UPPERS

Remember When Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Side Effects’ Made Discussing Depression Sexy?

Ten years ago, the “Magic Mike” director traded body oil for a prescription pad, skewering the reluctance to discuss mental health in an unforgettable psychological thriller.

It would be easy to take a look at the director of one of the most outwardly steamy film franchises this century and think, “Ah, that guy knows a thing or two about sex!” With the Magic Mike films, Steven Soderbergh ignited an entire generation of horny moms, repressed gays, and good-time guys who just wanted to see a dramedy about hanging with your buds. It’s rare that film can traverse those three highly specific demographics, but that’s what happens when you harness the mesmerizing power of Channing Tatum’s rock-hard nipples.

But the Magic Mike trilogy was simply Soderbergh at his most overt. As a feature film director, Soderbergh has been dissecting sex and sexuality across his entire 34-year, storied filmography. Movies like Magic Mike XXL and 2009’s The Girlfriend Experience—starring pornstar turned actress Sasha Grey—explore sex on a fundamental level; what it means to have it, who wants it, and what they’ll do for it. But things haven’t always been that fundamental.

Coleman SpildeEntertainment Critic

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