A Brief Comment on "Side Effects"

If it weren't for the name "Steven Soderbergh", halfway through the film, I would have basically assumed that Side Effects was a film about a "doctor-patient dispute" or a "drug scandal." But it is difficult to associate a director who is good at directing group dramas and filming the "Arhat series" with such a serious subject matter, so when the second half of the suspenseful and thrilling part surfaced, I finally felt in my heart. Secretly: That's right.

This kind of plot arrangement has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it can create a dramatic effect of the peaks, and it is both reasonable and unexpected, and there will be no sense of disobedience. However, the disadvantages are also obvious. The turn is concentrated in half of the film, which is a little rushed in time, including the narration of the previous situation and the process of "solving the case" by Dr. Banks, which are rather sloppy, giving people a feeling of unfinished business.

Compared to the usual Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rooney Mara in this film is definitely a bright spot. My previous impression of her has always been on the punk girl in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", and I haven't caught a cold yet. But in "Side Effects", Rooney Mara shows a fresh and lovely side, and she has a good grasp of the role, especially in the "depression" state, the half-dream, half-awake, and hazy scenes are very exciting.

Finally, let's talk about a digression. Although "depression" is not the theme of the film, as the fuse of the story, Soderbergh has hit the hot spot of the times. With the accelerating pace of life in modern society, the incidence of depression is increasing year by year. The highly busy and stressful environment is the breeding ground for this disease. It is expected to become the second largest after heart disease by 2020. A major disease, it can be called the killer of human beings in the 21st century. More importantly, it also brings about another major syndrome - drug dependence. Depression itself is a type of psychological disorder, so it is more likely to develop dependence on psychotropic drugs, not only physically but also psychologically, especially the latter can easily lead to drug addiction and even loss of reason. In this film, the director shows the impetuous depression of modern life in many places. Although "depression" is an excuse for Emily to murder her husband, it is actually one of the culprits of this incident.

View more about Side Effects reviews