9 January 2013, Singapore – This is a delightfully nutty film. In the same vein of films like Juno and Burn After Reading, Director David O. Russell presents a comedy with a not-so-funny logline: Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) is discharged from a mental institute and moves back home to live with his parents. He meets a girl who is as messed up as he is and romance blooms. (What?!)
As messed up as the story sounds, the film is at heart a romantic comedy with today’s commentary on the over-consciousness of mental illness. (Are you depressed? Here have some drugs.)
Are we all a little insane? If everyone is crazy, then crazy is the new normal. Normal like the Solatano family gatherings; where everyone talks at the top of their voice, talking on top of each other, and trying to be sensitive/polite/rude/etc without actually saying what they really mean. Sounds like a family for sure. So kudos goes to Director DOR for capturing that essence with the help of a stellar cast.
At the time of this review, Silver Linings has already collected a truckload of awards, as well as Golden Globe nominations for Director, leads Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, as well as Best Motion Picture for Musical or Comedy. No doubt there’s going to be a couple of Oscar noms down the road for this crew.
Watch this film because you really want to. Not because you are looking to kill time or because someone else wants to watch it. And you’ll want to because there’s Bradley Cooper (oh… Blue Eyes… drool) and Hunger Games’ Jennifer Lawrence (so much better, acting as a Real woman) and Robert De Niro, and its probably the only Oscar film this year with a happy-ever-after ending. If you want popcorn dribble, go watch Hansel and Gretel in 3D.