Film Review - Silver Linings Playbook

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence

Silver Linings Playbook is a feel good film within a well defined story telling genre of reaching goals despite adversity. Director and script writer, David O'Russell, well known for various off-beat, black humoured films (Three Kings, Spanking the Monkey) has chosen a topical subject dealing with mental health for this film. The synopsis: Bi-polar Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) returns home from a state mental institution as a result of a plea bargain arrangement. Bradley has lost his house, his job, and his wife, Nikki, as a result of his condition. His mother (Jacki Weaver) and father (Robert DeNiro) struggle to ensure he is stable however Pat is also determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and reunite with his wife, despite the circumstances of their separation. Pat's parents also want him to share their family's obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team especially as Pat's father is a bookie with bets on various games. When Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) the sister of his best friends's wife, life becomes more complicated. Tiffany strikes a deal with Pat, that she'll help him reconnect with his wife, but only if he'll help her by entering a dance competition and partnering with her in return. Silver Linings Playbook has received considerable attention in film festivals and 8 Academy Award nominations however in many respects, the film is not much more than Saturday afternoon matinee fare.