Silver Linings Playbook Movie Review

I'll admit this right now, this was my third time seeing this movie and the more I see it, I love it more and more. This is my favorite film that came out in 2012. Silver Linings Playbook is a masterpiece of a dramedy or whatever you want to call it. It's perfection from the writting, characters, story telling, direction by David O. Russell, and of course the amazing performances by the entire cast. It's one of the most unique, wonderful, and beautiful movies I've seen in recent years, and I can go on and on about it for hours.

Silver Linings Playbook centers around Pat Jr. (played by Bradley Cooper), who in the opening scene of the movie is shown in a mental hospital where he has been stuck in for eight months of treatment after catching his wife Nikki (played by Brea Bee) with another man who he than give a deserving beatdown to, and since than has been diagnose with bipolar disorder. He's picked up by his mother, Dolores Solitano (played by Jacki Weaver) at the hospital and is taken back to their home in Philadelphia where he will be living with his mother, and father, Pat Sr. (played by the legendary Robert DeNiro). His father has OCD and a die-hard passion for the Philadelphia Eagles. While home, Pat is determined to get back into shape, and reunite with his wife, but has to keep away for a while due to a restraining order she has from him. Everyone around him including his family and friends just want him to move on from Nikki, but Pat is 100% sure that him and Nikki belong together and that he will win her back. However, fortunately one night at dinner at his friend's Ronnie's (played by John Oritz) house, he meets Tiffany (played by the amazing Jennifer Lawrence), a woman who just lost her husband and job a few months ago, and he realizes this woman is just as crazy if not more as he is. From there on, Pat and Tiffany create a nice bond, and Tiffany offers to help Pat get his wife back if he in returns helps her compete in a dance contest. But, of course are they going to fall for each other, and will they become more than friends? Might sound like anyother romantic comedy, but trust me it's a rom-com mix with lots of drama that you haven't seen before.

Every single performance in this movie is nothing short of perfection. Bradley Cooper hands down gives the performance of his career as Pat. He nails down all of the complex elements of this character, but at the same time gives the character much needed likeabilty and deep down you know this guy is a good hearted guy and you're rooting for him to get better and fight the issues he's going through. Thank you Academy for giving Bradley Cooper a much deserving Oscar nomination for Best Actor. I won't complain at all if he ends up winning. Robert DeNiro has always been one of my favorite actor of all-time, but lately I think we can all admit, he has been in some mediocre to crappy movies (*cough* Little Fockers), but I'm here to tell you Robert DeNiro shows why he became such a star in the first place, delivering his best and most natural performance in years. He literally almost brought me to tears in two scenes and if you've seen the movie you probably know which two scenes I'm talking about. His performance reminds me a lot of Nick Nolte's performance in 2011's Warrior which was also a great performance. Thank You Academy for also giving Mr. DeNiro a much deservsing Oscar nomination. But, despite those two amazing performances, the big scene stealer here is Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany. She is a complete knockout in this movie, every single scene she's in. Just the way she delivers her dialogue, espeically a scene that involves her and Bradley Cooper in a diner. Like Cooper, she's a very complex character, and at first for many people she'll be hard to like, but she plays it so well, and at times she's just so funny and witty that even at her most unlikeable moments, it's hard to not like her. Between Lawrence and Jessica Chastain, I can't decide which one should win Best Actress because they both give equally great performances and in different ways in my opinion. Both are definitely two of the best actresses out there right now, and I have a crush on both of them so I'm okay with either winning the award. And the chemistry between Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper is absoulte perfection, and just engaging. They're so much fun to watch on screen together, they have lots of great banter, and you can just see how well these two crazy people just match so well together. You also have an excellent supporting cast in, Jacki Weaver, John Oritiz, Julia Stiles, and Dash Mihok. However the biggest surprise is, Chris Tucker as Danny, Pat's best friend from the mental hospital, who surprisngly delivers a small, but otherwise great performance. He's equally funny and heartfelt, and is one of my favorite characters in this movie. This was probably the best I've ever seen Chris Tucker. For once he's not playing a character that feels too over the top or stereotypical, he's a genuine and charming character who I honestly wouldn't have mind seeing more of. There is not one weak link in the entire cast. 

The film's directed by David O. Russell who directed The Fighter back in 2010 with Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, which was a great freaking movie, but after seeing this movie I can officially say this is my favorite of his. And I can offically say, even only seeing two of his movies, he's now one of my favorite directors. Something I love so much about Russell as a director, is just how he always manages to get so many great performances from all of his actors. The Fighter was a film that worked so well due to the amazing performances from it's entire cast, most notably Christian Bale (best performance yet probably), and Melissa Leo, who both won Oscars for their roles and both were much deserved. Here, in Silver Linings Playbook it's no different. But, not only that, he gives both movies such a realistic feel to them, and you actually believe everything that's going on. Like the plot for this movie could easily go so wrong, and be just like everyother romantic comedy you've seen before, but here he creates such a powerful script and dialogue that feels really real. The converstations between all of the characters felt so natural, to the point where you almost forget you're watching a movie, and some of the dialogue these characters come up with are just so classic. It's definitely one of those movies where you don't know what the character is going to say next. And, when they finally do say it, it just left me a grin on my face. While to be honest, I was grinning like an idiot throughout this entire movie. And O. Russell gives the perfect balance of comedy, drama, and romance, without the film ever feeling unbalanced, or forced down your throat. One minute you'll most likely be nearly in tears, and the next minute, you'll be close to dying of laughter. My favorite scenes in the movie without spoilling anything takes place in a diner, and the other scene is a scene that starts out almost heartbreaking, and then when Jennifer Lawrence pops up, the scene becomes a comedy, and any tear you might have shred will be gone. Of course, the film is based off a book, by the same title, so I guess some of the credit could go to the book as well. But, David O. Russell deserved the Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay nod 100%, and I honestly hope he wins both. 

Alot of people have been complaining about the ending, and lots of things about it, and after seeing it three times, I still can't quite understand why. I think the film ends on a perfect, and unlike a lot of people, I don't think it takes away from the realistic factor at all. I think the ending also shows how well each of these characters developed more and more throughout the movie, and in the end I felt that everything in the movie was tied together in the best way possible. I pick up on more things the more I see the movie, even the smallest elements. But, I can't go too much in detail of the ending without spoilling to much. 

To keep it short, I suggest you go out and see Silver Linings Playbook, right away, and right now, if you still have yet to see it. It's hands down my favorite movie of 2012, and I'd see it for a fourth time if I could. From the acting, writting, directing, story, and everything else this movie is perfection. It's heartfelt, emotional, funny, unique, realistic, releatable, charming, almost hard to watch though at times due to how complex it can get, and in the end it's movies like Silver Linings Playbook is the reason why I go to the movies. It's got characters I can easily get into, a romance that I can actually buy, and family drama I can buy. I can't say it enough that it's my favorite movie of 2012, and I honestly have no problems with it. It's paced brillantly, acted brilliantly, and it is sure a classic in the makings. It deserves all eight of the Oscar nominations it received especially all 4 of the acting nominations which hasn't happened to a movie in years, and I would love to see this movie win Best Picture, and if by some miracle that happens, I would send a big thank you note or never say anything bad about the Academy Awards again in the future. But, they'll be safe and predictable, by giving the BP nod to undeserving Lincoln :(. Again, I can go on and on about this movie, but you just need to go out and see it if you haven't yet, that's my obvious answer to you. 5/5!

FINAL RATING: A (that's my highest letter grade), 10/10