Clichés at every turn in this oddball town

Rating: 5/10 (22 February 2013)

Silver Linings Playbook" was a must watch movie on my wish list after it picked up 8 Oscar nominations (not to mention that it stars one of my all time favorite, Robert De Niro) this year. Not only it has cornered all the big nominations this year, SLP is the only movie since "Reds" in 1981 to pick up all the 4 acting nods (Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting Actor/Actress). With so much going for it, its natural for the viewer to expect something out of the ordinary. Alas, the only thing not "ordinary" about the movie is that it revolves around a bunch of "abnormal" people.
By way of story, SLP is about Bradley Cooper's character, who suffers from Bipolar Disorder, and his tryst with all the other neurotic, obsessive compulsive, dysfunctional, superstitious people and other plain weirdos that he encounters with alarming regularity in the tiny little town he resides in. Based on ex high school teacher Matthew Quick's eponymous novel, SLP neither turns out to be a screw ball, irreverent comedy (something like "Crazy People"), nor is it a feel good, heart warming tale (like "Forrest Gump") or not even an accurate depiction of the real life situations of bipolar people (remember Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn in "Lust for Life"). So what is SLP all about? I don't really know and neither does the Director David O Russell. He tries hard to make SLP a rom-com, a comedy, a quirky fun film, a family drama, a feel good film about the proverbial under dog, but eventually ends up with a mish-mash tasting more like yesterday's stale left overs.
The only silver lining of this largely forgettable effort is an assured, confident and bravura performance from its lead actor, Bradley Cooper. Cooper is the tour de force here reminding us that he is meant for bigger and better things than inane movies like "The Hangover". His performance is truly worthy of an Oscar nomination. Other members of the cast, including De Niro, Chris Tucker and Jennifer Lawrence, are at best adequate and at worst over the top, hamming impresarios.
My recommendation to evolved movie viewers is to skip this playbook and go watch a re-run of "One flew over the cuckoo's nest" or "A Beautiful Mind" if oddball characters are your preferred choice of viewing this weekend.