Flawed but entertaining, with two great performances

Rating: 8/10 (12 June 2019)

Silver Linings Playbook tries to mix humor and sadness and almost pulls it off. It is funny and it does have some powerful emotional moments but it is neither a great comedy, or a great drama about mental illness. And the typical Hollywood ending did not help matters. What is great about the movie is the performances. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have great chemistry together and play two mentally unstable young adults with infectious zeal. But it is Lawrence who steals the show. She is reason enough to see this movie. Arguably, this may be the best performance of her career. Robert De Niro, in a supporting role is great as well. Even though Silver Linings Playbook has some narrative problems and a typical Hollywood feel-good ending, it can be overlooked, because the characters are so rich and the performances so good.