"Silver Linings Playbook" Review

"Silver Linings Playbook"

Directed by David O. Russell

Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Chris Tucker, Jacki Weaver

 

RATING

8/10

Hmm, what can I say about romance? Do I think love sucks? Well, yes and no. Does it mean I won't enjoy it when it's done justice in a film like this? Hell no. "Silver Linings Playbook" is an unconventional romance-drama that does plenty right and hits home with it. I heard Jennifer Lawrence was in it, and that pretty much sold me. Since this was the director of "The Fighter", I expected a solid emotional story with some light humor and plenty of great performances. I got that.

 

"Silver Linings Playbook" tells the story of Patt Jr., a former mental asylum patient who rejoices with his family after his marriage abruptly broke down and rendered him bi-polar. He doesn't quite fit in yet because he's still feeling the effects of his divorce, so he wanders aimlessly and quite dangerously around the community until he runs into Tiffany, an inquisitive and heavy-handed girl who gives him the spark back in his life to move on and overcome his traumatic past and syndrome.

 

This was such a great film that deals with it's touchy subject matters professionally. The writing is excellent, and draws you into these characters. They're all on edge emotionally, and whenever that tiny detail comes along, it hits them big. And that's the magic of this film. Bradley Cooper was a stroke of genius in terms of acting talent. He delivered the best performance of his entire career, and really elevated his status as a serious actor in my eyes. He was such a wreck mentally and Cooper potrayed that internal struggle with precision. Jennifer Lawrence plays his love interest, Tiffany, and brings a good chemistry with Cooper. She is always interesting to watch despite her character essentially being more of an emotional wreck than Patt, and that's where the film fires on all cylinders. To see these two bounce off each others mentality makes for an odd romantic pairing, but it works really well. Robert DeNiro plays Patt's father, and I'm glad to see him back in top form. He was insanely good, and whole-heartedly deserves recognition. Perhaps the most surprising face in the entire cast was Chris Tucker playing Patt's best friend, Danny. He brought some heart and humor to the much darker elements of the story. All around, there were fantastic performances in one of the best ensembles of the year.

 

The film is generally quite intense, too, even for a subtle love story. There's more layers to the family than you first encounter, and with Tiffany's presence, it sparks a whole new level of conflict that may seem a bit cliched at first, but was much needed in the progression of the plot, especially the development of Patt. The pay-off is where it takes a few spins, but always manage to keep the viewer still engaged along for the ride. When you think you've predicted the events, it takes a sharp left turn, and that's the workings of a truly memorable and absorbing romance (f*** every terrible Nicolas Sparks movie!). I did feel a bit uneasy at parts, but it was all necessary to show Patt's inner thoughts, and as painful as it becomes to watch, it still sucks you in. And that's an ode to the actor-director relationship at work here, and how much confidence they have with each other.

 

"Silver Linings Playbook" is a funny, often very dark, and always emotionally resonant film that is very well-made and extremely well-acted. It doesn't linger for too long on the cliche, neither does it become too predictable, and always walks a fine line between uncomfortable and hilarious. There's plenty to sink your teeth into, and presents unconventional romanctic story-telling at its finest, but if you're looking for a silly Nicolas Sparks cheesy romance... kindly jump off a cliff.