艾萨卡（理查基尔RichardGere饰）是一位非常著名的精神病学家，某日，他接待了一位名叫狄安娜（乌玛瑟曼UmaThurman饰）的患者，就此认识了狄安娜的姐姐海瑟（金贝辛格KimBasinger饰）。美艳不可方物的海瑟很快就令艾萨卡坠入了情网之中无法自拔，然而海瑟已经嫁为人妇，她的丈夫吉米（埃里克罗伯茨EricRoberts饰）是一个性格非常差劲的男人，动不动就对海瑟拳脚相加，艾萨卡虽然心疼海瑟的境遇，但也束手无策。Atfirst,“SideEffects”lookslikeanotherjabatthepharmaceuticalindustry.Copingwithherhusband’sreleasefromjail,Emily(RooneyMara)findsherselfslidingdeepintodepression.Followingapublicmeltdownandasuicideattempt,shebeginstoreceivetreatmentfromDr.Banks(JudeLaw),whoprescribessomemedications,buttonoavail.Dr.BankscontactsEmily’sformerpsychiatristDr.Siebert(CatherineZeta-Jones),whosuggeststhatshetryanewantidepressant:Ablixa.ThedrugseemstoworkforEmily:sheishappierandregainshersexdrive,thoughshebeginstosleepwa