Five down, four to go. With my
recent viewing of Silver Linings Playbook, I’ve crossed the halfway mark in my
goal to watch all of the Best Picture nominees in the 85th Academy
Awards next month. Before watching Silver Linings, I had Lincoln winning best
picture based on the films that I have already viewed. Now after watching, did
my prediction change? Honestly, no it did not. That does not mean though that
Silver Linings Playbook is not a good movie. Truth be told, it may possible be
one of the best and most certainly the most enjoyable and endearing films I
have watched in quite some time.
Bradley Cooper stars as bipolar Pat
Solitano, who after serving the court ordered eight months in a mental
institution because he beat up the man he caught making love with his wife, is
released into the custody of his parents. When he gets out though, he finds out
that his father, who is played by Robert De Niro, has lost his job and is
making ends meet as a bookmaker (did I mention Pat Sr. has OCD). Pat Jr.
immediately gets in touch with common friends in order for him to get in touch
with his wife and get their marriage on track. Seems like a pretty basic
premise for any love story right? Lovelorn guy does something wrong and wants
to make up for it with girl. It’s a Hollywood cliché. This movie though, offers
so much more, especially when Pat finally meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who
has some issues of her own.