Great Performances Bring Characters to Life

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2012)

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Excellent performances highlight writer-director David O Russell's story of Pat (Bradley Cooper), a mentally unstable man who moves back in with his parents (Robert DeNiro, Jacki Weaver) after being released from a stint in an asylum. Once out he plans on trying to get back with his ex-wife but the restraining orders keeps him from doing so until he meets an equally disturbed young woman named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK contains some of the best performances you're going to see this year and it's great to see a film that's main focus is acting, writing, story and direction. It seems these things are awful overlooked in today's time but Russell does a very good job building up some extremely likable and believable characters and we got a terrific cast that really brings everything together. I think the main thing that makes this movie so memorable are the performances from Cooper and Lawrence who are simply wonderful. I thought the two of them did a terrific job playing disturbed without falling into any sort of stereotype. Both of them are so believable in their parts but what really caps it is the chemistry they have together. Whether it's romantic, fighting, annoying or just being calm, the two of them really deliver. DeNiro is also very memorable in his supporting bit as the father. I thought this role gave the actor a chance to do both comedy and drama and it's certainly one of his more memorable roles as of late. Weaver, Chris Tucker and Julia Stiles are also good in their supporting parts. Russell offers up a terrific atmosphere of working class Philadelphia just like he did with the setting of Massacusettes in THE FIGHTER. The only thing I'd say working against the film is that it's a tad bit too predictable and it takes a long time getting to where it's going but this here isn't all that bad since we enjoy spending time with the characters.