MOVIE REVIEW: 'Silver Linings Playbook' a Must-See

In the Silver Linings Playbook, Pat (Bradley Cooper) returns home to his parents after being in a mental facility for the past 8 months. The film chronicles both how he ended up in there in the first place, and his road to recovery once being released. The only thing on Pat's mind is getting his wife back and being a better man for her. His parents want him to become a functioning member of society and a die hard Philadelphia Eagles fan, just like them; he has other plans.

However, this is much easier said than done. With rash episodes and outbreaks of rage, triggered by a variety of things both small and large, Pat's road to health is a rocky one, paved with many obstacles and hurdles.

Upon his journey to be a better man and to get his wife back, he encounters Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who agrees to help him, under the condition that he help her too. A recent widow, Tiffany is dealing with mental health issues of her own.

As the film progresses, the pair takes the viewers on a wild ride filled with what can only be described as extreme highs and extreme lows. Self discovery is at the heart of the film, and the two need one another to be able to achieve this. As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives.

Bradley Cooper gives the performance of a lifetime. He opens up his bag of tricks and uses every single one of them. The film shows a side of him as an actor that his previous films have not captured. He no longer plays the suave debonair leading male role, instead, his character is troubled, confused and delusional. This being said, he nails the role and all of its necessary nuances. It is definitely out of the Bradley Cooper box, playing a mentally unstable character, but he pulls it off exceptionally.

We also see De Niro playing role that is a little out of his realm. As the patriarch of the family, his typical hard nosed demeanor and character is shed, and instead he is the father on the verge of a meltdown as he is sttruggling with both finances and keeping his son stable. 

Jennifer Lawrence absolutely steals the show. I would not be surprised if there is not Oscar buzz surrounding her and this film. She combines sexy, sassy, tough, challenging,feisty and crazy, all at the same time. This is a new direction for her, and a giant leap from the Hunger Games films that she has made so famous. Her chemistry with Cooper is undeniable, and she has lines in the film that are delivered with such conviction that its hard not to fall in love with her in this film. Being so young, she has many years left in Hollywood, and with performances like this, she is most certainly on the rise.

The film as a whole is excellent. It's a film that explores the "other side" if you will. With mental instability and the many challenges that people facing crisis' in their lives face at the heart of the film, it is well navigated and excellently put together. A truly unconventional love story that is refreshing to watch, and out of the ordinary.

I give it 5 Patches out of 5! A must-see film.

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