Silver Linings

People are saying that it's "offensive" and "too happy" to be real, and that surprises me. As someone who lives with mental illness (severe major depression with severe psychotic features), and was in psych ward for quite a while, I didn't find it offensive. I found it to be remarkably accurate in portraying some of my own struggles, with mind-dulling medications, unwanted outbursts, deep paranoia, odd tics, etc. that I have had for over ten years. As for the "overly happy" stuff? Too many movies and TV shows focus on being "dark" and "edgy", so I found it refreshing to see someone going through struggles being positive about it. I won't pretend to have had the most difficult life, but it hasn't been easy. I saw this movie a few months after I was released from psych ward (2016), and I can honestly say it gave me a bit of hope to find my own silver lining. The world needs more positivity.

"I'm remaking myself." Pat (Bradley Cooper)

Silver Linings Playbook doesn't play by the current romantic comedy book—No scatology, nudity, f-bombing, or feminist and gay bashing. It's simply a smart playbook about the mental institution's recently-released Pat Solitano (Cooper, shedding his Hangover boy-man shtick), who may be saner than his dad, an OCD gambler (Robert De Niro), and Bradley's new friend, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence).

But that comparison is all relative because director David O. Russell (remember his funky family in Flirting with Disaster?) allows each character in this dramedy to become whole and interesting without becoming marginalized.

After some serious outbursts of anger, Pat starts training for a dance competition with Tiffany in order to make contact with and eventually impress his estranged wife, Nikki (Brea Bee).

The eventualities of the story are not half as stimulating as the plot along the way, some of the best scenes centered around the family squabbling about the Philadelphia Eagles or Pat's relationship with that "slut," Tiffany. When Pat confronts his parents at 4 AM about the deficiency of Hemingway's ending to A Farewell to Arms and when Russell places under another scene Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash singing Girl from the North Country, you know you're in a film that follows no particular playbook.

The dynamics as fostered by these superior actors are some of the best ensemble work this year. In fact, this is so far the best of the romantic comedies in recent memory. Pat and Tiffany may be bi-polar, but they can dance the stars into your eyes.

Jennifer Lawrence plays so different a character from those in Winter's Bone and Hunger Games that it may take you a scene or two to recognize her. But when she dances, you'll confirm she's one of the best young actresses in Hollywood, and this film one of the best of the year.

I'm surprised by the negative reviews. I can't really see why people would dislike this movie. Even if it's not really my genre of movie I thought this one was very captivating. Bradley Cooper did a really good job playing his bipolar character, to me it was one of his best performances yet. The Oscar for best female actress went to Jennifer Lawrence, which surprised me a bit, even though she did a good job here. But to me Bradley Cooper is the star of Silver Linings Playbook. The rest of the cast was also excellent, all contributing to make this movie very enjoyable to watch, with some good giggles, but most of all an interesting story. I find stories about the "little bit crazy" people always fascinating to watch and in Silver Linings Playbook Cooper did a great job playing a bipolar. I wouldn't pay too much attention to the extremely negative reviews on here, those people rarely are satisfied by anything in life.

This is without a doubt THE movie that launched Jennifer into stardom. And deservedly so! For all those who love Jennifer Lawrence and for some unexplicable reason havent yet seen this gem there is only advice: stop reading this review and start watching!

But this movie is much much more than just a fun filled Jennifer flick, because David O Russel wrote and directed this crazy love classic, a movie about 2 people who are crazy and in love. The guy is played by Bradley Cooper and besides his other role in "American Hustle" I truly feel that this is his best performance ever.

All David O Russell pictures are about families in chaos. Utter chaos. BUT despite all the chaos and craziness in David O Russell's pictures there is always a true love at the heart to be found. That is what makes Russell's pictures so endearingly huggable, loveable and crazy positive. It is so touching and uplifting to see the craziest dysfunctional people fall in love and support eachother despite all their sorrows, fights and utter craziness.

Terrific supporting role by Robert de Niro! Splendid soundtrack. Great story. What more could one wish for? It is the craziest christmas feel good film I have ever seen. Gotta see this one!

The average romantic aspect of the film was excellent, but the dramatic side was poor. Jennifer Lawrence's performance was excellent and she deserved an Academy Award for her performance in the film. Bradley Cooper's performance was excellent. The body of the psychopathic character was excellent.