Monday 18 November 2013

FILM: Silver Linings Playbook (8/10)

Why did I watch it?
Due to the hype, nominations and awards I always meant to catch this film but it never appealed to me as much as some of the other films out at the time like Lincoln, Life of Pi etc. Anyway, the Mrs was keen to watch it (a film with Bradley Cooper and dancing!) so we did.

What's it all about?
Recently released from a mental hospital, bi-polar Pat (Bradley Cooper) moves back in with his parents and focuses everything on getting back together with his estranged wife, despite the fact she took out a restraining order against him. Back in town he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), recently widowed and with her own problems, who needs a dancing partner.








The Good:
  • A different take on the old romantic comedy story
  • Interesting story that combines American football, mental illness and dancing.
  • Great cast and absorbing performances all around, personally I thought Bradley Cooper's was slightly superior to Jennifer Lawrence's. It wasn't interesting to see Cooper use some of mannerisms from this film again in The Place Beyond the Pines.
  • Features the Philadelphia Eagles, my favourite NFL team.
The Bad:
  • Cooper's intense portrayal of his character can take a little getting used to at the offset.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Eagle's jersey
Favourite line:
'You say more inappropriate things than appropriate things.' - Tiffany

Stand-out moment:
Either the dancing competition (not as off-beat as the one from Little Miss Sunshine but it does have bi-polar tendencies) or Pat waking his parents in the middle of the night to rant about the Ernest Hemingway book he is reading having an unhappy ending. 

Like the film? Watch: Little Miss Sunshine
Like the director? Watch: The Fighter, upcoming American Hustle (starring Cooper and Lawrence again).

What my wife said: Disappointed, 'the only reason to watch this film is because it has Bradley Cooper in'.

What the world thinks:
Rotten Tomatoes - 92%
Metacritic - 81/100
LAMB Score - 4.26/5
Twitter -

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