Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Need a little something to get you out of the dumps? This new thriller from director Steven Soderbergh probably isn't gonna be it.

Oh, Side Effects is a good movie. It's just not the movie that you think it's going to be.

When the film opens we meet Martin (Channing Tatum), who just spent four years in prison for insider trading. Now, he's out. However, instead of being completely thrilled to have her hunky husband back home, wife Emily (Rooney Mara) is depressed. Like, she's insanely depressed. After two failed suicide attempts, Dr. Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) puts her on an experimental drug called Ablixa. Things get better for a short time. Unfortunately, it turns out that the drug has some really bad side effects -- hence, the movie title.

However, she isn't just going through some dizziness and weight gain. These side effects make Emily pretty violent. After her "episode," Banks spends the rest of the movie trying to clear her name and work on his own reputation. Side Effects sounds pretty cut and dry, but Soderbergh adds a nice twist and some funky imagery to make this a very interesting flick.

The Picture

Side Effects has a pretty stellar 1.85:1 image. There aren't many perky colors here, which goes nicely with Emily's constant state. Even when she puts on lipstick, it's sort of subdued. Despite the dark color palette, you know that this is exactly how Soderbergh wants the film to look, with a smooth, sharp image throughout. The detail is especially impressive and exactly what you'd want from a newer film.

The Sound

This is one fairly quiet movie. It does have a few pivotal moments, but otherwise, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is mainly focused on making the dialogue crystal clear. However, there are plenty of subtle sounds of party chatter and city life populating the surrounds at times. Overall, it's nothing too memorable, but it does what it needs to do.

The Extras

One of the side effects here appears to be a loss of special features. The release has a peek at the Ablixa website and a pair of fake commercials for the drugs discussed in the movie. It's funny that it has those commercials, but no actual trailer for the film. The super-short behind-the-scenes featurette is worth a peek, though. It runs just under 3 minutes, but it has a comedic tone. For instance, it introduces Rooney Mara "as one of the most f---ed up people on or off a movie set" and Jude Law as an "Oscar loser." It's not exactly a Farrelly Brothers movie, but it's sort of wacky and surprising considering the film's subject matter.

Final Thoughts

Side Effects isn't the movie that you think it's going to be, which is what makes it worth seeing. It doesn't hurt that it has a stellar cast and a good AV presentation, though. Don't worry about guilt or anger as side effects of blowing your money on this Blu-ray. Despite the lack of special features, it's definitely a winner.

Product Details

• Actors: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum
• Director: Steven Soderbergh
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English)
• Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of Discs: 2
• Rating: R
• Studio: Universal
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: May 21, 2013
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• List Price: $34.99
• Extras:
  • Behind the Scenes of Side Effects
  • Ablixa Website
  • Ablixa Commercial
  • Intenin Commercial
  • BD-Live
  • Standard-Def DVD
  • Digital Copy
  • UltraViolet Digital Copy