David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook stars Bradley Cooper as Pat, a bipolar man from Philadelphia who has spent the last eight months in a mental hospital. He was ordered there after a violent incident involving his wife and another man. Pat moves in with his father (Robert De Niro), a lifelong Eagles fans who has low-level OCD issues. Pat wants to get back together with his wife, even though there is a restraining order keeping him from contacting her. He soon befriends a depressed young woman who's mourning the death of her husband by engaging in compulsive sex with almost everyone she meets; she also knows his wife and offers to deliver a letter of his to her if he acts as her partner in a local dance competition. Silver Linings Playbook screened at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker
Release Date: Nov 16, 2012
Rated R for some Sexual Content/Nudity and Language
Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min.
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Review:
Silver Linings Playbook is an interesting film that’s probably better than it should be because of a pair of outstanding performances from its leads. David O. Russell directs this film with a steady hand giving it a frantic energy during some of the more intense scenes. What’s impressive about his direction is that at its base the story and film as a whole is a romantic dramedy. Bradley Cooper really impresses as the male lead showing a level talent we hadn’t seen before. Cooper expresses so much on his face, you can see so much about what’s going on in his mind without saying a word. Jennifer Lawrence matches him step for step with an equally impressive and occasionally ferocious performance. Lawrence gives the character strength mixed with a pervading sadness throughout. The pair share a manic yet believable chemistry onscreen with both giving us plenty of insight into these broken people who are still trying to run away from traumatic event in their lives. The supporting cast is filled with an impressive list of actors and actresses giving the film a lot of credibility. If there’s a fault it’s that the film does start down a familiar path especially in the last act. It’s not terrible but noticeable, not enough to detract from the strong work put in by Cooper and Lawrence.
A-
