Thanks to the
From the Red Carpet film club I got a pair of free tickets to see The Silver
Linings Playbook. My wife has read the book and was telling me all about it and
became immediately dismayed when she saw the first trailer and the casting of
Bradley Cooper. However I think the film sort of won her over with a few
reservations. I liked it more than I expected to.
Taking some
giant steps away from the source book in order to make a much more conventional
rom-com, it is still an enjoyable film with very interesting characters and
some great performances.
Despite going on
a bit long and straying far too close to convention for much of the last half, Lawrence,
Cooper and De Niro are very impressive and playing some seriously interesting
characters compared to the average rom-rom.
The book really
highlights the obsession of Pat much more and makes it far more obvious and sad
that he is never going to get his wife Nikki back. Nevertheless Cooper is
excellent but Jennifer Lawrence really steals the film.
Lawrence as
Tiffany is brave, funny, a little bit crazy and very slutty but always
completely sympathetic and believable.
She balances the serious with the humorous perfectly.
Cooper shows
much more chops than in his other films.
It is great to watch him in something that strays from the typical
boorish comedies of his past.
The chemistry
between Cooper and Lawrence is excellent with their dancing and verbal sparring
being wonderful to watch. Both stars
inhabit complicated characters going through big changes and both looking for
their silver linings and happily finding each other. Her stand off with De Niro’s Pat Sr. is a
rousing shakedown that leaves De Niro flustered. Unfortunately it becomes far
too obvious as with most rom-coms where this is heading.
De Niro is great
as the OCD Pat Sr. It is a role that gives him more of an opportunity to
stretch his acting muscles than anything we have seen him in recently. It is refreshing to see him tackling a less
masculine role than his usual and even shedding a tear or two.
As the film’s
final third takes a turn for the very, very conventional, the dance competition
and Pat and Tiffany’s relationship becomes far less interesting and the film
feels as though it could have been wrapped up quicker. It is a shame that it decides to stick so slavishly
to rom-com conventions, particularly from director David O. Russell.
The comedy is definitely the selling
point. Despite the serious parts and
subject matter, it is the comedy that keeps you caring for the characters and
enjoying the film.
Silver Linings has some far more
interesting characters than the average rom-com but it’s a real shame the story
gets so straight jacketed by convention. It is entertaining but not worth going
crazy over.
What did you think ladies and gentleman?
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