Romantic comedies suck. This does not.

Rating: 9/10 (30 January 2014)

This film is much more than a romantic comedy (which is a genre generally consisting of steaming pile of crap), although it is that too. It's a wonderful mess of drama, comedy, romance, dialogue and a certain warm sense of honesty that at times seems to fall apart, yet never does.
Mental health problems and a certain dark and brutal sense of honesty that can arise from such things are well represented here. It's never too hard on you (although I wish that it was), but it doesn't lose its honest touch either. Even if things are portrayed in a funny way and some corners are cut short, it keeps everything just realistic enough. I'm a nutjob myself, many hospitals, treatments and drugs behind me, and I appreciated the way these issues were handled. I heartily laughed at the scene where the main characters had a humorous discussion about the drugs they've taken.
This film manages to avoid preaching. Even though mental health problems are dealt with, it isn't a documentary or solely a representation of mental illnesses and how to treat them, no. After all, it is still just a movie with a story to tell. And the story is a hilarious mess. We got a reconciliation theme, therapy sessions, sports, gambling, dancing contests and you name it. This should not make any sense at all, but it does. I managed to be surprised by about half the turns the movie made. However, if you're looking for a thrilling storyline or an engaging plot, you might be disappointed. It feels like a bunch of somewhat random scenes and events. These scenes are well tied together and the red line is constantly present, but if you judge it only as a linear story, it isn't that great.
Bradley Cooper steals the show. He's fantastic, and by now it's certain that he's not just a pretty boy. Although "stealing the show" might be the wrong term, since everyone else is good too. Jennifer Lawrence is very good, as is Robert DeNiro, and even Chris Tucker is alright. Imagine that.
The screenplay is good and well directed. David O. Russell has a reputation of being an ass at times, but he sure knows his stuff. Now I'm curious about the original book too, I hope I can find it from my local library.
It's not perfect though. After about one hour, the film seems to lose some of its magic and touch. It comes back eventually for awhile, but it still leaves a little stain on this otherwise great movie. I felt that some dramatic potential was lost during those moments.
That said, I would recommend this movie for everyone. If you got mental health problems, marital problems, or ANY problems, you might enjoy the positivity this movie squeezes from serious subjects. The positivity is surprising and also rewarding, which is quite rare. You will also probably see something in these characters that you recognize. I recognized myself and many people in my life, many times.
Hey, I feel good after seeing this. I missed this feeling.