Side Effects (2005)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Film: B-
How bad are things in this country? Well, how about two films comes out in 2005
called Side Effects and both attack the prescription drug industry? The first of the two is a pleasant comedy by
first time producer/writer/director Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau starring the
terrific Katherine Heigl (from the great hit TV series Grey’s Anatomy)
as a Karly, a fine young lady and college graduate just looking for a job that
will pay well enough to get by.
Instead, she lucks out and becomes a rep for a major drug firm who just
happens to be ready to launch a brand new wonder drug that will make living
better for all who use it.
She even gets a company car and falls for a great guy, but
unfortunately, the drug is not what it is cracked up to be and may be far worse
than that. However, that is not
immediately apparent and Karly’s story is more than interesting enough to keep
watching throughout. Heigl is one of
our great new lead actresses and screen personalities, a beautiful, smart woman
who the camera loves and is slowly becoming a bigger and bigger star.
The film is well rounded, intelligent, mature and likable,
but some things limit it. If it is not
enough that the film may not go far enough in criticizing the industry in
getting anything approved just to make billions and push up a stock price, the
lack of criticism could easily have members of that industry write this off by
saying “see, we’re not that bad and that death was a fluke” or the like. Slattery-Moschkau tries to take the classy
approach, but that unfortunately has limited effects in this case. On the other hand, Karly is an intelligent,
able-bodied, three-dimensional woman of the kind we do not see enough
anywhere. Cheers to Heigl to bringing
her to convincing life.
The letterboxed 1.85 X 1 image is not bad, but since it
was shot so nicely by cinematographer Carl F. Whitney, the anamorphic treatment
would have been nice. The look is coyly
commercial at times, not even unlike an ad for drugs on TV, but there is more
to the look in the form of nuance. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no real surrounds, but is a nice new clean and
clear recording. Extras include a
documentary about the pharmaceutical industry, stills, behind the scenes
featurette and commentary by the director.
- Nicholas Sheffo
