Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Now this was a film that I would watch again and again, it was both moving and in a sort of strange way - thought provoking. The performances from the all star brilliant cast really do the storyline justice and provide characters that you can sympathise and connect with throughout the film. Although it is mostly a romantic drama it has so many comedic moments to keep what could be a dark film very light hearted.

Silver Linings Playbook is about a man named Pat who has just been released from a mental institute after being admitted there for beating a man to near death after finding the man having sex with his wife in their shower whist their wedding song was playing and is also diagnosed as being bipolar. The song is a trigger of Pat's that sets him off every time he hears it. After leaving he moves back in with his parents Pat Senior and Dolores, and makes numeral attempts to get back in touch with his wife who left him. Pat believes he can live off positivity and looking for silver linings rather than taking his medication and a few events take place that shows he needs the help of his therapist and medication after all.  But as he adjusts back into reality and what could be considered as 'normal' life, he comes across Tiffany who is a very troubled women herself, with her own issues sparked from the death of her husband. Pat and Tiffany click almost instantly, their eccentric platonic relationship concerns both their family members but by being in each others company they find themselves being more emotionally stable and healed. Pat takes part in Tiffany's dance competition in return for her passing on letters to his wife which he cannot do due to a restraining order he has. As they practice sparks fly, and they fall for each other. Pat doesn't comprehend that Tiffany has feelings for him and Tiffany doesn't realise Pat returns the feelings she has for him. *Somebody tell help them out here* After the dance competition they finally become a couple with the acceptance of both families. The silver lining in Pat's life being Tiffany.

The actors really bring the characters to life and do the script justice as you believe ever word spoken, the cast include Bradley Cooper as Pat, Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany, Robert De Niro as Pat Senior, Chris Tucker as Danny, Julia Stiles as Veronica and Jacki Weaver as Dolores. This is just a small handful of the talent shown! The standout performance having to be from Bradley Cooper that truly crafts Pat in the best way possible by making him appear crazy but stable, eccentric and troubled, happy but sad. The development of Pat finding himself as well as the development of his relationship with the other characters such as his father who longs for a father son bond, Danny his friend from the institute who is constantly escaping and of course Tiffany who is more or less the female version of him. A beautiful film is created through the simplicity of life, no action is needed as the film is more an expression of people and their own lives with the adversities they face.

I really cannot recommend watching Silver Linings Playbook enough, it deserves to be recognised for both the narrative and performances, the editing and sound, the mise en scene and directing, the screenwriting and overall production.