Side Effects (2013)

Side Effects (2013)

A powerful entry in the Hitchcockian subgenre, Side Effects is one of Steven Soderbergh’s best films and benefits from noteworthy performances by its main cast.

The film stars Rooney Mara as a woman who, after the return of her husband (Channing Tatum) from jail and a suicide attempt, is prescribed a controversial drug by current and former psychiatrists (Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones, respectively) and begins to exhibit the drugs deadly side effects.

The surprising amount of depth and complexity that this relatively simple-sounding plot has makes it perfect for a Hitchcockian feel. With each disturbing plot twist, Soderbergh provides an equally satisfying layer to the mystery.

This film’s inclusion of a main character with a debilitating psychological issue runs in the same vein as Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960), and Marnie (1964). The film is also helped along by a strong script, which embodies Hitchcock’s scripts in its tightness and masterful narrative structure.