Be careful, there might be a CONTAGION

Sitting on the edge of my seat is how I spent two hours engrossed in the new Steven Soderbergh intellectual thriller, CONTAGION, a compelling and suspenseful drama from Warner Bros. Pictures.

This film intrigues me. 

Specifically, CONTAGION is a successful model of the economy of use with a bevy of A-list talent, namely, Oscar winners: Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love), Kate Winslet (The Reader), Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), and Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting).  In addition, acclaimed actors Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley), Jennifer Ehle (The King’s Speech), Sanaa Lathan (Alien vs. Predator) plus Emmy and Image Award winner Laurence Fishburne (Miss Evers’ Boys), are all effectively cast in believable roles yet the construct goes against traditional Hollywood conventions. 

Gwyneth Paltrow in CONTAGION

Case in point, the protagonist and antagonist are so intertwined; you’re perplexed though rooting for them on all sides.  Those who advance the story along-- and, we expect them to last through the end credits, do not.

Credit due, this is a feat unto itself. 

However, I guess when you have the Soderbergh imprint; brilliance does shine through, particularly in this film.  Who can forget what he did with Traffic and his early offering sex, lies and videotapes?  Therein rests my opinion of the touted director. 

Often, we have witnessed star laden cast under-utilized due to a weak script, implausible premise or both.  Conversely, screenwriter Scott Burns gives us plenty to chew on within the context of a frightening and haunting thought-- that one could die from touching the wrong person. 

Jude Law in CONTAGION

Infidelity, hints of corporate malfeasance, an errant journalist gone rogue, a top health official who lets his personal vulnerability cloud his professional judgment: these are the tentacles of compelling story telling, sans the embellishment of blinding special effects and a drowning soundtrack.

Not your average kid’s film, for which I am grateful, CONTAGION beckons the filmgoer not looking to wrestle with the harangue of competing dynamics. It’s just a good ole whodunit. Word of caution; go see it with people you know. 

Commenting on the quality of the film and on his interest in the role of Director of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), Fishburne stated, “I was kind of blown away by how smart it was…  a lot of what is being made now is kind of stupid [laughter].  So, I was very honored to be asked to be a part of it because it’s really, really a smart movie.”

Fishburne with CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who has a cameo in CONTAGION

He went on in further detail stating, “The film wasn’t really that complex for me.  I mean, once I talked to Dr. Lipkin (a leading specialist, described as “the virus-hunter” in a NY Times report, Nov.2010), who had real strong opinions about how all of this should play out (in the film).  He was with us every day, committed to what he does.  Almost every day he had some sort of new disease that the CDC is tracking and keeping an eye on.” 

 Asked if he had a germ phobia, the 50-year-old commented, “I ain’t afraid of germs [laughter].  And, I ain’t afraid of getting sick.  Dying, that’s some other sh--t [laughter].”

Josie Ho in CONTAGION

Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns (The Informant!, The Bourne Ultimatum)) commented on the food-based contagion, the true culprit in this mystery. “One of the things that I learned while doing research (for this film), because we wanted to ground this story in as much reality as possible was part of this virus is based on SARS, which started, I think, in Guangzhou, as far as we know.  The reason that we chose Hong Kong mainland (to shoot the film) is because there are some tensions in terms of changeover in the government: there are two governments there.  Even though they seem to be working it out, during times of stress, in governments and organizations, there’s always going to be difficulties in sharing information.  The Chinese were very helpful to the World Health Organization during SARS.  There was a lot of cooperation.  But, places in the world where there is not a lot of refrigeration, people tend to go to wet markets and buy animals.  At certain times of year, it is culturally appropriate to eat furry mammals.  That’s one of the things that surrounded SARS.  So, it was sort of a highlight of how different cultures interact with the natural world.”

Matt Damon in CONTAGION

Reflecting on his character, Mitch, a faithful husband betrayed by his wife’s infidelity, who is disaffected from the scourge of the virus, Matt Damon commented, “Well, I thought it was kind of easy to relate to.  Working with Steven (Soderbergh) is very different from working with anybody else.  You know you’re going in to shoot and we talk about what we are going to do.  We figure it out.  Then, we execute the plan and go back to the hotel, go to the bar and, they deliver the footage.  Steven, Scott and I along with the other producers just kind of sit there and talk while Steven puts on headphones, opened up his laptop and kind of sat in a corner for 45 minutes or so.  At the end, he would take his headphones off, turn the computer around and show us what we shot that day, cut.  It’s very different from kind of going off on my own, doing three months of research and showing up.  It feels as if the hocus-pocus is kind of taken out of the experience.”