Review: Silver Linings Playbook

(Oh look, I’m finally going to add reviews to my blog.)

So, I finally got around to seeing this movie. After constantly hinting to friends and family that I needed to see this movie, I just made the plans myself – with or without available company (luckily, a friend was able to make it). I have a bit of a girlcrush on Jennifer Lawrence, hence my obsession over seeing this movie. But after hearing all the amazing reviews and nominations for it, I knew I had to get my but to the movie theater.

Basically, the story is that Pat (Bradley Cooper) is just getting out of a mental hospital and has been working on bettering himself for his wife Nikki (losing weight, finding the positives in live, controlling his bipolar disorder, trying not to hear songs that aren’t actually playing in the background, etc). Yes, he’s a bit crazy. But, really almost all of the characters are. Que: Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who is now a somewhat-whoreish, somewhat-depressive widow, shows up in Pat’s life with a chance to get in touch with the wife he’s not supposed to be talking to (restraining order, no big deal). If Pat enters a dance competition with her, Tiffany will get his letter to Nikki. 

Add in a father who ignores his own mental problems and is obsessed with the Philadelphia Eagles (Robert DeNiro) and his friend from the mental hospital who keeps “escaping” (Chris Tucker) and it becomes harder and harder to tell the difference between “crazy” and “normal”. Honestly, some people are just better than others at hiding those parts of themselves that might scare outsiders. Except for Tiffany, who has decided to just stop bullshiting. Why can’t we ask for what we truly want? Why can’t we accept that crazy is the norm? 

I don’t know if I’m making much sense, but take this away: This movie has characters who are so real that you can’t help but laugh when Pat goes on a rant about Hemingway at 3 in the morning. Or laugh when your psychiatrist shows up at a tailgating party with half his face painted green. Or your dad needs you to hold a remote and a handkerchief a certain way so he can afford to open his own restaurant. 

Silver Linings Playbook (Russell, 2012) is refreshing, witty, and endearing. It lets us be insecure, crazy, and just a little more honest with ourselves. Verdict: MUST-SEE.