Side Effects: Medicated Murder

The trailer and subsequent promotions for Side Effects were very confusing. The actors all appeared on various late-night talk shows and said the movie was a thriller with twists and turns so they couldn't discuss it in detail for fear of giving the plot away. It appeared to be some sort of movie about mental illness and medications, but then suddenly there was blood and a murder and it wasn't clear what direction everything was headed. But now that I've seen the movie, I can only maintain the veil of secrecy and exhort you to watch this gripping tale unfold for yourself.

The basic facts are these: Rooney Mara plays Emily Taylor, whose husband, Martin (Channing Tatum), has just been released from a four-year prison term for insider trading. Emily struggled with depression during her husband's arrest and conviction, but even after he returns home, she finds herself sliding into suicidality. After an "incident," she starts seeing Dr. Banks (Jude Law), a knowledgeable and compassionate psychiatrist, who treats her with antidepressants. It takes some time to find the right drug for her, and he eventually starts her on a brand new drug called Ablixa. This wonder drug helps enormously, but it has a side effect that results in an unforeseen tragedy. Banks spends the rest of the taut thriller investigating what happened, talking to Emily's former therapist, Dr. Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and dealing with the fallout as everyone heaps blame on his prescription-happy practice.

Side Effects has many layers, which are slowly peeled away until you get to the shocking revelation at the heart of the story. It offers commentary on big pharma and doctors who are wined and dined by pharmaceutical reps in order to push drugs onto willing patients. It takes a look at mental illness and its many manifestations in everyday lives. But most importantly, it is a Hitchcockian thriller, with the classic "wronged man" figure of Dr. Banks trying to unravel an intricate web of deceit and clear his name.

The genius of Side Effects is that its conclusion makes you rethink all the objections and arguments you come up with as you watch the movie. It ties itself into knots and miraculously comes loose at the end, offering up a genuinely satisfying and surprising viewing experience. It's a masterful movie, with pitch-perfect performances from its actors and compelling direction by Steven Soderbergh, who said this would be his last film. Let's hope he decides to come out of retirement, because we need more movies like this one.