Silver Linings Playbook is a family drama, comedy and a love story presented by the Weinstein Company, based on the bestselling novel by Matthew Quick, written and directed by David O. Russel.
It stars Bradley Cooper (Hangover, Limitless), Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games, X-Men: First Class, the master actor Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom), and the famed Bollywood actor Anupam Kher. Chris Tucker (of Rush Hour fame) is in the film for a short yet impressionable role.
Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) has lost everything – his house, his job and his wife. He has the only place to go back is with his parents. Pat suffers from a bipolar disorder, and after spending eight months in a state institution, on a plea bargain, he stays with his father (Robert DeNiro) and mother (Jacki Weaver).
During his time at the mental health facility, Pat forms a close friendship with a fellow patient, Danny (Chris Tucker), who is having legal disputes with the hospital, which constantly blocks his release.
Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and the most important thing in his mind is to rebuild his life, remain positive and reuinite with his wife despite the challenging circumstances of their seperation.
It is while he is taking psychological treatment from his court-mandated therapist Dr. Patel (Anupam Kher), Pat explains why he was hospitalized. The incident occured after coming home early from his high school teaching job, when he enters his house, he notices clothes thrown on the floor and his wedding song Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour” playing. To his dismay and shock, he finds his wife Nikki (Brea Bee) in the shower with another man. He couldn’t control his anger and he nearly beats the man to death.
On his release he learns that his wife, has moved away and his father, is out of work and resorting to bookmaking to earn money to start a restaurant. Pat is determined to get his life back on track and still wants to be with his wife who obtained a restraining order against him after the violent episode that put him away.
All that his parents want is for him to get back on his feet and to share their family’s obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team.
When Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated. Tiffany offers to help Pat reconnect with his wife, but only if he’ll do something very important for her in return.
As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives.
During the film the viewer sympathises with Pat, though he is shown to go overboard especially in the instance in the middle of the night waking up his parents and even hurting them, just as he could not find his wedding video. It seems a bit too much.
It is nominated in all four acting categories for the Oscars. It is an entertaining family drama with superb performances by Robert Di Nero and Bradley Cooper. The cute Jennifer Lawrence gives her career best performance.
Credits:
Studio – The Weinstein Company, Mirage Enterprises
Distributed by The Weinstein Company
Based on novel – The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
Directed by David O. Russell
Produced by Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti
Screenplay by David O. Russell
Music by Danny Elfman
Cinematography by Masanobu Takayanagi
Editing by Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers
Cast:
Bradley Cooper
Jennifer Lawrence
Robert De Niro
Jacki Weaver
Chris Tucker
Anupam Kher
