Silver Linings Playbook

Made: 2012

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver, Chris Tucker

Director: David O Russell

Screenwriter: David O Russell

Cinematographer: Masanobu Takayanagi

Producer: Donna Gigliotti

            This is a realistic romantic-comedy and the best movie from writer/director David O. Russell yet. There is drama about mental disorder when Pat (Bradley Cooper) has a breakdown (though really, an understandable breakdown over his wife’s infidelity) and has to recover by living with his parents when his marriage falls apart. New neighbor Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) is an equally bruised soul, and the two wade thorough all sorts of family drama and dance routines to try and realize what life is all about. It’s a touching movie, but also a very funny and TRUE movie, from subjects as small as coming home from a job and cutting loose with Metallica records to as big as seeing life through your father's eyes.

            The casting was a critical breakthrough for the three leads: Bradley Cooper, who had never been better before and got to show off his dramatic and comedic chops in an amazing lead performance. Jennifer Lawrence exudes a kind of calm sexiness but proves she is nobody’s doormat; if there is an example of a Movie Star this decade she was surely it and this is her best (and Oscar winning) performance. A rebirth for veteran Robert De Niro, showing how he can be difficult and sympathetic at the same time and is perfectly cast as the world-worn father. Not to mention an excellent supporting cast in Jacki Weaver (always great at being understated) and the subtle return of Chris Tucker as a family friend, among others- seriously the casting director for this movie deserves an award of his/her own.

            Director David O Russell graces us with his movies in spurts. Right now, he hasn’t made a movie for 5 years (since 2015’s Joy) and who knows when he will come back. His first set of amazing films came in the mid to late 1990’s with Flirting with Disaster (1996, one of the funniest movies ever made) and Three Kings (1999), then after a troubling production of I Heart Huckbees (2004) he disappeared again for 6 years….until his return with The Fighter (2010), this film, American Hustle (2013) and Joy all in a span of 5 years?!? The only guarantee of O’ Russell is that when he returns to directing again it will be for films worth seeing. He knowns how to harness spectacles on a small scale, the wonderment of life for the people who still have dreams.

            Silver Linings Playbook is that weird mix of crowd pleasing, difficult drama, and old-fashioned movie making. It reminds me of classic movies like The Apartment (1960) or even Spencer Tracy and Kathrine Hepburn match up’s like the great Adam’s Rib (1949), movies that were not afraid to reach outside the confines of their own genres to achieve perfection. Tension, once resolved, creates the best couples sometimes. Realizing you have found the right person is often a revelation, and this movie has one of the best romantic comedy “reveals” of any movie I have ever watched. So kudos, it deserves all the attention and praise it gets as there are few movies as purely good as this one.