Excelsior...er....er.....er!

Rating: Null/10 (18 February 2013)

After the solid effort that was "The Fighter", I was curious to see how director David O. Russell would follow up that wonderful film. His answer the "Silver Linings Playbook" an able, solid and catchy effort.
At its heart, "Silver Linings Playbook" is a love story, wrapped in a layer of mental and emotional distress, a dysfunctional but loving family, dancing, gambling and American football.
Sound complicated? Sound convoluted! It might appear so at the beginning, but once the movie gets going, the going is good, and David O. Russel deftly juggles all the aspects of this wonderful film as well as a highly talented cast, including Robert De Niro who's in fine form once more, Jackie Weaver, Bradley Cooper, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles and John Ortiz.
For me, the heart of the movie is Jennifer Lawrence, whose honest and heartbreaking performance really uplifts the film. This very award deserving performance really becomes the common thread of this movie. To understand what I mean by that, you have to watch the movie.
"Silver Linings Playbook" is a welcome respite from all the really awful crap in rotation now at your local movieplex!