Perhaps the Best Movie of 2012?

Rating: 9/10 (11 February 2013)

I saw quite a collection of buzzworthy movies in 2012 and I must say that this movie was the best film of the bunch. It was better than THE HOBBIT, FLIGHT, CLOUD ATLAS, PROMETHEUS, DARK KNIGHT RISES, and THE HUNGER GAMES to name a few (although DKR was a close 2nd).
It is an interesting concept and aside from classics like ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, MISERY, RAINMAN, and AS GOOD AS IT GETS, I feel that mental illness as a thematic issue is sorely underserved in Hollywood (perhaps some irony there). Aside from endowing run-of-the-mill villains with ruthlessness, sinister, and psychotic qualities, mental illnesses are hardly mentioned in most movies. So, for it to be a fairly large portion of this film, and especially a characteristic of the hero (!!!), is actually quite refreshing. Maybe it will come as a surprise to some that many "bipolar" people are not defined by their illness alone and can actually function at quite a high level when on an appropriate treatment regimen with appropriate support. Perhaps this movie can debunk some of the stereotypes/connotations that are pervasive to the word "bipolar." Namely, people with bipolar are NOT all crazy, homicidal loons.
I won't get too much into how "realistic" the portrayal is about the illness, because frankly it's a continuum illness where not everyone experiences the same symptoms. There are different subcategories of bipolar disorder and surely, reading through some reviews, I could probably uncover some who say this portrayal is spot on, whereas others would claim this is a trivialized or inaccurate depiction of someone with bipolar disorder. To split the difference, let's just say the screenplay "did it's homework" and the tidbits about paranoid delusions, stress-induced "triggers," manic episodes (jogging in a trash bag overcoat comes to mind), as well as some knowledge of drugs associated with management of bipolar including Seroquel, Klonopin, Xanax, Trazodone, Lithium, and Abilify are appropriate.
That being said, the mental illness aspect really kind of fades out and aside from Bradley Cooper's Pat and Jennifer Lawrence's Tiffany remarking about how "off" they both are, they actually seem strikingly normal as the movie progresses (also a hallmark of successful treatment). So, after setting the backstory well, especially with the intricacies of De Niro's neurotic OCD character, we are treated to a pretty good romantic dramedy (and a great date movie, certainly).
The acting is stellar all around. De Niro, Cooper, Lawrence, and Weaver all give show-stopping performances. The dialogue is solid. The editing and score complements the story well. The script is solidly above average. Throughout the film, we feel Pat's gnawing obsession about reconciling with his estranged wife and his single-mindedness in that endeavor. John Ortiz also gives a top notch performance as Ronnie, the solid friend that every sufferer of mental illness would be lucky to have. Oh, and Jennifer Lawrence was absolutely stunning and raw in this film.
The plot comes off as very rich and textured, which makes it stand out in the land of cardboard characters on screen these days. We see multiple sides to all of the main characters, they behave logically and in-character throughout, and exhibit unexpected depth at times. The plot delivers some suspense with Nikki showing up expectedly (or unexpectedly), Pat having to choose between his obsession and a new and better self, and there being some real suspense with the dance-off (and no, I don't watch Dancing with the Stars!). Additionally, I almost clapped when Pat tossed Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms through the attic window. It was a priceless reaction. Not to mention can you really be on a date if someone orders Raisin Bran? Must ponder....
Some of the things that came off as poor (keeping it from 10 stars for me) included the psychiatrist character devolving into a minstrel basically--that was totally ridiculous, and the Eagles game scene I would've cut entirely--it didn't do anything but add a bit of unnecessary racism and punching. The Apple product placement was a little much; we just needed a whole scene written for Siri. The brother character Jake didn't really add much save for some 11th hour sibling rivalry. And, maybe most importantly, it's unclear why even a person with bipolar and full-on delusions would sweep away the fact that his wife was porking the history teacher at home in their shower (though the history teacher telling Pat to go was hysterical). Pat seemed surprisingly unaffected by his wife's infidelity, paradoxically because it was that episode that likely triggered his bipolar initially. So, maybe showing him a bit more conflicted about reconciling, and less eager beaver, would have been more realistic. I mean, he's bipolar not stupid.
TL;DR: This was a solid and simple movie. Enjoyable. No frills. Not trying to pretend to be something it wasn't. Competent to stellar acting, direction, and writing propelled this piece to what should be a haul of Oscars in a couple of weeks. If this film doesn't win a single Oscar, I'd be stunned and disappointed. Recommended highly.