Silver Linings Playbook - 2012 - Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence.

Very enjoyable, interesting take on mental illness but predictable.

Pat Jr. (Bradley Cooper) is a bi-poler man who suffers with violent mood swings, he comes out of a spell in a mental hospital with the aim of getting his life back on track. All of Pat's energy is focused on getting back with his wife Nikki, who has a restraining order out against him following Pat one day leaving work early only to come home to find his wife in the shower with another man -- whilst listening to their wedding song. Pat is forced to move back in with his parents, Pat Sr. and Dolores (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver), which may not be so wise given that Pat Sr's temper is just as volatile as his son's, whilst also having serious OCD when it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles. In Pat Jr's efforts to win back his wife he may be able to gain the help of, also mentally unstable, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), but only providing he helps her in return.

This film is a rom-com, yet David O. Russell (The Fighter - 2010) adds elements of drama, including violence and arguments, instead of the whimsical comedy accompanied by an indie soundtrack that fills so much of the genre. These elements of drama hide the predicable ending as much as possible, although Russell  struggles with this during the last quarter of the film, as Pat Jr's anger seems to evaporate as an issue which leads to the happily ever after ending associated with this genre.

Before watching this film, I was unsure of what to expect from Bradley Cooper's performance. With his back-catalogue of films being heavily comedic, I was fearful of whether he would try to be too comedic in his  portrayal of the mentally unstable. However, for me, Cooper is the stand-out performer in this picture as he gives an edgy and extremely physical performance as Pat Jr, a character who's rage and impulses are so unpredictable. As for Jennifer Lawrence, I cannot wait to see her next film. She has altered from her previous roles as a strong, detached girl, to this vulnerable, unstable and erratic woman in Silver Linings Playbook.

Russell veers away from the norms of the rom-com genre as much as he can, yet the ending is just too predictable. Great acting all around.

7/10

J.Henderson.