It’s a story that seems all too familiar in the romantic comedy genre. Boy loses girl, boy tries to win her back, boy meets new girl…you get the gist. However, the love story of “Silver Linings Playbook” is beautifully unconventional.
Bradley Cooper is Patrick Solitano. We first meet Patrick in a mental health facility in Baltimore where he is being treated for bipolar disorder. He is released into the care of his parents back in Philadelphia after eight months of treatment. Patrick is determined to get his life back in order and win back his wife while dealing with his mental illness. Shortly after he returns home, he meets Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence) who suffered a sex addiction following her husband’s death. Tiffany agrees to help deliver a letter to Patrick’s wife (who Patrick cannot see, due to a restraining order), provided that Patrick partners with her in an upcoming dance competition.
The film is an interesting take on the classic love story. The screenplay was written and directed by David O. Russell and based off of the novel of the same name by Matthew Quick. Russell was drawn to the story due to the connection to the story with his son, who has bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Lawrence and Cooper played their roles brilliantly. The emotions conveyed by the pair felt completely genuine. The rest of the supporting cast also did a fantastic job doing what their title suggests, supporting the leads. While everyone plays a memorable role, there are no scene-stealing moments from the supporting cast. Cooper and Lawrence are the focal point of the film and they remain as such.
This is a fantastic film that I highly recommend. Drop down your two bits and quickly. This film and its dark sense of humor might see a great deal of success with its eight Academy Award nominations come Feb. 24.
“Silver Linings Playbook” is in theaters now and is Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity.