Steven Soderberg's psychological thriller Side Effects - his final movie before retiring from movie directing - is winning high praise from critics. The movie - boasting an all-star cast including Jude Law, Channing Tatum, Rooney Mara and Catherine Zeta-Jones - follows a successful New York couple whose world unravels when a new drug prescribed by Emily's psychiatrist has unexpected side effects. Ok, so it might sound a little bit too much like Soderbergh's 2011 thriller Contagion, but give it chance.

The general consensus amongst critics is that Side Effects is a little silly in places, though great fun, with dashes of genius. A.O Scott of the New York Times said, "While the plot may be predictable (and more than a little preposterous) in retrospect, Mr. Soderbergh handles it brilliantly, serving notice once again that he is a crackerjack genre technician." Roger Ebert paid homage to the director, writing in the Chicago Sun-Times, "Soderbergh came, he saw, he conquered, and now he's moving on." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone continued the high praise, writing, "Side Effects is a hell of a thriller, twisty, terrific and packed with surprises you don't see coming," while other critics praised Soderbergh's slick filmmaking and storytelling techniques. All-in-all, it's pretty good news for the director on his final outing. 

The film's screenwriter Scott Z. Burns spoke to the Huffington Post of Soderbergh's decision to leave Hollywood behind and concentrate on his painting.  "It's a little bit heartbreaking, for all sorts of selfish reasons.If he doesn't come back, it'll be because the other things are so rewarding for him that he doesn't need to come back," he said.

Side Effects hits theaters in the U.S. on Friday (February 8, 2013).

Watch the Side Effects trailer below: