MOVIE OF THE WEEK (11/21/12): SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
"I know - we couldn't believe we found Chris Tucker, either!" Patrick (Bradley Cooper), his mother Dolores (Jacki Weaver) and Danny (Chris Tucker) enjoy a car trip together in a scene from writer/director David O. Russell's take on author Matthew Quick's novel SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. Credit: © 2012 The Weinstein Co. All Rights Reserved.
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, John Ortiz, Julia Stiles, Anupam Kher, Dash Mihok, Shea Whigham, Paul Herman, Chris Tucker and Brea Bee
WRITER(S): David O. Russell (screenplay); Matthew Quick (novel)
WRITER(S): David O. Russell (screenplay); Matthew Quick (novel)
DIRECTOR: David O. Russell
THE PLOT: Based on the novel by Matthew Quick, Silver Linings Playbook stars Bradley Cooper as Patrick Solitano, a Philadelphia native who has spent the last 8 months living in Baltimore. Why has he been in Baltimore, you ask? Because Patrick had to as part of his agreement with the courts ... After going ballistic and beating a former co-worker nearly to death after catching him in the shower at his home having sex with his (now estranged) wife Nikki (Brea Bee) as their wedding song – Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amor" – played in the background.
Released into the custody of his mother (Jacki Weaver) and father Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) back in Philly, Patrick is having trouble adjusting to his new life without his wife. But that's not stopping Patrick from his belief that they will get back together one day, for if there's one thing he learned while in Baltimore, it's that there can be a silver lining in any bad situation. It's also where he met his new friend Danny (Chris Tucker), but that's besides the point. Patrick's therapist Dr. Cliff Patel (Anupam Kher) keeps telling him he needs to develop a coping strategy especially since Nikki may not come back ... But it may take a few visits from his parole officer (Dash Mihok) to get that point across.
Pat Sr., however, is just happy to have his son home so he can spend some time with him enjoying the one thing he does just as – if not more so – than his family: Philadelphia Eagles football. And since he lost his job, Pat Sr. has been using his beloved Eagles for profit, running a book keeping business that keeps him as his friend/football nemesis/Dallas Cowboys fan Randy (Paul Herman). Pat Sr. has plans to parlay the money into a restaurant business his other son Jake (Shea Wingham) can manage, but given the Eagles track record, that's quite a risk indeed.
Patrick's friend Ronnie (John Ortiz) is just happy to have his friend back home, especially since his own marriage to Veronica (Julia Stiles) isn't as great as it appears on the surface. As fate would have it, his best friend's dinner invite turns out to be the means by which he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a recently widowed dance enthusiast who might be just as, well, bonkers as Patrick. Equally hurting souls who don't quite have the best grip on reality, Patrick and Tiffany might just end up being the best thing that ever happened to each other ... If they can stay sane enough to find a silver lining in their situation first.
Released into the custody of his mother (Jacki Weaver) and father Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) back in Philly, Patrick is having trouble adjusting to his new life without his wife. But that's not stopping Patrick from his belief that they will get back together one day, for if there's one thing he learned while in Baltimore, it's that there can be a silver lining in any bad situation. It's also where he met his new friend Danny (Chris Tucker), but that's besides the point. Patrick's therapist Dr. Cliff Patel (Anupam Kher) keeps telling him he needs to develop a coping strategy especially since Nikki may not come back ... But it may take a few visits from his parole officer (Dash Mihok) to get that point across.
Pat Sr., however, is just happy to have his son home so he can spend some time with him enjoying the one thing he does just as – if not more so – than his family: Philadelphia Eagles football. And since he lost his job, Pat Sr. has been using his beloved Eagles for profit, running a book keeping business that keeps him as his friend/football nemesis/Dallas Cowboys fan Randy (Paul Herman). Pat Sr. has plans to parlay the money into a restaurant business his other son Jake (Shea Wingham) can manage, but given the Eagles track record, that's quite a risk indeed.
Patrick's friend Ronnie (John Ortiz) is just happy to have his friend back home, especially since his own marriage to Veronica (Julia Stiles) isn't as great as it appears on the surface. As fate would have it, his best friend's dinner invite turns out to be the means by which he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a recently widowed dance enthusiast who might be just as, well, bonkers as Patrick. Equally hurting souls who don't quite have the best grip on reality, Patrick and Tiffany might just end up being the best thing that ever happened to each other ... If they can stay sane enough to find a silver lining in their situation first.
THE TAKE: Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence ... Each has a major franchise under their respective belt, but save for those movies' financial success – The Hangover and The Hunger Games for those keeping score – their careers really haven't had a definitive acting performance. While each has had a couple different flicks that have tried to break them out and not let them be limited to those franchises, neither has really had that definitive career performance.
Until now – because their performances in Silver Linings Playbook have produced one of the best films of 2012.
While the entire cast's performances in the film, be it those of Ortiz, Tucker and Kher in particular are strong, Cooper and Lawrence drive Silver Linings Playbook with their strong emotional, humorous and most importantly – believable – turns. Look, as someone's who's seen a lot of romantic comedies in his lifetime, I've been able to learn that the majority of films that tackle the subject come down to one of two categories: Corny and over-the-top or simple, heartfelt and believable. Silver Linings Playbook is the latter.
Whereas Cooper makes you feel every emotional moment that is causing an extreme amount of emotional pain in his life, Lawrence counter balances it with enough strength to help Patrick (and thus the audience) in perspective. This in turn makes you root for the characters on their journey, feeling their highs, their lows and all points in between while Cooper and Lawrence – under the keen direction of David O. Russell (who also adapted Quick's book for the big screen) – take their lumps. Of course, it wouldn't be so entertaining to watch without the humor the duo interjects throughout the film that make their eventual fate so great.
I could spend a lot more time going into more details about what makes the film so great, but much like the Thanksgiving holiday this film will see its wide release on, there's no point. You wouldn't talk a great deal about how you made the turkey; you just want to dive in and enjoy it. Silver Linings Playbook, thanks to a great mix of humor, emotion, care and crafting under Russell's watch. You get the return of Chris Tucker (although likely not enough for some), the best acting De Niro has done in eons, the definitive role Cooper's been searching for to show his full range as an actor and Lawrence taking yet another step to establish herself as the next Natalie Portman. That's not to mention a film that shows just how American an experience football is, the pitfalls of modern living and just how special it is when people in need of understanding find each other.
That really is a silver lining after all.
Until now – because their performances in Silver Linings Playbook have produced one of the best films of 2012.
While the entire cast's performances in the film, be it those of Ortiz, Tucker and Kher in particular are strong, Cooper and Lawrence drive Silver Linings Playbook with their strong emotional, humorous and most importantly – believable – turns. Look, as someone's who's seen a lot of romantic comedies in his lifetime, I've been able to learn that the majority of films that tackle the subject come down to one of two categories: Corny and over-the-top or simple, heartfelt and believable. Silver Linings Playbook is the latter.
Whereas Cooper makes you feel every emotional moment that is causing an extreme amount of emotional pain in his life, Lawrence counter balances it with enough strength to help Patrick (and thus the audience) in perspective. This in turn makes you root for the characters on their journey, feeling their highs, their lows and all points in between while Cooper and Lawrence – under the keen direction of David O. Russell (who also adapted Quick's book for the big screen) – take their lumps. Of course, it wouldn't be so entertaining to watch without the humor the duo interjects throughout the film that make their eventual fate so great.
I could spend a lot more time going into more details about what makes the film so great, but much like the Thanksgiving holiday this film will see its wide release on, there's no point. You wouldn't talk a great deal about how you made the turkey; you just want to dive in and enjoy it. Silver Linings Playbook, thanks to a great mix of humor, emotion, care and crafting under Russell's watch. You get the return of Chris Tucker (although likely not enough for some), the best acting De Niro has done in eons, the definitive role Cooper's been searching for to show his full range as an actor and Lawrence taking yet another step to establish herself as the next Natalie Portman. That's not to mention a film that shows just how American an experience football is, the pitfalls of modern living and just how special it is when people in need of understanding find each other.
That really is a silver lining after all.
PARTING SHOT: The film that might help Bradley Cooper transition from just another pretty face into a serious Academy Award contender, Silver Linings Playbook is a must-see film that is also one of the best of 2012.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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