Lots of silver linings in this cloud

Silver Linings Playbook
English (A)
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Anupam Kher
Director: David O Russell

Silver Linings Playbook is a delightful mix of anger, warmth, awkwardness and hope. It is a simple story made extraordinary by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, who have poured their hearts out into their eccentric roles.

Pat (Cooper) is brought back home by his mother (Jacki Weaver) from an asylum, where he is being treated for bipolar disorder — against medical advice and his father’s (Robert De Niro) wishes. He ends up there after beating to pulp his wife Nikki’s ‘lover’. Despite his restraining order, he is obsessed with finding her whereabouts and getting back with her.

Weaver plays the loyal mother who tries to understand her son’s behavioural problems and wacky mood swings and supports his quest to return to normalcy. De Niro plays the obsessive father who craves for his son to join him in his craze for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a widow in the neighbourhood, who is a messed-up soul herself. She tries to befriend Pat, but he moves away when he comes to know she is more depressed and lost than he is. But upon his therapist’s (Anupam Kher) advice, he decides to know her better and help her out. They slowly discover the different layers that make them who they are.

Silver Linings Playbook is a beautiful story of love and hope. It re-establishes the fact that those who are bogged down by extreme disappointment and pain have a chance to come back strong and lead better lives.  With four Academy Award nominations in the acting category and four more for direction, editing, best motion picture and screenplay, the movie is way ahead in the race to the Oscars. Watch it simply for the warmth it exudes and its perfect cast.