Around this time last year, I wrote this blog, reviewing my top ten favorite movies of the year. I don’t think I’ve even seen ten films this year, let alone be able to pick favorites! That whole living in the middle of nowhere thing put me a little behind, and I have yet to ever download a movie to my computer. Anyway, I have a ton of films on my ‘to see’ list, and one of those was Silver Linings Playbook which I saw the other day. I find movie reviews/synopses to be a good and challenging writing exercise, (the key for me is not to read any other reviews or I’m screwed) so here are some words on this one.
Bradley Cooper stars as Pat Solitano, a teacher who spends some time in a mental institution following the breakdown of his marriage (she cheated, he went berserk, and discovers that he’s had a bipolar disorder his whole life). Upon his premature release from the hospital thanks to his mother’s efforts, Pat returns to his parents house with a new lease on life and a determined plan to get his ex-wife back, despite a restraining order. “If you stay positive,” he tells his therapist, “You have a shot at a silver lining.” Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver play Pat’s parents, quirky in their own right and doing their best to keep Pat reigned in. De Niro is endearing and funny as Pat’s father, a bookie, who is in denial about his own OCD, particular surrounding his gameday rituals for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. Enter Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence, in what will likely be an Oscar nominated performance), a neighbor that Pat gets set up with, who is recovering from her husband’s death and is as equally medicated and angry at the world as Pat. He resists the relationship at first, but comes around when Tiffany proposes a deal: she’ll pass on a letter from Pat to his ex-wife if he agrees to be her partner in a dance competition. What ensues is a hilarious climactic entanglement of football bets and a dancing competition that leaves you rooting for all involved. It’s an unconventional love story that reminds us that at the end of the day, we’re all a little bit crazy, and that’s ok.
While the buzz is surrounding Lawrence’s performance, I think Cooper is the underdog here and deserves a nod as well. It’s a challenging role and he carries the film well.