Film Review: CONTAGION

In the Life Imitates Art Department, nothing comes closer than the 2011 film, Contagion. It feels like watching the news, only with Hollywood stars. The action closely mimics our current unhappy situation involving a novel virus originating in China that causes death and mayhem globally in no time. It's freaky seeing the similarities, and interesting. But even if we were not in the midst of our very own pandemic, director Stephen Soderbergh's compelling film has much to recommend it.

A great cast -- including Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Laurence Fishburne -- playing exceedingly likable characters we hate to see die (not all of them) is just one element of this gripping scientific thriller that follows the path of a virus from Patient Zero (Paltrow) to the whole world. Another is the edgy musical score that gets under your skin and adds to the feeling of panic and urgency felt from the opening scene until the final credits.

It's not an easy film to watch, and a second viewing helped me understand just how much I missed the first time around. With various city names and dates flashing on-screen frequently, and lots of esoteric, gobbledygook scientific jargon tossed around by specialists at the CDC and WHO, it's easy to become confused, especially since you're watching it on a TV in your home where people tend to talk to each other more than they do in theaters. I'd suggest you self-quarantine and watch it alone.