Silver Linings Playbook (DVD REVIEW)
Silver Linings Playbook
DVD Review
by Kam Williams
Jennifer Lawrence Turns in Oscar-Winning Performance in Tenderhearted Tale of
Love
Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) completely lost it the day he came home early
from work to find his wife (Brea Bee) naked in the shower with one of her
colleagues (Ted Barba). In fact, he proceeded to beat up her lover so badly
that the only way he avoided a prison sentence was by agreeing to enter a
mental hospital.
That was eight months ago and now that
he’s being discharged he’s eager to reconcile and reunite with Nikki. But
that’s not gonna happen, because she’s so afraid of his temper that she sold
their house and got a restraining order issued against him.
And she has good reason to be
concerned, since her ex has been diagnosed as bipolar with depression and anger
management issues. Consequently, with no wife, job or home to return to, the
state releases Pat to the custody of his parents (Robert De Niro and Jacki
Weaver), although he considers the move temporary.
While suffering under the delusion
that Nikki will come back to him soon, he is introduced to a recently-widowed
neighbor (Jennifer Lawrence). As luck would have it, Tiffany happens to
afflicted with a very compatible set of weird neuroses.
She confides in him that she’s been
very promiscuous as of late, and that she was fired for sleeping with just
about everybody in her office. A Platonic friendship is gradually forged
between the two, with chivalrous Pat protecting rather than further exploiting
the vulnerable young woman. Meanwhile, Tiffany agrees to secretly deliver
forbidden letters to his estranged wife so long as he promises to be her dance
partner in an upcoming ballroom competition.
Adapted from the Matthew Quick novel
of the same name, Silver Linings Playbook is a
tenderhearted tale about two terribly wounded souls who survive by grudgingly
leaning on each other’s shoulder. Written and directed by David O. Russell (The
Fighter), this charming little film landed a Best Actress Oscar for Jennifer Lawrence who exhibited an impressive
acting range in service of an emotionally-demanding role.
Her stellar supporting cast was at
its best when providing comic relief, especially Anupam Kher as Pat’s eccentric
shrink, Chris Tucker as his motor-mouthed pal, and Robert De Niro as his
obsessive-compulsive father. Credit director Russell for keeping the audience
captivated and in suspense for the duration with the help of a
cleverly-concealed script as well as a motley crew of colorful characters.
A slice-of-life romantic romp
revolving around a couple of unstable misfits who take forever to wake up and realize they’ve found one another.
Excellent
(4 stars)
Rated R for profanity, sexuality and nudity
Running time: 122 minutes
Distributor: Starz / Anchor Bay
Blu-ray/DVD Combo
Pack Extras: Deleted scenes; Dance Rehearsal; Learn to Dance Like Pat &
Tiffany; Going Steadicam with Bradley Cooper; Q&A Highlights; and Silver
Linings Playbook: The Movie That Became a Movement.
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