I recommend... Silver Linings Playbook

The film industry's award season is upon us and there was one name I kept seeing in articles and hearing on news bulletins. That name was Jennifer Lawrence. All I knew about this actress was that she annoyed me in X-Men: First Class (2011), and that she was now world-famous for her role in The Hunger Games (2012); all in all - she was Hollywood's big new star. Given the fact that I disliked her as Mystique in the latest X-Men film, I assumed that her success was based on her stunning face and the fact that she had bagged herself the lead role in a new movie franchise. I could not have been more wrong. A couple of months ago I saw that she was in a new film with Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, called Silver Linings Playbook (2012). From what I remember, it had some impressive reviews considering it was a comedy/drama, however it wasn't until this award season that I saw Lawrence was being nominated and winning various awards for Best Actress, that I thought I became curious about her, and of course, the film.

Silver Linings Playbook is the latest picture directed by David O. Russell, whose only other work I have seen is The Fighter (2010). Basic plot synopsis? Pat (Cooper) has just come out from a mental institution after beating his wife's lover half to death. He has bi-polar, and the film follows him on his journey, learning to overcome the incident with his wife, his condition, and through that win her back. During this period he is living with his parents (De Niro and Jacki Weaver) and along his journey, he makes friends with Tiffany (Lawrence) who is also trying to work through personal issues. The two form a friendship and work together to help each other conquer their respective psychoses and recent traumas.

So, what makes this film work and stand out from other films of a similar theme? The simple answer to that question is its solid script and strong performances. It is so rare to see a film today that relies solely on its script and actors. All credit to Russell here, there are some pretty slick camera moves and shots throughout the film that give it an exciting feel, fast pace, and cool look, but what I must really commend him on is that he allows his actors to shine and perform at their best.

Bradley Cooper is best known for The Hangover films, and after seeing him in those and a small role he played in Wedding Crashers (2005) I did wonder whether he would be able to pull-off this role. The character of Pat is a difficult one to like at first; he is stubborn, overpowering, aggressive, but Cooper brilliantly plays the part so that we come to understand this troubled person. Dialogue alone can't convince an audience that this is a good guy and to cut him some slack. You need a good actor to achieve that and Cooper does it magnificently. There is a depth and complexity that Cooper unleashes in this film that we haven't seen him do before, nor did we think him even capable of doing. He is strongly convincing, likeable, loveable in fact, and somebody that the audience wants to cheer for. We see him working along his journey, we see his highs and his lows, and at times he looks completely helpless - his own worst enemy. But at other times we see just how strong a person he is, and we find that we do will him on. It was wonderful to see Cooper playing a different type of character, especially playing it so well.

The person who really stands out in this film though is Jennifer Lawrence. She has so much star quality radiating from her, that I would go so far as to say that she will be one of the great actresses and movie stars of her generation. Watching her in this film, you can see that she has the potential to give us even more great performances. She has presence too - a rare quality today. Not to mention she looks absolutely gorgeous. For this role she has very dark hair which she wears with very dark eye make-up; her look is sultry, moody, and yet vulnerable. Tiffany is an interesting character because of her non-conformist, rebellious, and no-bullshit attitude; Pat can crack as many jokes at her as he wants but she will rip him to shreds with her truthful and hard-hitting words. Behind that facade however we do see a very vulnerable young girl who has been through a tough time, and consequently got a little lost whilst trying to deal with it. She is immensely likeable, and that is all credit to Lawrence. Often when actresses play slightly wild, angry women, they can be off-putting, vulgar, and irritating, because they aren't convincing in that role. But Lawrence is. She has already picked up a Golden Globe for Best Leading Actress in a Comedy or Musical, and I will be very surprised and disappointed if she doesn't pick up the Best Actress Oscar. Her performance has an earthiness and realism to it that makes us really warm to her.  I was thinking recently how there were no actresses in today's film industry that I am a fan of, none who I really love to watch.  Every actress I adore had her hey-day during the 1930s-    40s. But I think Lawrence may just be my new - and only - favourite current actress.

Of course, you can't forget De Niro in this film. He has played so many iconic characters with intricate issues and personalities, not to mention a plethora of gangster roles, that you wouldn't think he would do so well with a simple role like a father trying to help his son. But if anything, De Niro excels in this role beautifully. We see his frustration and anger with his son's behaviour and situation. But we also see the upset, guilt, and hope that he feels for his son to be better. He's perfect in this role.

Aside from Cooper, Lawrence, and De Niro, the entire cast of this picture all contribute to the overall good-feel of the film. Each one executes their lines and part with flawless precision and effect. One other thing that I really liked about this picture was its score. Danny Elfman has composed quite an unusual score from his other work. It has a modern sound that meanders from up-tempo to melancholy and ambient, wonderfully mirroring the rises and falls of its protagonist. Like the film it has a relaxing feel that is motivational and yet calming at the same time.

This film boasts an unbounded array of talent in acting, writing, and directing. As soon as it's released on DVD I am purchasing it because I've wanted to re-watch it since it ended. It has a calming, relaxing feel because of its comedic elements, which softens the serious tone (which at times can be quite uncomfortable to watch) of its moving story. There are some hilarious scenes that you will laugh out loud at; that's one thing that this film does brilliantly - it treads the line between comedy and drama delicately. It's finale is pretty easy to see coming as the film progresses, but that doesn't make the ending any less enjoyable. Memorable, true-to-life performances give it gravitas and realism. And best of all - every actor seems to bounce off each other - particularly Lawrence and Cooper, they work wonderfully together in this picture, and have fantastic chemistry. It wouldn't surprise me if a director pairs these two together again in future. You can't judge a film until you've seen all of it, but the moment it started I felt that I was going to love it - and I was right. It is a heartwarming story with slick directing and characters bursting with energy and intensity. A refreshing watch that cannot be faulted.

My rating: 8/10 - a very good film.