Contagion

Contagion

Ever since the incredibly depressing sweep of swine flu over the world a few years ago, the topic of health has never been so important in mordern life. Lifts now how anti-bacterial gels and you are clarified as soon as you step foot in a hospital. So a film needs to be made about it, surely? We have has HIV films (Philadelphia), cholera (The Painted Veil), but not since 95's melodramatic but nonetheless terrifying Outbreak has there been a film that makes us want to was our hands for so long. Enter Steven Soderbergh, a director who never ceases to amaze me. He goes from no budget local vehicles (Bubble), large scale historical epics (Che), to big budget and big name blockbusters like this. You already know the story so lets focus on the characters. Kate Winslet is spectacular as a workaholic doctor who realises the disease is spreading faster than the government can stop it. Matt Damon is also good as a husband who doesn't know whether to be greiving for his dead wife (Gwenyth Paltrow), or to be furious at her for her infidelity. Marion Cotillard is good, but gets no screen time which, after her 2007 Oscar winner, was owed to her. Lawrence Fishburne also provides strong support as a smart physician who only cares for the safetey of his wife and children. The only performance which is off is Jude Law's embarassing blogger, with a dodgy Australian accent so poor people on iMDB have said 'I did not think for a moment that I was hearing Australian.' (A native Australian said this) Aside from some occasional silly acting it is tense, clever, fast and dark. See it, but bring soap.

4/5

Teo