If you aren't a fan of Bradley Cooper then skip this movie because his face is all over this puppy. Silver Linings Playbook stars Bradley who plays Pat who suffers with bi-polar. He had a serious incident which landed him in an mental institution in Baltimore. He is a manic man who seems to be unwilling to deal with the break up of his marriage. There's an orders of protection out for Pat who lives with his parents Robert DeNiro who plays Pat Sr. and Jacki Weaver who plays Dolores. Pat so desperately wants to get his life back together and have things go back to the way they were before his "episode" that he is willing to do practically anything. He really wants to reconnect with his estranged wife Nikki played by Brea Bee, who has that orders of protection out against Pat. The other is a restraining order for the school Pat used to work at as a high school history teacher. His encounter with a member of the faculty is hilarious.
The rest of the talented cast includes Chris Tucker (who is finally in a movie without Jackie Chan) who plays Pat's good friend from the mental institution named Danny, Julia Stiles playing Veronica, John Ortiz who plays Ronnie, and the lovely Jennifer Lawrence (who I may now have a small crush on) as Tiffany. Ronnie and Veronica are unhappily married and Tiffany is Veronica's sister who is either sanely crazy or crazily sane, I'm still not sure. She does though have some of the best lines and moments in this movie and it shows her abilities as an actor in a way The Hunger Games has failed to, so far. Most of the lines are in the trailer but she has a few other great ones that make Pat rethink things. She opens up a door Pat has padlocked since his episode. Especially when she agrees to break the law for Pat.
Tiffany agrees to help Pat do something he shouldn't do but she wants something in return, she wants him to dance with her. She wants to dance in a dance competition and her deceased husband never would when he was alive. The deal is struck and Pat and Tiffany begin to practice and throughout their practicing does Pat finally see the bigger picture about him and his life. This movie to me, while choppy and hard to follow at times is all about love. The love of family, friends, and the Philadelphia Eagles (which as a Cowboys fan offends me to my core but whatever). It's about the sacrifices you make for those you love and how they sacrifice for you no matter what.
If you don't mind a movie that deals with mental illness at its forefront, a movie that kind of indicates that maybe those with mental illnesses actually live better lives than those without, because they live life without hiding behind walls then see Playbook. There is no visual feast for the eyes (again unless you like Bradley Cooper) but the performances are top notch. And while it's given a lukewarm score by Danny Elfman, one you will definitely forget, there are songs that you will remember and want on your ipod. Silver Linings Playbook is worth the money and be careful because it just may make you look at life (and the mentally ill) in a completely different way. I'll see you at the theater!
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