At the Theater - "Silver Linings Playbook" - This slice-of-life tale of a former teacher (Bradley Cooper) trying to cope with Bi-Polar disorder and obsessed with winning back his ex-wife is my pick for best Drama/Comedy of 2012 (held over for wide release until the early part of January 2013) and should net Jennifer Lawrence one of those little golden men- it's funny, involving and well written, featuring rich characters and excellent, genuine performances across the board... even Chris Tucker isn't annoying. I'm comfortable in saying that it would make a great companion piece to As Good As It Gets.
Director David O. Russell (Three Kings, The Fighter) has somehow successfully crafted a heartfelt, balanced Rom-Com that's edgy yet playful in dealing with what is normally considered darker subject matter. It's a film that I believe both men and women could equally appreciate- those looking to pass it off as a simple "Chick-Flick" would be wholly misguided. What I found most refreshing is that the film never approaches poor taste in dealing with the subject matter and doesn't resort to cheap toilet humor.
While Bradley Cooper's troubled but determined "Pat Solitano" (The A Team) is one of the more charismatic film characters of 2012, Jennifer Lawrence (X-Men: First Class), as "Tiffany", is outstanding as the recently widowed young woman with troubles of her own who takes an immediate shine to Pat. The 22 year old actress masters a full range of emotion and displays a depth well beyond her years- her distinct beauty coupled with an amazing amount of talent (I prefer her as a brunette) should solidify her as a talent to expect great things from for many years to come. There's an authentic chemistry between the two leads which is extremely rare in the vast majority of the Drama/Comedy hybrids shelled out every year by Hollywood- their onscreen relationship, along with some very strong give-and-take dialogue, invigorates the film throughout.
Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) portray Pat's parents in the film- while Weaver is very good in a limited turn (I wish there had been more chances for her to shine, as she's highly capable), De Niro's obsessive/compulsive gambler is clearly his strongest role since 2001's The Score. Let's just say you'll understand where a good deal of Pat's mental issues stem from...
Chris Tucker pops up a few times throughout the film as a sort of running gag- I'm not entirely sure his character was necessary, though he puts in solid, restrained work. I've rarely liked the actor in his previous films, but he was pretty cool here.
John Ortiz (Fast & Furious) is splendid in a limited but poignant role as a close friend of Pat's that's feeling the pressure of married life and impending fatherhood while Julia Stiles (The Bourne Supremecy) is serviceably icy as his overbearing wife. Anupam Kher (Bend It Like Beckham) portrays one of the niftiest screen psychiatrists in recent memory with Shea Whigham (HBO's Boardwalk Empire) rounding out the notable cast as Pat's brother.
My only real complaint with this film would concern a climactic dance competition that is somewhat undercooked- what should have been a highly memorable and entertaining routine is disappointingly handled by the filmmakers with some quick editing and way too many shots. I understand that the point of the sequence depended upon the rawness of their routine for the sake of tension, but there was no good reason not to take full advantage of a golden opportunity.
Oh, and expect plenty of references to the Philadelphia Eagles throughout- I hate the frickin' Eagles...
Highly Recommended
9.0 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment