Erin Brokovich, Norma Rae, Karen Silkwood... These names conjure fear in Corporate America. Karly Hart could walk along these stately women belting out their own rendition of Whitney Houston's "I'm every Woman." Katherine Heigel of ABC's recent hit "Grey's Anatomy" plays the part of the impressionable; "legal" drug dealing, Karly. Heigel brings a vulnerability and bewitching beauty to a story seeded in ugliness.
A story, in fact, so ugly that, by the end, has reared its ugly head and transformed itself into a swan. Rarely, does a story leap off the screen and force you to pay attention to the veracity, not masquerading behind special effects, not big glitzy endings, but, instead,focusing on truth. In this case, the truth is the sobering enlightenment of the pharmaceutical industry, a truth that writer/director, Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau, knows all to well. For ten years, she saw the world Karly Hart views through her exploited eyes, witnessing for herself the corruption and deceit of the pharmaceutical industry. Side Effects is a film that is important in a time when we are consumed by the instant fix; it's a wake up call when a slow down is needed to open the eyes of a country engulfed by convenience. Make my potato in 30 seconds, get me there faster, and please Doc, get rid of my heartburn as quickly as possible. "Side Effects" gives you the reason to stop and ask, why? While the acting is on par and the filming, at times, does have an unfinished feel to it, it adds to the rawness, unpolished, and green world of Karly Hart. Make sure you check out "Side Effects," now playing in Milwaukee and Madison, and check out our Feature story on Kathleen and Holly Mosher in the January issue of Wisconsin on the Reel.
I can sleep better now thanks to Kathleen... well, Kathleen and Ambien.
Ryan Ripp- WOR
A story, in fact, so ugly that, by the end, has reared its ugly head and transformed itself into a swan. Rarely, does a story leap off the screen and force you to pay attention to the veracity, not masquerading behind special effects, not big glitzy endings, but, instead,focusing on truth. In this case, the truth is the sobering enlightenment of the pharmaceutical industry, a truth that writer/director, Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau, knows all to well. For ten years, she saw the world Karly Hart views through her exploited eyes, witnessing for herself the corruption and deceit of the pharmaceutical industry. Side Effects is a film that is important in a time when we are consumed by the instant fix; it's a wake up call when a slow down is needed to open the eyes of a country engulfed by convenience. Make my potato in 30 seconds, get me there faster, and please Doc, get rid of my heartburn as quickly as possible. "Side Effects" gives you the reason to stop and ask, why? While the acting is on par and the filming, at times, does have an unfinished feel to it, it adds to the rawness, unpolished, and green world of Karly Hart. Make sure you check out "Side Effects," now playing in Milwaukee and Madison, and check out our Feature story on Kathleen and Holly Mosher in the January issue of Wisconsin on the Reel.
I can sleep better now thanks to Kathleen... well, Kathleen and Ambien.
Ryan Ripp- WOR