THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

US, 2012, 118 minutes, Colour.
Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert de Niro, Jacki Weaver, Julia Styles.
Directed by David O. Russell.

This film touched a nerve with audiences and critics alike, many award nominations.

Writer-director David O. Russell has a son who is bipolar and was interested in the novel by Matthew Quick on which he based this film. It is a very American film, very extraverted characters in whatever situations they find themselves in. Whether the character is experiencing depression or just living ordinarily, uproar is not all that far away.

Bradley Cooper gives a powerful and convincing performance as Pat, a Philadelphia teacher whose rage has broken out on discovering his wife in an affair with another teacher. He is sent to an institution in Baltimore and is having therapy sessions with Dr Patel. When he comes home after eight months, off his medication, still obsessed with his wife, still deluded about the quality of his marriage and referring everything to his possible mending the marriage even though he has a restraining order to keep away from her.

His erratic behaviour includes a manic scene on hearing the song that was a bit part of the wedding, middle of the night tantrums when he can’t find his wedding video.

His parents deal with Pat differently. Dolores, his mother (Jackie Weaver in a performance that unexpectedly got her an Oscar nomination) is kind and practical. Pat senior, his father, (Robert de Niro at his best with an Oscar-nominated performance), himself prone to anger, sees Pat as key to his betting plans and winning money to establish a restaurant.

The other central character is a young policeman’s widow, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) herself on medication with a disturbed past. When Pat and Tiffany meet there is no foregone conclusion that they will end up with each other. Pat bargains for Tiffany to deliver a letter to his wife. She bargains that he become a dance partner as she is training for a competition.

Plenty of ups, plenty of downs – for both of them. And tangling with Pat senior.

Dr Patel always urges Pat to have a strategy for dealing with life. The silver linings prospect is Pat’s strategy.

Despite the differences, their bluntness and their lack of social skills, Pat and Tiffany do get to the dance floor – and their (moderate) success is a key for silver linings for the whole family.

Cooper and Lawrence, film and director all received Oscar nominations. For audiences interested in bipolar conditions, depression and its manifestations, the characters and performances offer much to reflect on.

1. The awards, critical praise? An enjoyable film, interesting, challenging?


2. The title, Patrick’s theories, his management and strategy, the actual happy ending?

3. The Philadelphia locations, homes, streets, sports centres, the hotel and the dance floor, the diner, institutions? Locations for ordinary people? People
with problems?

4. Patrick’s story, Bradley Cooper as performance? His age, being bipolar? The experiences of depression? The opening, seeing him in the institution, his talking, his mother waiting? His relationship with his mother? The tension with his father? Sport, his father’s violence and being banned from the centre? The concern of his mother? His marrying Nikki, at school, her books, the discovery of her infidelity, the audience seeing the shower scene, Patrick and his attack on the teacher, violence? Being sentenced to the institution? His meetings with Dr. Patel, on medication and neglecting it? His friendship with the Danny, the escape, Danny being taken back by Dolores?

5. Pat senior and Robert De Niro? His age, love for his wife, love for his sons? Sport preoccupied, his violence, banned? His being puzzled by Pat, his hopes? His comments and the treatment? Being woken at 4:00 AM, the discussion about Hemingway and apology, the policeman in charge of Pat’s case? The young boy wanting to record the situation? His betting, his friendship with randy? Wanting more time with Pat? His theories about winning, Pat’s being present at the events? Dolores being practical, the food for the matches?

6. Patrick and Dr. Patel, the meetings and discussions, management strategies, the eruption in the waiting room because of the song? Pat’s preoccupation and obsession with Nikki? Thinking of everything with reference to her? His optimism about his marriage, getting back with her? Reading the books on her syllabus? The music from his reading? At the cinema and Tiffany controlling him? His throwing Hemingway’s book out the window, repairing it? The complaints of the neighbours? The uproar as he searched for his reading video?

7. His friendship with Ron, from school days, and the ease with each other? Pat and his suspicions of Veronica? Her controlling Ron, commanding him? The difficulties with the marriage? The invitation to the dinner? Meeting Tiffany, being blunt about the death of her husband? The meal, the tensions? Tiffany and her abruptness, telling Pat off? Going home? The sex proposal? Their arguing, the discussion about the drugs that they used? Pat jogging, bumping into Tiffany, the arguing their conversation, wanting to be single for the jogging, his inviting her to the diner, the discussion about her behavior in the office, sexual behavior? Pat asking her to deliver a letter to Nikki? Her bargaining with him? Being a dance partner? The bluntness of the truths between them? The dance practice, the moves, the awkwardness, moving into with them, Danny and his presence, helping them?

8. Nikki’s letter, its effect on Pat, reading it aloud, the irony of Tiffany having written it? His finally working this out? His letter to Tiffany and presenting it to her?

9. The issue of commitments, responsibilities, obligations? Tiffany upset with Pat? The sport, his brother’s arrival, going with the group to the match, the arrival of the Indians with Dr. Patel, the taunts, the brawl, Pat rushing in, fighting and being injured? Returning home, the argument with his father? Tiffany’s visit?

10. The betting, Pat senior wanting the money for a restaurant, the all or nothing bet with Randy, the failure? The discussion about double or nothing? The parley? Tiffany and her revealing the statistics? Pat senior being impressed? Changing his attitude? The arrangement about the football victory, and Pat and Tiffany getting a five for the dancing?

11. The sports win? Dolores in the dance hall? The expertise of the couples? Tiffany, her drinking, chatting? Pat and his being demanding? The dancing, success, getting a five, everybody’s enthusiasm?

12. Pat, going to speak with Nickki, her coming to the dance with Ron and Veronica? Tiffany and her anger, leaving? Pat and his pursuit, giving her the letter, their expressing their love for each other?

13. Pat and the possibility of change? Tiffany and the possibility of change? How? The portrait of the parents and their contribution? Ron and Veronica?

14. The final scene, the situation, everybody present, happy and reconciled, the silver lining?