Review – Silver Linings Playbook

Everyone likes to hate on rom-coms. And with good reason too. Most films in this genre are suited for people with IQs lower than their age and aimed at ‘holiday’ markets where most movies get decent box office numbers simply because people are going to go see something (read: anything) at the movies. And then, every now and then, out of the blue, almost as if it was made by accident, you get a gem of a movie like Silver Linings Playbook.

The last one that fit this description was nearly a decade ago – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This time, there’s no eccentric writer and no big name actors (except Robert De Niro course). Instead, there’s an earnest adaptation of a brilliant novel, a few splendid performances and the touch of a proven director. In an industry that’s crowded with formulaic biographies and overdone sequels, Silver Lining Playbook is a breath of fresh air.

It’s a love story and it’s a family drama, but most importantly, it’s a movie about mental health or more accurately how society deals with those it classifies ‘crazy’. While the performances by Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro are brilliant, they are significantly outshone by up and coming starlet, Jennifer Lawrence. No, all the award ceremonies haven’t gone bonkers, this young performer deserves every accolade being thrown at her. And David O. Russell, who has previously entertained us with off-beat hits like Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees and (more mainstream) The Fighter, does a commendable job of adapting and directing a book that most writers would have turned into a more typical rom-com.

The movie is not without its flaws. There are a number of plot-jumps, character shifts and otherwise unexplained dialogue that scream ‘book adaptation’ to your average movie-buff. And we also took issue with a few of the song choices in the (otherwise awesome) soundtrack, but nothing big enough to detract from the gripping performances.

While Silver Linings Playbook does make a great ‘date-movie’, to classify it as such would do great injustice to a very entertaining and thought-provoking film, that might just turn out to be the fourth film ever to win the ‘Big Five‘ Academy Awards.

This is a genre-defining movie, don’t miss it!