husband (Channing Tatum) is just getting out of jail, but her depression is returning, and after an incident she starts seeing a doctor (Jude Law) for her problems. In amongst a sympathetic boss and friends commiserating and sharing their own experiences with Effexor and Zoloft, a new drug on the market, Ablixa, starts being mentioned, and though it doesn’t come without side effects, she starts taking it.

The best thing about the movie, other than the performances, is that it starts out one kind of story, and then it shifts, ever so subtly. It doesn’t make the film conducive to reviewing, but does make for a highly engaging and interesting film. Soderbergh sets up his worlds so well that when things change it has even more impact. It would be a massive shame if he did in fact follow through on his planned retirement, but Side Effects is an effective note to go out on.