Silver Linings Playbook was my favorite surprise from the impressive list of 2012’s contenders. I was aware of the cutesy trailers that used the Lumineer’s catchy Ho-Hey in a creative fashion and also blew up the song’s airplay. I saw boring, cocky Bradley Cooper playing a manic depressive guy who calls out Ernest Hemingway and likes to jog wearing a trashbag. There was the girl with the serious sass from Hunger Games who supposedly can act like a mother, but I’d rather stroll around downtown Baghdad than watch that movie. DeNiro was there in the background, likely playing a variation of his dad from Meet the Parents. Yada yada, I gave it a shot and it had me on my feet at the end. A lot of punch is packed into not a lot of movie, and the small, simple feel of SLP makes for a heartwarming story by the finish line, or endzone.
The movie follows Pat (Bradley Cooper) as he moves back into his parent’s (Jacki Weaver and Mr. Robert DeNiro) home, rebounding from a stint in rehab. Little by little, the incident that sparked the rehab and counseling is revealed and it isn’t pretty. Pat’s wife cheated on him and he all but destroyed her lover. Jennifer Lawrence is Tiffany, who is rebounding as well, specifically from her police officer husband recently died. The two are directionless and struggle to find an even keel. (Direction is a major theme of the film, just look at all of the jogging scenes) It is when they begin to interact with each other that their individual problems begin to iron themselves out, and it becomes evident that the two need to be together. When they’re apart is when their demons come out to haunt them. This little journey has a fantastic finish, and you end up really rooting for the characters. Sure, its predictable. Maybe too much of a feel-good climax given the darker themes running under the surface. And how the heck does that parole officer constantly appear when it’s convenient?? But man is it fun once you get there. Excelsior!
Bradley Damn Cooper. All the hype from the past five or so years, I’m finally sold. The guy taps into potential I wasn’t aware he had, and it’s a pleasure seeing him move away from the pretty boy shtick. In SLP he moves from absolutely disturbing during his bi-polar episodes to laugh-out-loud funny. The scene where medications are casually discussed at the dinner table gets some of the most laughs. Having said this, I hesitate to put pretty boy up in the ranks of a Colin Firth or Depp. Similar to my consensus of Brad Pitt, the two have all of the makings and pedigree of leading men, but their best work will come out of supporting roles. I have a hunch that this will play out through Cooper’s career. Lawrence is great also, and gives a natural performance. Her attitude intimidates and she owns whatever room she enters. The chemistry between her and Cooper is there, and their casual discussions about their problems hit it out of the park. Eyes peeled for her. DeNiro gives his best work in years, and his go get ‘em speech at the end is awesome:
“I know you don’t want to listen to your father. I didn’t listen to mine. Let me tell ya. You gotta pay attention to signs. When life reaches out with a moment like this, it’s a sin if you don’t reach back… I’m telling you. And if you don’t reach back, it’ll haunt you for the rest of your days like a curse. You’re facing a big challenge in your life. Right now, at this very moment. Right here. That girl loves you. She really, really loves you. And I don’t know if that other girl ever did but she sure as hell doesn’t love you right now. And I’m telling ya, don’t mess this up”
*It’s also fun to see a thicker and matured Chris Tucker playing Cooper’s buddy from rehab. Could this lead to more and increasing dramatic roles for him? Here’s hoping…I see a budding Danny Glover.
I’m only relatively familiar with director David O. Russell’s work – The Fighter is a near perfect film and could have picked up Best Picture in 2010 if not for the equally great King’s Speech (Very pleased to see my man Christian Bale pick up some hardware for his unbelievably convincing turn as prizefighter who hit rock bottom. How is that possibly the same guy that played Bruce Wayne!?) Russell has a very realist approach and this style lends to very human moments. The budget was just over 20 million but it feels as if the director followed the characters from place to place with a camcorder.
I see SLP as becoming a timeless classic. It has all the conventions of 1950’s slapstick comedy and could have just as well been made then. The go-to plot device then was man or woman drop papers on the sidewalk, both bend down to pick them up and bump heads. Instant attraction, and a tug-of-war to find each other again by the end. This is how SLP works, though the bumping of heads is more of a collision. Well worth watching this tale of fixing broken wings and finding that silver lining play out.
Heavy Pics 