Rating of
3/4
Find Your Silver Lining!
MovieAddict - wrote on 02/03/13
The story centers on Pat, (Bradley Cooper of Hangover) a former substitute teacher who returns to his Philadelphia home of parents Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver) as part of a court agreement after spending eight months in a Baltimore mental institution.
Apparently Pat is there because he had nearly beat a man to death after discovering him in the shower with his wife Nikki. Since you cannot legally beat up your wife's lover, criminal charges were filed. As part of that proceeding Pat is forced to be institutionalized and diagnosed with bipolar disorder -- a condition related to manic depressive illness. And yet he refuses to stay on his medication and believes he can control himself. Now he vows to do everything he can -- starting by getting in shape with the sole purpose of getting his wife back. The problem is his wife already filed a restraining order against him, which made him even more difficult to achieve his goal.
During this time, Pat makes friend with an emotionally troubled widow named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence of Hunger Games), who's an oddball too with emotional issues trying to recover from the unexpected death of her husband. Tiffany offers to help Pat on the condition that he will help her as a partner to compete in a local dance competition.
Bradley Cooper is convincing as the disturbed Pat. He's well supported by Robert DeNiro as his Dad and hardcore sports fan who seems to care about nothing more than his hometown football team, the Philadelphia Eagles, winning. Pat Snr suffers from anger issues and is a bit OCD. Chris Tucker even shows up for some light hearted fun as Pat’s fellow mental patient Danny, who has a constant yearning to escape. Julia Stiles (the Bourne Trilogy and Ten Things I hate about you) portrays Tiffany's sister Veronica and Bollywood actor Anupam Kher (Bend it like Beckham) plays Dr. Cliff, Pat's therapist
"Silver Linings Playbook" is a breath of fresh air with many laugh out loud moments and a number of scenes that will warm your heart. It explores the idea of getting through life with the cards you have been dealt with even with the added challenge of mental instability.
