The Comedy Shines First and Foremost

Rating: 7/10 (7 March 2017)

If, while watching "Silver Linings Playbook", you have previous experience with bipolar disease, then the film will likely speak to your heart. If, however, you are like me and really don't know anything about bipolar-ism, the humor in the movie will still keep you enjoying it throughout.
For a basic plot summary, "Silver Linings Playbook" sees Pat (Bradley Cooper), a diagnosed bi- polar sufferer, being released from a mental institution and trying to fit back into his family and society at large. This includes a father (Robert De Niro) who is a die-hard Eagles fan and is as superstitious as they come, a friend (John Ortiz) completely treading water in his marriage, and a mother (Jacki Weaver) who is always caught in the middle. It is only after Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young widow battling multiple personal demons of her own, that he realizes the lengths he must go to in order to succeed in battling his illness.
At heart, this is a film about mental illness and its effects on everyday life. If you have experienced similar situations, the storyline will likely touch you on a very deep level. Yet, just the humor of some of the situations this crazy family puts itself in will easily be enough to keep your interest level high. The moral of the story is that we are all a little "screwed up" on some level, but we just need to find that "silver lining" to get through life. Whether those themes touch you a little bit or a lot, there is enough comedy to keep things from really bogging down.
Plus, even if all else fails for you in the viewing process, there is the appeal of watching the two beautiful leads. Lawrence is showcased in enough workout outfits and dance costumes to perk up males in the audience, while I hear the ladies like Mr. Cooper just a tad as well.
Overall, "Silver Linings Playbook" is a solid movie, though not really an all-time classic. It does enough things right--like make you laugh a little, think a little, feel a little--to be solid and not boring in any way.