Silver Linings Playbook (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

The basic plot line of the film will be familiar to anybody who's ever seen a romantic comedy, but it's grounded by two outstanding lead performances from Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and a screenplay that gives them exactly the right things to say at exactly the right moments. I've dealt with mental illness in various ways throughout my life, and this movie gets it right in ways that so many others do not: the anger, the embarrassment, the misunderstandings, the inability to filter, the smug superiority of experiencing this thing that the "normals" do not. If any of the characters had given a "mentally ill" performance, it would have ruined the picture. Instead, they're people that have this thing they're dealing with. It's a warm, vulgar, hilarious, unnerving, life-affirming ride.

 

[benbess]

The basic plot line of the film will be familiar to anybody who's ever seen a romantic comedy, but it's grounded by two outstanding lead performances from Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and a screenplay that gives them exactly the right things to say at exactly the right moments. I've dealt with mental illness in various ways throughout my life, and this movie gets it right in ways that so many others do not: the anger, the embarrassment, the misunderstandings, the inability to filter, the smug superiority of experiencing this thing that the "normals" do not. If any of the characters had given a "mentally ill" performance, it would have ruined the picture. Instead, they're people that have this thing they're dealing with. It's a warm, vulgar, hilarious, unnerving, life-affirming ride.

Saw this movie and liked it a lot!
One of my top ten movies of this year...

 

[Patrick Sun]

Having not seen too much marketing for this film, but buoyed by some good buzz on the performances by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, I gave it a viewing. I came away with 2 hours of enjoying the ride of watching a family dramedy with a solid interpersonal script for its cast.
In the film, Patrick (Bradley Cooper) is brought home from a stint in a mental health facility, brought on from an incident in the recent past, where some of his mental health issues combined with marital life issues came to a head and he snapped. Trying to get back to his former life is a struggle, but he is introduced to Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence in a solid performance), recently widowed, and their odd non-filtered, honesty unfurls into a quid pro quo arrangement for the both of them with different goals, but needing one another to achieve them. Robert Deniro, as Pat's father, has his own subplot that supports some of the unfiltered brashness that Patrick puts out there in the world. The story does have a familiar cadence to rom-coms, but the script and pacing of the film are so good, and the humor builds and builds because even with their faults and quirks, they are still in most way very rootable in the end.
And then I found out it was written and directed by David O'Russell during the end credits, and I understood why its tone and quirks worked for me.
I give it 3.5 stars, or a grade of B+.

 

[Jason_V]

I guess I would say I'm lukewarm on Silver Linings Playbook. Both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are outstanding, as expected. I just couldn't find my emotional tie into the movie. There wasn't a moment for me where I could say "that's the person I want to win." And without that, a movie doesn't work for me. Pat isn't a sympathetic enough character, Tiffany is a bit of a psycho (loved the scene in the kitchen, though) and Pat Sr. is vile with his addiction to gambling.
My movie buddy, who is a psychiatric nurse, wanted to see the movie since he works with people like Pat and Tiffany on a daily basis. He was also in the "alright" camp.
The best thing to come out of the movie is my need to watch Lawrence in The Hunger Games again.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Jason_V
I guess I would say I'm lukewarm on Silver Linings Playbook. Both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are outstanding, as expected. I just couldn't find my emotional tie into the movie. There wasn't a moment for me where I could say "that's the person I want to win." And without that, a movie doesn't work for me. Pat isn't a sympathetic enough character, Tiffany is a bit of a psycho (loved the scene in the kitchen, though) and Pat Sr. is vile with his addiction to gambling.
My movie buddy, who is a psychiatric nurse, wanted to see the movie since he works with people like Pat and Tiffany on a daily basis. He was also in the "alright" camp.
The best thing to come out of the movie is my need to watch Lawrence in The Hunger Games again.

I disagree with you in regard to those characters. I found Pat sympathetic, who's roots to his issues goes back to his father and his upbringing. While Tiffany, has to deal with a load of guilt regarding herself and how she treated her husband before his death. Pat Sr. isn't a vile person because he's addicted to gambling, but he is a sick person that should have been in treatment too. It's funny how people that are sick physically are looked at much differently than those suffer from some kind of mental illness in which the latter might be considered vile while the former is not.
I have to agree with Pat that I found the film very entertaining and one I would give a grade of B+.
Crawdaddy

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I disagree with you in regard to those characters.  I found Pat sympathetic, who's roots to his issues goes back to his father and his upbringing.  While Tiffany, has to deal with a load of guilt regarding herself and how she treated her husband before his death.  Pat Sr. isn't a vile person because he's addicted to gambling, but he is a sick person that should have been in treatment too.  It's funny how people that are sick physically are looked at much differently than those suffer from some kind of mental illness in which the latter might be considered vile while the former is not.

I agree completely on all points. Pat and Tiffany aren't anywhere close to perfect people, but they're perfect for each other. And a big part of that is they're sick in compatible ways. The more I think about this movie, the more I think Jacki Weaver is underappreciated for her performance in this film. She's been the warden of the psych ward under her roof for a long, long time. A lot is asked of her character, and Weaver's performance balances it all beautifully.

 

[Jason_V]

Maybe vile was a bit strong on my part. The fact that he doesn't listen to anyone, including his sons and wife, made him unlikeable for me.

 

[Allen Hirsch]

I'm stunned this is getting such strong ratings at Rotten Tomatoes. Apparently no one has a problem that the whole relationship between Pat & Tiffany is founded on a lie (the letters between Pat and Nikki, and telling Pat that Nikki would attend the dance competition, to make him stick to his commitment to Tiffany)? Or the completely irrational parlay bet Pat Sr. makes late in the film (when he's been making a LIVING as a bookie since getting laid off)? Or, how there seemed to be NO consequences to Pat's living, legal, or medical situation from the brawl outside Eagles stadium? Wouldn't he have been immediately returned to the mental hospital in the real world, given the reports the local police already had on him since his return to his parents' house? And how exactly did his mental illness just go away in the 2nd half of the film when he wasn't even taking his meds?? Just from the discipline of dancing & practicing with Tiffany? Sorry, but for me, the happy ending doesn't manage to overcome all those plot holes I would have to ignore in order to rate this a very good film.