Silver Linings Playbook

UK Release: 21st November 2012

Watched in the Cinema: Monday 10th December 2012

Rating: 15

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Runtime: 2hrs 2mins

IMDb Plot Synopsis: After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.

My Review: At last this film reached my neck of the woods and after hearing so many great things about it I was very excited to finally get to see it! Once again, like Limitless, I wasn’t disappointed! This is an unbelievably funny and honest film which feels very raw due to the outstanding acting going on. 

Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Jacki Weaver played the main characters in the film: Cooper stars as Pat with mental issues after finding his wife cheating with a work colleague 8 months ago. After beating the guy half to death he was sent to a mental institution in Baltimore by the courts and the film starts with him there until his mother (Weaver) pulls him out. We then follow Cooper as he tries to get to grips with normality and try and reconnect with his wife Nikki. It isn’t until Lawrence enters to picture that the film really starts to spark as the chemistry between the two of them lights up the screen and I found myself laughing out loud in various places and close to tears by the end (luckily the cinema was empty!). 

It’s a shame more people haven’t stumbled across this gem of a film as the writing is incredible, it feels so honest and genuine, much of feeling improvised and the comedy is quite awkward and real too making it all the more special and emotional towards the end. You come to love this family of misfits and I was completely invested in the story.

The camera work reflected this rawness as it had a hand-held feel at times and I liked the colouring of the film - something which isn’t usually commented on - as it didn’t have that Hollywood gloss really but a darker, more realistic feel which I loved. Overall it’s hard to explain what makes this film work so well. Is it the chemistry between all the actors, especially the father/son relationship between De Niro and Cooper? Is it the honest comedy? Is it the excellent writing and camera work? Who knows but they definitely all add up to one very memorable film which is worthy of all the praise it gets; it deserves so much more attention!

Score: 9.5/10