Monday, November 19, 2012

Silver Linings Playbook


Pat Solitano is a man defeated. When we meet Pat (Bradley Cooper), he is fresh off a stint at a mental hospital for beating the shit out of his wife's lover, and because he now has no house, job, or wife, he is forced to move back in with his kind, overbearing mother (Jacki Weaver), and his compulsive gambling father (Robert De Niro). Both parents don’t seem to mind throwing Pat in the attic, so long as he’s well behaved.

And little do they know.

So, not only is Pat defeated, but he suffers from a gamut of disorders that are ultimately hindering his recovery. Bipolar disorder being chief among them, but delusions of grandeur deserves specific mention as well. Pat truly thinks that if he can prove he’s a changed me, his wife will take him back. Fair enough, I suppose. Problem is, Pat thinks that if he runs routinely, eats properly, and reads the book syllabus his wife instructed her students to read the year before, then that will merit his worth.
First question: Uhh… really? Answer: You better believe it. It may sound like a silly concept for a movie, but that is precisely what David O. Russell’s masterful dramedy is: sillier than all hell. The entire film is executed with a farcical tone that will either fly or die with the viewer. It’s the kind of movie where the camera is ceaselessly in movement, characters talk over one another, usually answering a question before the question is finished being asked, supporting characters pop up and out randomly – anything for the laugh. Its tone reminded me of Werner Herzog’s batshit crazy Bad Lieutenant in the sense that we shouldn’t believe what’s happening on screen, but because of the conviction of everyone involved, it’s simply impossible not to.

Aside from the minor plot details I’ve revealed, Silver Linings Playbook isn’t too keen on setting an agenda. Shortly into the picture, Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) through a friend and the two kick off what has to be one of the best, most non-traditional romances of contemporary cinema. I’ve made Pat’s afflictions clear, but I’ll leave Tiffany’s a surprise. Let me just say that it is oh so comforting to have a character like Pat issued his unique match in all the best ways.

Bradley Cooper is a guy I’ve rooted for from the beginning, for reasons I can’t really explain. But everytime I was willing to give him an inch, he’d throw back a lame performance in a garbage film. I mention this because Silver Linings Playbook deserves to be his final flip. No more All About Steves, no more Valentines Days, no more Hangovers – let his role as Pat send him to the top tier for an undetermined amount of time. The dude simply nails it.
Opposite of Cooper’s career is Jennifer Lawrence’s, an actress I’ve loved in damn near everything I’ve seen her in. Her Tiffany is so layered in self-loathing and regret that it is at times quite difficult to watch. But make no mistake, this is a 22-year-old firecracker who holds her own and them some, toeing the line with some seriously heavy players and having a fucking ball doing it. I loved her here.

Steadily filling out the cast is Weaver, a recently Oscar nominee for her searing work in Animal Kingdom, who plays Pat’s mother with reserved tenacity, Chris Tucker as Pat’s steadfast friend, Julia Stiles as Tiffany’s desperate housewife of a sister, and Shea Whigham as Pat’s much-better-liked brother. All do great work in their respective roles, but really, folks, the show is about one man.
I’ve written extensively on this blog about the lost powers of Robert De Niro. For my money, the man hasn’t delivered a truly De Niro-worthy performance since Heat, and has more or less vanished into direct-to-DVD cops and robbers purgatory. So, at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I will say that his angry, remorseful, hilariously off-kilter performance here is worthy of an Oscar. The man’s still got it. You bet your ass.

I go back and forth with David O. Russell. His Three Kings is one of the best films I’ve ever seen, but most of his other movies have faults that I’m unable to look past (i.e. horrible fighting scenes in a movie called The Fighter). No matter, what he has done with Silver Linings Playbook is wholly unique. Expect a fleet of Oscar nominations here and possibly a few wins. It could even make it all the way, and that’d be damn fine. Damn fine indeed. A

36 comments:

  1. Great review man. I think Cooper might actually sneak in for a Best Actor nod over Denzel Washington, but it's still too early to call.

    I really don't get what the studio is doing with this film though. The trailer has been attached to loads of films, but it's only opening on 420 screens later this week. Even Drive had a wider release. Oh well. Hopefully, I'll get to see it soon.

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    1. Thanks dude! That's funny, I just heard they were throwing in an 11th hour distribution switch, something about releasing it in a few theaters this past Friday, then wider come Wednesday. They're going for the slow, word-of-mouth release, because it does have a shot at several nominations.

      While I loved Cooper here, if it came down to he and Washington, I'd prefer Washington gets the nom. That's the best lead male acting I've seen so far this year.

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    2. Yeah, I get that the studio wants to do that, but 400 screens just doesn't seem like enough. 800 sounds more viable, given the number of times I've seen the trailer before other movies. It just seems like they're advertising it to everyone, but not releasing it to them. Still, it will likely get an even larger release come Oscar time. Fingers crossed. :)

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    3. Yeah man, this is one film I can guarantee will be everywhere by the time Oscar season rolls around. Don't you worry!

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  2. The fact that this film might be the return of de Niro is getting me excited... if it's playing nearby.

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    1. I don't know if it'll be THE return, permanently, but it is a worthy return for two hours, that's for damn sure. If it isn't playing nearby now, don't worry, it will be soon.

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  3. Wow, really all I hear are good things about this one, it's surprising considering I don't hold either of the two leads in high regard. I mean Cooper is bad to just passably OK in what I've seen of him, and Lawrence has just been Bland in X-men and Hunger Games. But, looks like I'll be seeking this one out whenever it come here.

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    1. Hey man, fair enough about your thoughts on the two leads. Let me just say that they are as far from bland as possible here. They completely own their roles and the material. I was in awe of them and the rest of the cast. So deserving of the acclaim they are receiving.

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  4. I completely agree with everything you've said here. This IS the most nontraditional Hollywood romcom I've seen in a while (if at all), and it's hard NOT to root for Cooper's character. While Lawrence is getting all the buzz, I honestly thought Cooper stole the show over Lawrence. Don't get me wrong, she was brilliant, and one of my favorite actors as of recently, but I guess I was blown away by Cooper because this movie showed his true acting chops.

    And, yes. Robert di Nero...it's about time you put yourself in a grade A film!

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    1. LOVE that we agree 100% here. Awesome movie, perfect acting. Dig it!

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  5. I do disagree with some of your points here. For one, I thought that Cooper was awful in this role. And I'm a fan of (some) of his work, but the entire first act is hinging on him and it falls flat. The film really didn't pick up for me until Lawrence was involved. I loved DeNiro and I LOVED Lawrence.
    Did you find it odd or strange that Chris Tucker played a complete stereotype? (always cracking a joke here and there, even though Cooper and DeNiro's mental afflictions lead to funny moments they are still treated with a serious tone but Tucker's mental issues are almost always the butt of a joke) and Anupam Kher was Indian and therefore all wise and knowing? Idk. It was little things like this that really drove me to dislike the film.
    Great review though! I always enjoy reading.

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    1. See, that's really interesting to me. It doesn't seem like you had a problem with the film's overall tone, or the other actors' work, only Cooper's. Very interesting. I obviously really dug his work here, but I can understand how and why people would not, so fair enough, no doubt.

      Honestly didn't pick up on any racial stereotypes whatsoever in this, and I try to be pretty aware of that stuff. I thought the film painted everyone in an appropriately pathetic and earnest light. But, again, your thoughts are interesting to me.

      Although we disagree, thanks so much for reading and commenting. I love having constructive film discussions.

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  6. Ever since Winter's Bone, I'm a little bit in love with Jennifer Lawrence. Looking forward to this movie.

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    1. Oh me too. She is so good in that film, and (maybe) even better here.

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  7. Ah maaaaaan, I'm so looking forward to this one! I too have always believed in Cooper right from the beginning. He's a good guy. And I really wanna see Jennifer Lawrence in a role like that. I adore her, and I'm glad that it's going to be easy for her to break out of The Hunger Games, unlike Kristen Stewart with Twilight.

    And yay for De Niro being back in the game!

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    1. It's SO good! That's funny, I've been thinking a lot about the Lawrence/Stewart dynamic, and I think it all comes down to one cold hard fact: that Kristen Stewart simple cannot act. I loved her work in Into the Wild, but that is it. I've seen most every other thing she's done, and it just does not hit. Oh well, yay for Lawrence.

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  8. Each day that passes, the more this one lingers in my mind, the more I fall in love with it.

    I love that comparison to "Bad Lieutenant." That's just fantastic. I never would have thought of it but you're right. Spot on. The tone of this movie is just......all it's own. So refreshing.

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    1. Ha, thanks man. I was hoping someone would appreciate that. The absurd tone of those films felt so similar to me. Batshit and fun. Loved this damn flick.

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  9. One of my favorite flicks of the year and maybe I'm a little biased because it was all filmed in my home-land, but still, I loved it. There was just something so smart, so endearing, and so beautiful about the screwball story, of basically, two screwballs finding their ways in life and to each other that just got me. It was great. Awesome review my man.

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    1. Thanks Dan! Hey man, biased or not, this film hit in all the best ways. I loved every minute of it. A seriously great thing here.

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  10. Great review! I'm really looking forward to seeing this, hope it comes to a theater near me.

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    1. Thanks! Oh, as Oscar time gets closer, this will open everywhere, don't you worry!

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  11. Great review! I really can't wait for this movie, I love love stories with dysfunctional characters and it's been years since I saw good performance from DeNiro, though he was allright in Everybody's Fine.

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    1. Thanks! This flick is dysfunctional personified, in the best ways possible. De Niro just fuckin' kills it. Can't speak highly enough of his work here.

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  12. I've been looking forward to this movie all year - and I just finished reading the book. I looking forward to comparing the two at my blog! Nice review! :D

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    1. Can't wait for you to see it, it's so good! Russell has been pretty clear in interviews that the movie is not at all like the book, so I'll be curious to read your comparison.

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  13. So keen for this, not screening in Aus till Feb either. May just read your review instead of waiting and coming back to it haha. I quite like Lawrence and Cooper already so this should appeal even more to me.

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    1. I promise I don't give anything big away in my review, so read away! Too bad you have to wait so long for this one, but it's definitely worth it.

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  14. Great review, Alex! I loved this movie. I didn't see Pat's desire to win back his wife as all that crazy. So the plot line worked for me. Great acting and fresh concepts. Thanks for reviewing! I'm sad to hear its making its way so slowly to screens everywhere.

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    1. Thanks! I don't think Pat wanting his wife back is crazy, but I think his methods of trying to get her back were ass backwards. It'll have a slow release, but in a few weeks, it'll be damn near everywhere. Sho'Nuff.

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  15. I really can't wait to see this one, sounds very good and I like the fact it's silly, yet still it delivers. The only thing I don't like is that Jennnifer Lawrence (who I love very much) is already getting huge reviews and enormous pressure because of this role and I am afraid many will get bored of the favorite, a phenomenon that happens every year. Plus, let's not forget that she is young and not extremely known, so that might hurt her chances to an Oscar, although I am rooting for her for sure.

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    1. I completely understand your aversion to the hyperbolic buzz. I'm so lucky I had a chance to see this at a film festival, before it hit regular cinemas, for that reason exactly. All's I can offer is that the film, and Lawrence's work in it, are definitely worthy of the hype. They're that good.

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  16. I FINALLY SAW THIS TODAY! And then I went to Letterboxd and couldn't find your rating, so I trawled through your archive to find (well, not really 'trawled' but you know)...
    It was a lovely, lovely film and JLaw (yes, I call her that now) was outstanding. My annoyance at Riva not winning an Oscar has now been lessened, because yes, I agree, her role as Tiffany was definitely Oscar worthy.
    Alas for Bradley Cooper, he still has one Hangover film to go! But maybe now he'll stop accepting those type scripts for a while. He was outstanding, truly inhabited his character.
    As a film about dealing and coping with mental illness, I thought it was nicely done, but without trying to spoil it in the comments (though I guess it's been long enough for most people to have seen it) I feel like the ending maybe wraps things up a bit too nicely? I just finished a book in which the main character deals with severe depression, and one of the things that was reiterated was that it's different for every person and it's episodic. The character says that she's been through it before, and it's changed her, and she'll be dealing with it forever now. She'll be at places she is 'better' but she'll never be completely as she was. I think SLP could have emphasised that a bit more perhaps, it felt very happily ever after in a way. But what I did love was that EVERYONE was dealing with something in this film - EVERYONE! And you're right - it's silly, and crazy, and hard as it is to believe what we're seeing, we just do!

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    1. Also, are Cooper/Lawrence going to become the new on-screen duo now? They have at least two more films together later this year apparently...

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    2. You know, I initially thought the same exact thing about the ending... too neat and sweet. And, of all things, it was David Lynch's flicks that made me realize, No, that's okay, sometimes stories have happy endings. I don't want to spoil the Lynch flicks I'm referring to (incase you haven't seen them) but a few of his movies are very very dark but have perfect, bow-wrapped endings. Lynch means it to be ironic, which certainly isn't David O. Russell's intent. But my point is, I was satisfied with the SLP ending. Will they be all right forever? No, certainly not. But they're well on their way.

      Thanks SO MUCH for trawling your way through my reviews to check this one out. I really appreciate it!

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