Silver Lining Playbook was by far one of my favourite films of the last year. Argo was a definite favourite for the Oscar, but I was routing for this gem of a film. Silver Linings Playbook is an offbeat RomCom with mental illness as it's premise. It gives us so much more than we expected. It's bigger than a film, it's a message.
Directed by David O. Russell, who has had a bumpy and strange career. But this film has the same theme of personal struggle and family ties that the O.Russell film The Fighter has. Both films have been in the Oscar race, both Christian Bale and Mellisa Leo both won Oscars for their performances. For her portrayal as Tiffany in this film, the charming Jennifer Lawrence also won an Oscar. David O.Russell really does bring the best out of his actors, he lets them breathe and relax into their characters and brings them to life.
We meet Pat in Silver Linings Playbook, an ex school teacher who has spent the last eight months in a psychiatric hospital suffering from bipolar disorder. He is sent to live back home with his parents Dolores (Jacki Weaver) and Pat Sr (Robert De Niro). Pat Sr shows us the route of Par Jr illness with his obsessive compulsive disorder. He then meets Tiffany (Lawrence), a young widow who suffers from boundary and intimacy issues. When they meet there's an instant connection. Tiffany and Pat enter a dancing competition in return, Tiffany will get Pat back in touch with his estranged wife Nikki.
Cooper plays Pat with his raw excitable energy that he always brings to his characters. But the star and stand out of this film is Jennifer Lawrence. Bringing a vulnerable and really plays on the word 'crazy' to the character. Both bringing a satisfying change and maturity to the characters at the end of the film. We see both of the struggles they have. We see Pat in the psychiatrist's office having a break down over his and Nikki's wedding song, we can see in his eyes that he doesn't want to be like this. But can't stop it. That he doesn't want people to think he's crazy. And eventually this is what is so uniquely special about this film. O Russell created this for his son, who suffers with Bi-polar. The film sends a message that the stigma of mental illness needs to disappear. Having mental illness doesn't make you crazy. That the characters can feel their emotions running wild and can't do anything about it.
Personally, it is a very special film. I can relate with the characters, and I'm sure so many other people can too. As I've said it's a massive message of self-control, family and over coming mental issues. At the basis of the film, there's obvious romance. This film paces well towards this genre of RomCom. Even though it leans more towards the Romantic side than the comedic side. It makes us believe in a 'silver lining' as Pat believes. It might not be what you expected or what you sought out to having but if you work hard and stay positive a silver lining will eventually happen. This is a wonderful, feel good film with an important understanding to the painful issue of mental illness. The actors get to the essence of the issues and story and help us understand the hurt and confusion of the premise.
"The world will break your heart ten ways to Sunday. That's guaranteed. I can't begin to explain that. Or the craziness inside myself and everyone else. But guess what? Sunday's my favourite day again. I think of what everyone did for me, and I feel like a very lucky guy." - Pat
No comments:
Post a Comment