Lighthearted drama with heavy themes

Rating: Null/10 (1 April 2014)

Silver Linings Playbook tells the story of Pat (Bradley Cooper), a mental institution patient who has just gotten released and now has to re-enter society while avoiding the pitfalls that landed him in the institution in the first place. Enter Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a friend of a friend, who has also gone through her own problems and, like Pat, is still dealing with them. Throw in some quirky family members, an overarching goal in the form of a dance competition, some football, and you have Silver Linings Playbook.
Now, what makes this film work is the chemistry between Cooper and Lawrence and the sheer talent they bring to their roles. Jennifer Lawrence won an Oscar for her role and it shows. Tiffany is a brilliant mixture of varying characteristics. She's a bit manic, she's a bit of a goth, she has her bitchy moments, but beneath all of it you can see the cheerful and caring person she could be. Full of nuances and personality, she's a great character. Not that Cooper does any worse in his role. The film dedicates more time to Pat, him being the main character, and especially the first few scenes, when he's at his most vulnerable, are very effective in introducing his character and getting us to sympathize with him, while still providing some humour.
The story itself isn't overly complex or anything you haven't seen before, but it doesn't really need to be. Romantic comedies/dramas like this one are always more about the characters than plot, so I wasn't expecting anything more. And the story is decent, don't get me wrong. It allows for some nice character moments, some nice dialogue and it carries the movie to a satisfying conclusion. Could it have been better? Yes, but that's a nitpick. No film is perfect.
I'd easily recommend this to any fan of romantic comedies/dramas and to anyone who likes strong and layered characters.