Silver Linings Playbook - Movie review

Grossing over 150 million against its 21 million dollar budget, this David O. Russell romantic comedy is a delightful adaptation of Matthew Quick's novel of the same name. Using mental illness as a sort of plot device, rather than treating it as a serious issue, the plot follows Bradley Cooper, a hopeless and desperate romantic struggling with bipolar disorder, and a dysfunctional household. For the usually talented actor who built his career on crude films like "Wedding Crashers" and "The Hangover", it is wonderful to see him turn in such an excellent, and Oscar-nominated performance. Likewise, veteran actor Robert De Niro is charming, lovable, and hilarious as his grumpy, gambling-addicted father. The real stand-out of course is the incomparable Jennifer Lawrence. The gorgeous 22-year-old is quickly making a name for herself, and her delicate and endearing performance will likely earn her that little gold statue. As the cautious mother, Jacki Weaver isn't particularly memorable, which makes her nomination for the very small role seem like a ploy to make this the first film in 31 years to score best actor nominations in all four categories. Even Chris Tucker, featured in his first non-Rush Hour film since 1997 turns in a fun and manic performance. We follow the truly unlikely relationship between these dynamic, and unpredictable characters. Unfortunately though, the final act sees this unique narrative falling back into a rather conventional rom-com formula. The traditional cinematography, and forgettable score from Danny Elfman function effectively enough not to distract, but never impress. Despite the significant age difference between the two, Cooper and Lawrence have phenomenal chemistry - bouncing from hilariously well-written dialogue to serious and dramatic cues effortlessly. The third act is poorly managed though, with an abrupt and unnecessary focus on professional football, and a climatic dance competition sequence that feels out of tone with the preceding elements. Remove the light-hearted treatment of mental illness and broken marriages, and this is just another variation on the classic rom-com formula, that, at 122-minutes, runs a bit longer than it ought to. But it's also a weirdly relatable, and terrifically inspiring love story that is believably accomplished with likable, and talented actors. "Silver Linings Playbook", "Quirky romance, with brilliant performances."