Review - Side Effects

At the Theater - "Side Effects" -  What begins as a commentary on the current state of the labyrinthine pharmaceutical machine switches gears to become an intelligent murder mystery with a few elements of thriller sprinkled about- Hitchcock would have been proud of Director Steven Soderbergh's (Out Of Sight, Magic Mike, Haywire, The Limey) last film before an indefinite hiatus to pursue "other interests."  Expect a lengthy, detailed setup filled with cold but beautiful cinematography heavy with stylishly angular shots.  The cast is very good across the board with Rooney Mara and Jude Law most impressive.

Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo 2011) is the mentally troubled wife who is placed under the care of Jude Law's psychiatrist after an unsuccessful suicide attempt- a few trials of assorted prescriptions later finds a dynamic change in her demeanor and all appears well until some pesky sleep-walking side effects results in a murder.  Law is left "holding the bag" and wondering what went wrong for a spell before slowly putting the pieces of an intricate scenario together.  The devil's in the details, so pay close attention to the first hour to maximize your enjoyment with the last act- it's a complex conclusion that thankfully never reaches ridiculous contrivance.

Mara continues to shine as one of Hollywood's most promising twenty-something talents- it's a layered turn that should have been complimented with an all-out "unleashing".  I keep hoping fans will get to see her reprise the role as "Lisbeth Salander"...

Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes) is as professional and as spot-on as ever as the shrink turned sleuth- it's a perfect role for an actor I've always thought was highly underrated.  I feel like he's this generation's equivalent of Michael Caine (and I'm a huge fan of Caine).

Channing Tatum (Magic Mike) plays Mara's husband and recently released ex-con who spent a four year stretch in prison for insider trading. It's solid work, though his fans will be probably be disappointed with his level of involvement.  Catherine Zeta Jones (The Mask Of Zorro) is Mara's former psychiatrist who makes a handful of important appearances throughout.  Vinessa Shaw (3:10 To Yuma) rounds out the notable cast as Jude Law's skeptical wife.

Although I truly enjoyed the film, I must admit to being slightly disappointed with a tepid ending.  A little bit of work and an injection of pizzazz into the matter may have resulted in a highly memorable classic in the Mystery genre.  As is, it's an acceptably entertaining and smarter than most entry that should please those looking for a well-written and directed "who done it?" featuring a couple of commendable lead performances.

Recommended
  
8.0 out of 10