The Dialogues and Lawrence's Eyes Win This One

Rating: 9/10 (3 May 2013)

Pat (Bradley Cooper) is released from a psychiatric hospital and moves back into his parents' house. He has been diagnosed as bipolar and has a restraining order against him by his ex-wife, Nikki (Brae Bee) He wants to get his life back and constantly looks for silver linings to let him know he is on track. He meets a somewhat damaged Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) but is still obsessed with Nikki and wants her back.
So what we have here is troubled boy (Pat) meets troubled girl (Tiffany) and can these two negatives make a positive? What makes this work is the dialogue between the two because when one has nothing to lose one becomes brutally honest. And, that is what we have here and it was most refreshing even with numerous F-bombs flying everywhere.
Bradley Cooper must have bought a Flobee (google it) as his beard is always the same length throughout, but the beard was necessary to give his face some much needed definition. Good move. He does a good job and he needs to stay with drama and leave those unfunny and raunchy HANGOVER movies behind. They made Jennifer Lawrence look a little Goth, but once you look into those eyes you instantly fall in love. When she delivers her lines it's like she is talking directly to you. The chemistry between these two works only because of her eyes. When she is on screen, you don't see anyone else. (Hey, we fell in love with her when we saw Winter's Bone. Nothing has changed.)
A very good supporting cast is bolstered by Jackie Weaver (Pat's mother) and Robert DiNero (Pat Sr) who does probably his best work in years. Pat Sr is an avid Eagles fan but has lost his job and now makes book and this plays into the movie's outcome.
Danny (Chris Tucker) who was also in that psychiatric hospital with Pat keeps getting released, or so he says, but the cops always find and return him. He was okay even though he was given subdued lines. What happened to the Chris Tucker we liked from those Rush Hour movies? Subdued lines and Chris Tucker don't mesh. Hey, we had Pat rant and rave when he was off his meds and everyone was afraid of him, why not Chris Tucker when he's the best at that and he does it with humor? They could have found a way. Bummer.
There is a twist in here (it's a good one) and you could see it coming from miles away and this is where the love story really takes hold. The highlight of the movie is the dance contest that Tiffany talks Pat into practicing for and actually performing in. As we (and they) go along we just cannot understand why Pat cannot see that silver lining - he keeps looking for - that is before him all the time.
All in all this is excellent, but the dialogues all around and Lawrence's eyes make it so.
Silver Lining Playbook was nominated for Best Picture. Bradley Cooper was nominated for Best Actor. Jackie Weaver was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Robert DeNiro was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. David O. Russel was nominated for Best Director and Adapted Screenplay. Jennifer Lawrence was the only one to come away with an Oscar: Best Actress. Well deserved. (9/10)
Violence: Yes, some at the football game; and Pat goes berserk a lot in the beginning. Sex: No. Nudity: Briefly a female backside only Language: Yes, mostly in the first half.