SIDE EFFECTS

US, 2012, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta- Jones, Channing Tatum, Ann Dowd.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Allegedly, Steven Soderbergh’s last film for the screen. He has been a most versatile director in terms of genres and variety of content. This one is an entertainment. It is a psychological crime thriller with some interesting developing twists.

But there is also a campaigning or crusading emphasis, with memories of his plague thriller of 2011, Contagion. The side-effects here (which play a crucial role in the murder), are those of drugs. The early part of the film bombards the audience with so many drug names, specialized artificial names, marketing and promotion of benefits, with little said of side-effects, that we are bamboozled at hearing about them, about frequent prescriptions and the American capacity of pill-popping.

Rooney Mara (Oscar nomination for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), is given a very strong role here. It should enhance her career. She has to go through a wide range of emotions and carries it all off convincingly. She is Emily, married to Martin, Channing Tatum (something of a regular in Soderbergh’s recent films), who was released from four years jail for insider trading. He is charming. She is depressed and has been having treatment from Doctor Siebert (a controlled Catherine Zeta-Jones), but, after a crash, is in the care of Dr. Jon Banks, Jude Law giving of reliable performance. He treats Emily but finds himself caught up in her case, subject to slander, hounded by the media and losing marriage, job and reputation.

He is determined to clear his name from blame for his prescriptions and Emily’s behavior. Step by step, he does, becoming something of a detective along the way, its all culminating in justice being eventually done.

This review has been careful not to reveal the core plot developments. Much more enjoyable and intriguing if you don’t know what is going to happen.

1. The title and expectations? Medical issues? Prescriptions? Transition to a crime thriller? A thriller about people in professional situations with responsibilities?

2. Steven Soderbergh and his range of films, the wide range of genres? Crime? Crusade? Medications? A detective story? Conspiracy story?

3. New York settings, homes, apartments, offices, police precincts? The city landscapes? The musical score?

4. The opening, the blood tracks on the floor, the transition to three months earlier? The lead up to the killing, the shock for the audience? The case, the treatment, investigation?

5. Emily going to the jail to see her husband, Martin, his release the next day, Emily there with Martin’s mother? Martin as loving and agreeable? The talk, the hopes, the sexual encounter, her depression, reluctantly going to the social, upset, meeting friends, weeping, Martin taking her home? In retrospect the set-up for the crime?

6. Martin and Emily and their meeting, falling in love, the memories, romantic, the arrest at his home, the effect on him, on her? Alteriing all her hopes? The crash, Dr. Banks, the therapy sessions? The range of tablets? Her sleep-walking, discovered in the kitchen? Her sleep-walking and killing Martin?

7. John, going to the hospital, his believing Emily, talking with her, taking her on as a patient, the visits, the pills and the side-effects, her need for sleep, her urgently wanting to talk with him when he was with his wife, the later sitting on the sofa, the doctored photos? John, his British training and background, practice, his partners, involved in research investigations, being paid, his wife needing a job, his son and the private school?

8. Victoria and John consulting her, the discussions about Emily, information given, information not given, not considered relevant? In retrospect Victoria hiding it? At the conference, the talking, giving her the Ablixa pen John’s later realization about Victoria, in her information, the pen?

9. The police, at the apartment, and Emily’s response? The DA and his associates, wary of the medical and insanity pleas? John as a psychologist, helping with investigations, as an expert? The defense, the investigator and Martin’s mother hiring her? The plans, the plea, agreement, Emily going to Ward Island, John’s visits, treatment, her response? The possibility of her getting out? The initial support from Martin’s mother?

10. The accusations about Alison Finney, John explaining everything to Deidre, Allison as a stalker, fabricating stories? Officials phoning him? Victoria sending the photos of John with Emily, Deidre not believing him, leaving?

11. The discussions with his partners, their being in court, their not wanting to be associated with him, the media and reputation, the hard-hearted getting rid of him?

12. John, the beginning of the hunches, the issue of insider trading, getting the evidence of ups and downs in the markets, fortunes to be made? His suspecting Victoria and Emily? The lie detector test, using saline solution, Emily acting as if she really had the drug? The DA not accepting this, the dilemma of using it or being exposed? John contacting Victoria, her reactions? Plans?

13. John and Victoria, hard bargaining, her blackmailing him with the photos, the truth, her being willing to pay, John and set up with Victoria, meeting her outside Emily’s window, the seeming friendliness, acrimony as the truth? Emily trusting him? John fostering it? Limiting her contacts, phone calls? her tantrum that the phone?

14. Emily and her setting up Victoria, the truth about the affair, the plan for the money, the tape, trapping Victoria? Her arrest? Emily, John’s visits, talking with John, coming to his office, the explanations, the flashbacks about her life, learning all the symptoms, the drugs, not taking them, being ready for the murder? The tape? Her arrest?

15. The deal, going to prison, or going to Ward Island and being actually sedated? Seeing her sedated and zombie-like? Justice done?

16. The happy ending, the solution of the crime, the satisfying twists, the medical questions about pills and tablets, promotion, side effects, the police work?

17. The happy ending for John, picking up the boy, reconciliation with his wife? Reputation restored?