Often times films are portrayed in trailers as one thing and when you see the film it turns out to be something completely different. I expected Silver Linings Playbook to be just another crazy romantic comedy. Nothing could be further from the truth and the end result is a film that is so enjoyable to watch I came away feeling joyful. No small feat for a film that deals with bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and being widowed at a very young age. Serious subject matter to be sure but rather than glossing over these issues they are obstacles the charcaters navigate towards a wonderful conclusion. Kudos to director David O. Russell.
Playbook has received much critical acclaim since its' release in November and deservedly so. It has been nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Best Supporting Actress (Jacki Weaver), and Director and adapted screenplay (David Russell). The nomination of all four actors is quite rare and a first since Warren Beaty's "Reds" in 1981.
The story is set in Philadelphia circa 2008 and starts with the lead being released from a Baltimore mental institution where he has been for the previous 8 months. Pat Solitano, played by Bradley Cooper, is suffering from bipolar condition and seems to be on the edge of losing control. Yet his character is extremely sympathetic and I found myself constantly rooting for him. Cooper had a very troubled and complex character to play and I feel he pulled it off beautifully. In flashbacks the film shows Pat coming home early from work one day and finding his wife having a affair with another man. He almost beats the other man to death and this is the incident that get's him institutionalized in the first place. Understandable in the situation but not good. Obviously he has control issues which may have been learned from his father who has been banned from Philadelphia Eagles games for fighting with other fans. The movie shows Pat struggling to regain control of his life and holding on to the fantasy that he will somehow regain the respect of his estranged wife and be happily married once again. Pats' parents are trying to help their son with much patience and unexpressed love but are really out of their depth. Since Pat refuses to take medication he is always on the edge of losing control and sometimes goes too far. A great character in the film is a police officer who continually is called to their home to quell disturbances, always reminding Pat that he can be sent back to the institution.
Enter Tiffany Maxwell, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who has plenty of issues of her own. Through narrative it is learned that she suffered the loss of her husband and has resorted to sex as a means of dealing with the loss. As a matter of fact she tells of having sex with everyone at her office which eventually gets her fired.
While there are many wryly funny moments in Playbook up until this point, when Tiffany arrives on the scene the movie really takes off. Pat seems like a sad, lost soul but with Tiffany annoying him he becomes less self-absorbed. These two damaged people dance around each other, both figuratively and literally. Suddenly this becomes a very sweet movie. Playbook is not your usual fare and swings back and forth between drama and comedy. A dramady if you will. And yet the romantic undertones, perhaps not even recognized by Pat and Tiffany themselves, is what propels this movie to it's ultimate, yet predictable conclusion.
The supporting cast are what really lifts this movie to another level. Pat Sr., played by De Niro, suffers from OCD and has recently lost his job. What does he do? He resorts to bookmaking to make ends meet. He is a rabid Eagles fan who is filled with all sorts of superstitions that he is convinced determines the outcomes of games. But it is the heartfelt and emotional scenes with Pat Jr. that really gives De Niro opportunity to stretch his acting chops. A few minutes is all it takes to remind us of what an acting giant he is and worthy of perhaps an Oscar come spring. And lastly there is Dolores, the matriarch of the Solantino clan, played by Jacki Weaver. She is the one person that seems to be the most well adjusted of the bunch. Long suffering and silent in most of her scenes, she makes crabby snacks on game day and supports her men all along the way. Of course when things get too nutty she speaks up but by that time who is listening with all the yelling going on? Yet the warmth and love that she expresses in her facial expressions is really what holds this family together. She is Mom, all the way. The ending becomes predictable but who cares? When I left the theater I believed that every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Enter Tiffany Maxwell, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who has plenty of issues of her own. Through narrative it is learned that she suffered the loss of her husband and has resorted to sex as a means of dealing with the loss. As a matter of fact she tells of having sex with everyone at her office which eventually gets her fired.
While there are many wryly funny moments in Playbook up until this point, when Tiffany arrives on the scene the movie really takes off. Pat seems like a sad, lost soul but with Tiffany annoying him he becomes less self-absorbed. These two damaged people dance around each other, both figuratively and literally. Suddenly this becomes a very sweet movie. Playbook is not your usual fare and swings back and forth between drama and comedy. A dramady if you will. And yet the romantic undertones, perhaps not even recognized by Pat and Tiffany themselves, is what propels this movie to it's ultimate, yet predictable conclusion.
The supporting cast are what really lifts this movie to another level. Pat Sr., played by De Niro, suffers from OCD and has recently lost his job. What does he do? He resorts to bookmaking to make ends meet. He is a rabid Eagles fan who is filled with all sorts of superstitions that he is convinced determines the outcomes of games. But it is the heartfelt and emotional scenes with Pat Jr. that really gives De Niro opportunity to stretch his acting chops. A few minutes is all it takes to remind us of what an acting giant he is and worthy of perhaps an Oscar come spring. And lastly there is Dolores, the matriarch of the Solantino clan, played by Jacki Weaver. She is the one person that seems to be the most well adjusted of the bunch. Long suffering and silent in most of her scenes, she makes crabby snacks on game day and supports her men all along the way. Of course when things get too nutty she speaks up but by that time who is listening with all the yelling going on? Yet the warmth and love that she expresses in her facial expressions is really what holds this family together. She is Mom, all the way. The ending becomes predictable but who cares? When I left the theater I believed that every dark cloud has a silver lining.
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