Side Effects of a Poisonous Fog

2013 Steven Soderbergh film Side Effects.

As always a trailer:


At the beginning this movie would seem to be a study of people suffering from an ailment that is prevalent in our society. It is about how overpowering that ailment can be, how others treat those afflicted, and how it is treated. If it were nothing more than that it would have been an interesting film. This is more though, and while it wasn't bad it is definitely something we have seen many times before.

That is the thing that threw me off about this film. A little before the half way point the movie took a turn and a second plot was inserted. That second plot was tired, and I could predict every move of it. It was an interesting cast choice to have Channing Tatum in the role he played. This is the second movie I've seen him in this year where his character's story arc took a sudden unexpected turn.

Emily is married to Martin. Martin was in investment banking, made millions at a young age, and swept Emily off her feet. Then Martin was arrested for insider trading and everything was taken away. The film begins 5 years later, when Martin is released from prison. We quickly find out that Emily is depressed. She attempts suicide. She fails. Enter Dr. Banks. He becomes Emily's psychiatrist. He puts her through sessions and several medications. None of it seems to help. He consults Emily's previous therapist Dr. Siebert. We find out that Emily once miscarried. Dr. Siebert recommends a new drug, Ablixa, saying that sometimes patients feel more confident when they are taking a drug they've seen on TV.

All through this process I was very interested. We see Emily's difficulty dealing with those around her. We see her distorted image of herself. We see the reactions of those around her as she struggles. We even see a little into the world of the therapist and their relationship to the pharmaceutical companies. We get an anecdote or two on a world that relies on the magic pill to make things easier.

I won't say more about the plot, because to do so would be to ruin the "surprise". I will just say this: If you have seen two murder mystery movies in your lifetime, then you have seen the closing half of this movie at least once.

I thought the acting was good all around. I thought Jude Law did a great job. Catherine Zeta-Jones played her part well, but I have a gripe with how her character was written. Once Dr. Siebert's motivations are unveiled her actions make her too blunt an instrument to fulfill her part within the plot.

The movie opened with a long slow crane shot zooming in that felt Hitchcockian. Start at 1:55.


Overall I give it *** 3 stars. Psycho (the original, not that Gus Van Sant abortion) gets ***** 5.