Silver Linings Playbook: Movie Review

Who's in it? 

Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro

What's it About? 

Silver Linings Playbook is an empathetic and candid look at mental illness and its effect on family, friends and probably most importantly, relationships. 

Any Good? 

The movie opens with Pat coming to the end of a stint in a mental institution following a serious assault and a plea bargain. His mother signs him out against the doctors’ advice and he is thrown back into family life a little sooner than he’s ready for.

The film is more manic than dramatic with an overall sense of angst throughout as more is revealed about Pat’s past, the family that surround him and his obsessive behaviour in an effort to win back his wife. There’s more than a passing resemblance to Garden State in the tone of Silver Linings as we’re shown the inner workings of family life and its dysfunctions.

When Pat meets Tiffany (Lawrence) a young widow suffering with depression that acts out at every opportunity their lives become quickly entwined as they struggle to make sense of each other, themselves and the world around them.

De Niro as Pat’s father plays one of his finest roles in years. His undeniable OCD has been seen as eccentricities for years but Pat coming back into the family home brings problems to the fore as he blames himself for his son’s difficulties.

Silver Linings is a feel good, original story that will see you invested from the word go, yep there are some pretty cheesy scenes and more than a little tension, the ending might even feel like a bit of a cop out but overall there are real laughs and genuine heart here that shine through.

Rating: