Silver Linings Playbook

My review: Silver Linings Playbook

People with mental illness like Bipolar affective disorder and Nymphomania also have romantic feelings like the so called "normal" people. How the protagonists unite fighting against the emotionally draining and challenging mental illness they suffer from form the crux of the story of "Silver Linings Playbook". Brilliant writing, neat direction and above all, excellent acting marks "Silver Linings Playbook" which has been nominated in eight categories for the Academy awards including Best film, direction, actor, actress, supporting actor and actress.

Directed by David O.Russell, who has also written the screenplay adapted from  Matthew Quick's novel of the same name. The story and screenplay beautifully captures the difficulties and stigma that the people suffering from mental illness like BPAD go through and how the illness create challenges in their performance of daily routine activities. It is an interesting premise where two people united by mental illness but with different outlook towards life, both trying to cope with failed marriages getting involved in a relationship which gets muddled by the impulsivity, impaired judgement and emotional dyscontrol. How their relationship triumphs over these challenges is told in a light-hearted yet impactful manner.

Only thing is that the phenomenology of the symptoms from which the lead pair suffer from could have been a bit more clearly portrayed.

Main attraction of the movie is the power packed acting by the lead actors. Bradley Cooper is a revelation in this  movie. As a partially treated, drug non-compliant  Bipolar patient with periodic breakdowns, he has done his part exceedingly well. A well deserved nomination for him. The effortless manner in which he has shown myriad of emotions with subtlety intact for a even minor tilt in balance would have become contemptible needs appreciation.

Jennifer Lawrence is brilliant. Her portrayal of Tiffany, a recovering Nymphomaniac is astounding for the fact that she successfully manages to bring in streaks of  vulnerability underneath a hard-nosed exterior. The hot and cold relationship she has with Pat is portrayed with conviction. She was very unlucky to miss out on the best actress award couple of years ago for a more power packed performance in "Winter's Bone". If luck is in her side she might walk away with the statue this time around.

Veterans Robert Di Nero and Jacki Weaver, who are also nominated from supporting actor and actress awards respectively have done their job very well. Chrish Tucker and Anupam Kher make up  one of the finest ensemble in recent times.

On the whole, "Silver Linings Playbook" is one of the best feel-good romantic drama in recent times with an underlay of dark-humour throughout. Watch out for the crew in the Academy awards, especially Ms. Jennifer Lawrence.

Bottomline: Triumph of the human mind.

3.5/5