Silver Linings Playbook | Blogmas Day 2

Happy Blogmas Day 2!

Welcome to the first film review of the month! I've been meaning to upload this post for so long (it's been sitting in my drafts for like a month!), but when I decided to do Blogmas, I decided that this would be the perfect film to begin Blogmas with. Don't ask me why!

Despite its immense critical acclaim (including an Oscar for Jennifer Lawrence), it took me a ridiculously long time to get around to reviewing this film. But better late than never!

Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) has just left a mental institution, and he has some specific goals in mind: read more, lose weight, win his wife back. Of course, the restraining order makes that third part more difficult, nevertheless he is extremely determined. However, his chances improve when he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a girl who offers to give his estranged wife a letter from him - but there's a catch... he has to compete in a dance competition with her. As these two people deal with past relationships, mental illness and new beginnings, they begin to discover that maybe they found each other for a reason.

The concept of the film is extremely interesting. There are many films that use the subject of mental illness for the basis of a plot, most popularly done in horror movies such as 'Gothika', 'Shutter Island' and 'Split'. Using it as the basis of a drama/romance is very original and adds a new dimension that these horror films don't have, in the sense that we are already fully aware of the protagonists condition and are watching the journey of this person trying to deal with their already established illness.

The depiction of mental illness in this film is not only important, but accurate, which is something that makes the film as popular as it is. It doesn't sugar-coat the issues that Pat and Tiffany are going through, but it also doesn't make it seem like they are lost causes who are only happy because they've found each other. The movie makes it clear that these are issues that many people have. These two people happen to be going through completely different, yet related, things, and being together is just one way of dealing with these issues, as well as therapy and medication. At the end of the movie, these problems don't just disappear into think air, which is particularly important in this day and age.

One of the reasons that the depiction of mental illness is done so well in this film is because of the way that it is directed. David O. Russell took an extremely personal approach when directing this movie. As an audience member, at times you feel like you are living with Pat and his family. There are even times when you feel like you can hear his thoughts, you know exactly what's going on in his head. But what is also immediately striking is the way that the supporting characters react to Pat after he comes out of the mental institution. There are people who don't know how to react to him, old friends that try to treat him like nothing happened, and his parents, who really understand why he can't just slot back into his old life. These characters make this story particularly authentic.

And then there's the acting. With an amazing cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker, the acting really makes this film stand out against other dramatic romance movies. Every cast member completely brings their A-game and makes this film the Oscar winning piece of art that it is known as.

Overall, if you haven't seen this yet, definitely give it a watch. It tackles hard-hitting issues while still managing to have many light moments. A film that makes 2 hours feel like no time at all.

8.5/10 stars!

It's 23 days until Christmas!

Come back tomorrow for Blogmas day 3!