There's some thematic spoilers below. Consider yourself warned.
Who would have known that David O'Russell, better known for making films with dark edges, could make such a great romantic comedy. Granted, calling Silver Linings Playbook a romantic comedy is perhaps a broad misnomer given that the film deals with characters suffering from mental illness and doesn't treat them lightly. But it's rare to see a movie that make you root for the main characters to be together these days, something that many mainstream hollywood romantic comedy just simply doesn't even try to anymore. Perhaps this is due to the flawless chemistry between leads Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and/or the excellent script that keeps everything mostly grounded in somber reality but the romance and laughter in this film is truly heartfelt and which makes this the best hollywood romantic comedy since, in my opinion, "Definitely, Maybe".
Pat Solitano Jr (Bradley Cooper) just got released early from a mental institution. He was originally committed due to a violent assault on his ex-wife's lover - triggered by bipolar disorder - upon the discovery of their affair. Pat's newfound overly focused, optimistic and no bullshit attitude to combat his bipolar disorder can hardly disguise the fact that he's trying to get his ex-wife back. It was an impossible, thankless task because she has filed a restraining order against him and nearly everyone he knows including his friends, doctor and parents (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver) don't support him and would prefer him to move on. Undeterred, Pat seeks the help of Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a friend's sister in-law who's still in touch with his ex-wife. Tiffany also happens to have her own mental issues: since her husband's death she's been sleeping with as many people as possible. After a serendipitious first meeting in which both exchanged witty spars over mental drugs and each other's mental problems, they made a deal where Tiffany would deliver Pat's letter to his ex-wife in exchange with Pat becoming her dance partner in an upcoming dance competition. While both are working to keep their end of bargain, they would have to face some unanswered questions: will Tiffany admit that Pat is the first real love she had since her husband's death and the whole dance training is just an excuse to spend more time with him? Will Pat realize that beneath the focused determination to get his ex-wife back, he too has developed feelings for Tiffany? Will the struggle with their respective mental problems greatly hinder their goals and even prevent them from admitting their feelings to each other? Meanwhile, Pat Sr, who has an unhealthy fan worship of the local Philadelphia Eagles himself, wonders why his son is not spending more time with him to watch the Eagles on TV together.
Silver Linings works so well because David O'Russell script (based on the novel by Matthew Quick) is smart and balanced enough to know when to be funny and romantic while everything else is grounded at dark, hard reality. Because of this, we can both laugh with the protagonists without losing empathy and respect for them. This is particularly shown by how Pat braves his mental disorder with spirited snark and disbelief and the aforementioned first meeting scene where Pat and Tiffany verbally spar over who's crazier. What the script does even better is to elevate the romance by developing their relationship naturally in a gradual, believable manner. While Pat's romantic trajectory is typical of a character who's in denial of his feelings to the match until it's too late; it's Tiffany's romantic trajectory that's interesting and truly brings life the romance because it is strongly tied to her recovery from her problems. After their first meeting, Tiffany casually offered to sleep with Pat as she always did to other people but his unexpected rejection forced her to wake up. Later on, when Pat (who still needs her to pass his letter to his ex-wife) chased away another guy who was trying to sleep with her and said he thinks she's better person than that while being unaware that she was secretly listening, she realized that for the first time since her husband's death, there's someone who, even if done with ulterior motive, sees her as a better person than what her shameful reputation suggest and this may have triggered a transformation in her to stop running away from her demons by sleeping around and start fighting them. Subtle developments like this that work make you root for them to be together in the end.
At times, Silver Linings Playbook remind me of a classic film set in Philadelphia: Rocky. Both films are set in lower middle class neighborhood (O'Russell has brought with him the similar tough, gritty, handheld filming style that worked so well in his previous film, The Fighter that's set in blue collar Boston). Both films have their main character(s) truly struggling with deep unhappy personal issues set in a tough neighbourhood. While Rocky is a sports drama with some romance thrown in and Silver Lining Playbook is a romantic drama with a little sports thrown in, both are in a way cinderella story where their protagonist(s) overcome their struggles in the end to a rousing climax. The best part about both is of course both have audience rooting for them and cheering for them all the way in the end. In a way, Silver Lining Playbook has become another Philadelphia classic too.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O'Russell
Written by David O'Russell based on the novel of the same name by Matthew Quick
Produced by Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupham Kher, John Ortiz, Julia Stiles
