It took five years and twenty-five re-writes before David O. Russell could direct it, as Sydney Pollack told him it was tricky to have emotional, troubling, funny, and romantic content mixed together.
Among its eight Academy Award nominations, this film became the first to earn nods in all four acting categories since Reds (1981), and the first "Big Five" (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Writing) nominee since Million Dollar Baby (2004). Director David O. Russell repeated the same rare feat the following year with American Hustle (2013).
David O. Russell was drawn to the story because of the family relationships, and also because of the connection to his own son Matthew Antonio Grillo Russell, who has bipolar and O.C.D.
Shot in thirty-three days.