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Silver Linings Playbook

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert DeNiro
Directed by: David O. Russell
Screenplay by: David O. Russell
Based on the novel by Matthew Quick

    You know this is going to be an interesting film when the stars play crazy people.
    Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has just been released from a mental hospital and moves back in with his parents so that he can get his life back in order.  He wants to try to get back together with his ex-wife even though she has put a restraining order on him.  The problem with Pat is that he's bi-polar.  And his parents aren't much help, especially his father (Robert DeNiro) who's completely consumed by the Philadelphia Eagles.  But then, he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young sex-addict whose husband has recently passed away, and she changes everything for Pat.
    The story for this film plays out in a rather interesting way.  Both of the main characters, Pat and Tiffany, are extremely well developed and in some way, it's possible to relate to both of them.  They are both characters whom we can become quite attached to.  In this way, it feels like we've been transported to watch this whole thing transpire in front of our eyes as if we were actually there, and not in front of a screen.  And if you can't relate to either Pat or Tiffany, you can probably relate a little bit to another character.
    Bradley Cooper is truly phenomenal in this film.  I've seen quite a few of his films, such as The Hangover parts 1 and 2, and Limitless, a film he also co-starred in with Robert DeNiro.  Of all the films I've seen him in, this is my favorite.  Jennifer Lawrence is also excellent in the film, and when has Robert DeNiro ever been bad in a movie?
    One of my pet peeves in movies is the improper use of cinematography as an art.  This film has many shaky scenes where a tripod was clearly needed, yet was not used.  This bothers me quite a bit.  I don't mind the occasional shaky shot in some films, but this is not a film in which shaky scenes belong.  But I think the placement of the camera is good.  It allows us to see the whole scene as if we were a fly on the wall watching all of it happen.  I believe this is how cinematography should be, so long as a tripod is used so the scene isn't so gosh darn shaky.
    This is a film in which we can see a little bit of ourselves in some of these roles, making the movie hit a little close to home.  I don't know what the results of the Oscar nominations will yield for this film, but I fear that there will be very few nominations for this film.  But what I can say is this: Silver Linings Playbook is truly a wonderful film and if you get the opportunity to see it, you won't want to miss it.  All around it is a quite lovely and enjoyable film, one that will have you talking about it long after you leave the theater.
    I give Silver Linings Playbook a B+.

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