Silver Linings Playbook

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, Shea Whigham, Julia Stiles
Directed by: David O. Russell
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
2012

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After returning home from a mental institution, a man (Bradley Cooper) tries to deal with his worried parents (Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver) and get his life back together. When he meets an equally troubled widow (Jennifer Lawrence) he sees a chance for him to turn his life around.

Review:

Tim: One of the reasons I love movies so much is that they defy expectations. This can be for good or not, but movies never conform to exactly what you expect of them. Take Silver Linings Playbook. I'd heard so much about it from critics, and the praise was overwhelming. Personally, I didn't think it looked like much. I did not understand what separated this from the countless other romantic dramedies out there. I did not expect to love this film. And, when I finally watched it, I realized the critics had been right- this is a tremendous film, and one of the best of 2012.

The story here is fascinating, and it felt refreshingly different to the countless other films that roll out every year. The story is first and foremost a drama. It's a story about broken people trying desperately to hold it all together. I loved how the film was not afraid to tackle difficult subjects like mental illness. Our lead character is bipolar and struggles with his mental illnesses. It's occasionally difficult to watch the scenes where he acts so irrationally. It was tremendous for this film to show how difficult and trying it can be not only for those with mental illness, but for their families as well. The dramatic elements of the film were incredibly powerful.

We also have quite a few comedic and romantic moments as well. I love how director David O. Russell balances each of these. The comedic moments are spread throughout the film- I laughed quite a bit in this movie. When dealing with such a difficult subject matter like mental illness, it was wonderful to have these moments of levity to laugh at. The dialogue in this film is expertly written, and this movie is very, very funny. I loved that the romantic elements came third (Drama is 1, Comedy 2, Romance 3). That's not to say there isn't romance here, but it takes a back seat to the other elements. The romantic aspects create some of the most powerful moments of the film, but they never overpower the others. That was critical to this film's overall quality. I loved the balance between these different elements- this could have been a very different (and worse) movie if the comedy or the romance outweighed the dramatic.

The cast is pretty incredible. This film achieved the rare feat of being nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. That is a huge achievement. Bradley Cooper definitely deserved his nomination. This is his film, and he carries it with a remarkable performance. I believed him as this character struggling with mental illness. It was a very realistic portrayal, and Cooper's preparation shows in this film. He deserves the accolades he received. I'm glad he did not win, but he certainly deserved the nomination.

All through awards season, I felt skeptical about Jennifer Lawrence being nominated for Best Actress. She didn't have a lot of screen time, but she ended up winning anyway. Without seeing the film, I wondered if she really deserved it. I can tell you that yes, she did. Lawrence was remarkable in this film. She was believable as a slightly unstable widow, and worked expertly with Cooper. She delivered so many of her lines perfectly, causing me to laugh, cringe, or feel one of several different emotions. Cooper was incredible in this film, but with her limited screen time, Lawrence might have been better. I'm glad she won.

Robert De Niro gave a very good supporting performance. He had a few incredible moments and really got to showcase his acting ability in ways he rarely gets anymore. I'm glad he did not win, but he deserved the nomination. Jacki Weaver was fine, but I'm a bit surprised she was nominated. She did have strong moments, but not nearly enough to impact the movie in a large way.

One thing I love about Silver Linings Playbook is that it's very difficult to categorize or easily explain this film. It's a movie about mental illness, but it has all these interesting elements in it. In some ways, it's also a football movie, because the main characters are huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. It's also a dance movie, as a dance competition plays a huge role in the story. It's a love story, but with a twist. This is not a film that follows the usual movie conventions, and I loved that. David O. Russell is emerging as a true directing talent, and his films have just about become must-sees. He takes this different, wacky story and he turns it into this powerful, hilarious, incredible film. I did not expect to love this film as much as I did.

While you could easily criticize this movie (if you thought Lawrence's character was too manipulative, I can see how you'd hate the whole film), I found this to be a refreshingly different movie. It was a powerful drama that also has great comedy and memorable romantic elements as well. It's a film that reminds you that you haven't see it all. Silver Linings Playbook defied my own expectations to emerge as one of the best films of 2012.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



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