Film Review: Side Effects

Steven Soderbergh’s psychological thriller Side Effects is finely executed. The film is absorbing viewing.

Emily Taylor is a young woman living in New York. With her husband being released from prison, Emily is struggling to cope. She is prescribed medication by her psychiatrist, but the pills start to have unwanted side effects…

Released in cinemas before the majestic Behind the Candelabra, Side Effects shows a return to form for director Steven Soderbergh after the lacklustre Haywire and Magic Mike. Side Effects is absorbing, and keeps viewers on their toes.

Soderbergh’s film features a great narrative. Scott Z. Burns’ screenplay retains a sense of mystery. The film continually keeps the audience guessing as to which way the story will turn.

In the first thirty minutes or so, it seems as if the film will be something of a satire on the pharmaceutical industry. However as Side Effects develops, the emphasis shifts further on the story and the psychological element. The film still conveys the same message that seems to be set out in the first half of the film, but with a much meatier plot.

Pacing in the film is good. The characters are well developed, and seem authentic. Pyschiatrist Dr Jonathan Banks is particularly interesting. He functions as a multi-dimensional character in his own right, and not just a conduit for the audience to view proceedings.

The cinematography is great in Side Effects. The sense of ambiguity in the narrative is replicated in the choice of unusual angles. There is a feeling of the uncanny which permeates the film. The flashback sequences have a nice hazy quality to them.

Performances are good all round, especially Jude Law’s psychiatrist. It seems as if the role of Dr Victoria Siebert was made for Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Side Effects is a most satisfying film, which Soderbergh elevates above other recent psychological thrillers.

Side Effects is out on DVD and Blu-Ray from 29th July 2013.

5 Reasons to Watch Behind the Candelabra

When I heard a Liberace biopic was being made, I clutched my rhinestone-encrusted cape with excitement. Behind the Candelabra is based on Scott Thorson’s autobiographical novel about his relationship with the flamboyant entertainer. Here are five reasons to watch Behind the Candelabra when it is released in cinemas on 7th June 2013…

1. The Outfits

Look at this magnificent outfit. The costumes are reason enough to watch Behind the Candelabra. The rings, ruffled sleeves, the bejewelled fur-lined cape. Librace was famed for his outfits, so the film is bound to feature several of show-stopping looks. Get ready to take notes.

2. The Hair

Rob Lowe can really work a feathered bob. I don’t think he has ever looked better. Behind the Candelabra is set in 1977, so expect hairspray, feathering, and volume like no other.

3. The Cast and Director

The enviable cast is another reason to watch Behind the Candelabra. Michael Douglas looks ever inch the part as showman Liberace, while Matt Damon always delivers a solid performance. Dan Aykroyd and Rob Lowe are two other big-name members of the cast. Although I haven’t been overly impressed by some of Steven Soderbergh’s recent efforts (I am yet to see Side Effects, but Magic Mike and Haywire were below par), however his pedigree does add a certain allure to this project.

4. Librace

Behind the Candelabra is about the incomparable Liberace. One of my (and surely everyone else’s) idols, Liberace was exactly what an entertainer should be: flamboyant, talented, and not without a whiff of controversy. If you require another reason to watch Behind the Candelabra, check out the above clip of Liberace on The Muppet Show from 1978.

5. Librace’s Dog

Look at this dog. Look at its collar. Being Liberace’s dog must have been the greatest vocation on Earth. To be surrounded by that much glamour and that many sequins would make my heart explode. On top of everything else, viewers get to soak up the magnetism of this canine in Behind the Candelabra. Spectacular.

Film Review: Haywire

Given the talented cast and director involved with this project, Haywire is a disappointing film. At best, the film is mildly entertaining, although it never really engages the viewer.

Mallory Kane is a freelance operative, working for a company that hires out her services to government and other powerful figures. After a mission goes wrong, Mallory discovers that she has been betrayed. On the run, Mallory must find out the truth and fight to stay alive…

Haywire is very much a by-the-numbers action thriller, offering little innovation or surprise. The narrative is predictable, with the flashback format doing little to alleviate this. Haywire features the usual themes of double crosses and omnipotent agencies, which is fine but for the lack of development or decent storytelling. Moreover, anyone who has seen the Haywire trailer will have had the movie ruined as it gives everything away.

The only thing that distinguishes Haywire from a plethora of similar action films is its choice of protagonist. It would be refreshing to have a female hero at the centre of Haywire if the depiction of her character was not so lacklustre. Apart from the fact that she is a good-looking female, everything about Mallory suggests stereotypically male traits. She uses force to fight back against her male antagonists, rather than having to use ingenuity. Her seduction, for want of a better word, of one of the male characters is also very masculine. Mallory is the only female in the film except for a few extras, yet she is a man in all but gender.

Characters in Haywire are barely developed. Mallory’s relationship with her father is presumably meant to humanise her, but does little to endear the audience to her character. Similarly, Kenneth and Aaron are too one-dimensional for the audience to care about.

Performances in the film are fine. Gina Carano does a decent job as Mallory, excelling in the fight sequences. Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Channing Tatum and Antonio Banderas are given little to do in their narrow roles. Director Steven Soderbergh appears to think that quirky angles are enough to make a straightforward action thriller.

Haywire is not painful viewing, but neither is it particularly enjoyable. Give it a miss.

Haywire Trailer

Haywire comes with quite a pedigree. The film combines director Steven Soderbergh with a stellar cast that includes Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender and Antonio Banderas. Haywire is an action thriller that focuses on a CIA agent played by Gina Carano. It will be interesting to see whether the MMA fighter has any acting chops when Haywire is released on 20th January 2012.