Out in theaters on Feb. 8, the movie "Side Effects" is a psychological thriller starring prominent actors who persuade and enthrall viewers into a warped and stimulating storyline right until the very end.
Leading actors Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Channing Tatum take their audience on an exhilarating ride as they focus on prevalent problems in the medical field by over-prescribing medication and under-diagnosing patients.
"I loved all parts of this movie. It was an interesting story," senior Rachel Day said. "I really liked how it touched on the issues of people who are treated and sometimes misdiagnosed because they feel hopeless."
The movie begins when a woman seeks medical treatment for depression after her husband returns from prison after four years for insider trading. After uniting with her former psychiatrist, she's put on a new antidepressant called Ablixa that is later revealed to have a side effect of sleepwalking. Her world begins to unravel after she inadvertently kills her husband in the distorted mental state compelled by her medication.
The conspiratorial spiral is exposed when the burden of the murder falls onto the innocent psychiatrist who has lost everything at this patient's expense and relentlessly decides to dig for answers.
"This movie was interesting because it touches on how medication is easily accessible to people without even having any true medical depression," junior Katie Callons said.
The irony of the movie lies in the title, "Side Effects," because it describes both the ramifications of the drug itself as well as the domino effect of destruction as each person's choices affects the others.
It is a compelling portrayal on how corrupt the medical community can be, trying to make money off of their patients without thorough research or diagnosis. The moral of the story centers on how prescriptions are being given out too easily without being monitored.
"They definitely had some inside market incentive to make quick money out of the drug, advertise it and market it to boost the interest, and therefore the profit can go up and it's not for the benefit of their patients," said Bobby Antonicello, a recent graduate of Ramapo College.
This movie was captivating during the beginning, middle and end. The suspense built up with each scene, leading to a bigger secret and then to the unexpected outcome, and viewers won't want to miss a heartbeat.
mfernan3@ramapo.edu
