All Eagles fans are nuts!

Rating: 8/10 (29 November 2012)

I really enjoyed this romantic comedydespite the fact that I'm a Cowboys fan (and that's saying a lot).
Maintaining an overall tone that is both dark and witty, while at the same time quite touching and genuine, "Silver Linings Playbook", aside from being my early pick for best ensemble cast of the year, proves (once again) that even though writer/director David O. Russell is responsible for "I Heart Huckabees", there is still hope for him as a filmmaker (and no, I didn't like "The Fighter"). Using the backdrop of an eccentric Philadelphia community obsessed with the Philadelphia Eagles, this movie tells the story of a man who is recently checked out of a mental institution (played by Bradley Cooper) by his mother. In an attempt at a fresh start and with hopes of getting back together with his ex- wife, he must illicit the help of a widow, who might be crazier than him (brilliantly played by Jennifer Lawrence). "Silver Linings Playbook" is a breath of fresh air within a genre that is normally riddled with predictable Harlequin romances, starring a neutered Zac Efron or crying Channing Tatum. In short, in case you didn't know that these kind of films existed, this is a romantic comedy that in turn, is also a very good movie.
As far as comedic entertainment value goes, "Silver Linings Playbook" isn't always laugh out loud funny, but makes up for it by having an extremely well crafted storyline, with its entertainment roots strongly grounded (for the most part) in reality. And this aspect is only accentuated about 30 minutes in by the chemistry that Lawrence and Cooper bring to the screen, as they interact in some of the most genuinely intriguing back and forth's seen in any film this year; in any genre.
While I'm on the subject, allow me take some time out to elaborate on some of the standout performances in this film. First off, Cooper gives a performance that finally proves that he can act (calm down everybody, "Limitless" wasn't all that) playing a character with mental illness in very Jack Nicholson-esque fashion (not an award worthy performance, but still pretty damn interesting to watch). I must also make it a point to say that Chris Tucker, who only plays a bit role as the seemingly pointless token black friend character, plays it with such enthusiasm, injecting much needed doses of comedy sporadically throughout the movie, that by the end, he may have many audiences asking themselves "where has Chris Tucker been for the past decade?" And maybe the most surprising aspect of this movie is how, after an assortment of awful career choices (to the point where nobody under 18 thinks of him as one of the greatest actors of all time) Robert De Niro, playing the father with OCD, finally gives a performance that doesn't feel like he's phoning it in. As for the most stand-out performance, the award goes to Jennifer Lawrence (see what I did there?) giving the BEST PERFORMANCE OF HER CAREER! You heard me. That's right "Winter's Bone"/Sundance snobs! As the equally eccentric (and ex-slut) foil to Cooper's character, Lawrence plays the role with unabashed vigor and something to prove, in a performance which will hopefully garner enough attention from the Academy to obtain another Best Actress nomination; but this time, for a good movie.
The only hiccups in "Silver Linings Playbook" occur in its final act, when a lot of the genuineness is lost, as the story becomes a sort of contrivance; BUT an entertaining contrivance. What all of that means is, the generic romantic comedy pot hole which this movie falls into in the final 20 minutes (having to do with drastic life choices being solved with a competition) will probably be dismissed because of everything good that proceeded it.
Final Thought: From the lively acting, to the gritty low-budget feel that O. Russell brings to the screen, to a script ripe with undeniable believability (also adapted for the screen by O. Russell) "Silver Linings Playbook" is no doubt the best romantic comedy of the year. And, as I alluded to before, is a film which in every way supersedes the chick-flick, Katherine Heigl norm, translating into a date night movie which can be enjoyed by either sex; and even by the Bradley Cooper fans who think "The Hangover" was "the greatest movie ever, Bro!"
Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland
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