Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Silver Linings Playbook


One of the most interesting movies I’ve come across recently, its story revolves around Pat, who suffers from bipolar disorder.  He was admitted into a mental facility for treatment after nearly beating to death his wife’s lover after he caught them in the act to the background of ‘Ma Cherie Amour’ which happens to be his wedding song.  Whew that was a mouthful.    So, Pat checks out of the loony bin enlightened, positive, and out to find the silver lining in everything.  He sets for himself the goal of reconciling with his wife.  In the process of trying to get his life back, his not-quite stable relationship with his parents, his brother, and his friends are revealed little by little.  He and his parents try to walk the delicate balance of being a family again and dealing with Pat’s condition.  In an effort to establish contact with his wife (who has a restraining order against him), he goes to dinner at her friend’s home and that is where he meets Tiffany.  Now Tiffany is a piece of work.  Widowed at a young age, depressed, and slightly crazy herself, she has a reputation for sleeping around and having many unsavoury relationships with men.  After that dinner, she propositions Pat, he refuses, and thus begins their quirky friendship.  More things happen (football games, tantrums, bets, promises, superstitions, etc.) and the happily ever after soon hangs upon the result of a dance competition.  Like I said before, this story is very interesting.  I loved it to bits.


I really liked Bradley Cooper as Pat.  You just felt for the guy – he just wanted to get a second chance and be happy.  But it was Jennifer Lawrence who gave the most noteworthy wonderful performance – assuredly deserving of the award she received.  Tiffany was like a bomb onscreen.  She was just big and all over the place and you couldn’t look away from her.  Lawrence gave the character ample amounts of guts and nerve and vulnerability – it was just awfully raw and very refreshing, even in spite of all the f**k words and other such colourful expletives.   What surprised me was that Robert De Niro did not win for his supporting role.  He was brilliant!  I loved all the scenes where he was there, and my heart just bled for him, the darling man.   Oh well, I’m sure the winner was just as good if not better.  But for me, De Niro was simply awesome.   Alternately heart-wrenching, laugh-out-loud-inducing, and thought-provoking, if you haven’t seen this movie yet, you should. 

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