Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell, 2012)

[City Lights]

I liked the movie a lot but have to agree with our King and Queen: the ending was not only conventional, but directed in such an unimaginative way. long dolly up to our reunited couple? Camera swirling around them as they finally embrace?

And then that "tour of happiness" at the end...ugh. Watch how perfectly Scorsese does this in Hugo, adding a punctuation to each character's story, but he leaves us in that dark room with the lonely mechanical man. It's a much more haunting image about the transience of our cultural heritage, about orphans, the "man behind the curtain", etc. Such a rich image.

Silver Linings Playbook was deserving of something more like The Graduate. Perhaps that's too grim, as that was about Benjamin forcing a situation to change and Elaine just letting it happen. Tiffany and Pat are more on the same team here. But some ambivalence would have gone a long way.

Agreed with this. The ending really doesn't fit. The film hits a peak at the end of the dance, and quickly drops to this unfitting ending.

About the laughing: I wouldn't call this a comedy, either. There were some genuine laugh out loud moments, but they were earned and intentional and not placed consistently throughout the film like a comedy. I feel ok about calling this a dramedy, because there were those big LOL moments (like the lift/jump scene during the dance). But all of these laughs did not come as a result of illness.

Most disturbing audience reaction? ROARS of laughter when Pat punches his mom . That particular reaction floored me.

[faina]

Interestingly, in one of the big scenes Cooper's character breaks down over Hemingway's ending. LOL.

[hurricanesmith]

I didn't mind the audience laughing at the obviously intentional laugh lines or comedic buttons Russell perhaps overuses, but my audience kept laughing at, like, Pat fighting with his dad, which is obviously intended to be a brutal scene. I think this is just an offshoot of projects about mental illness making people uncomfortable. (Ever watched Cuckoo's Nest with an audience?) It's just a weird thing about our audience, I'm sure!

Other thoughts:

I like Laz's idea of a Graduate-esque ending. That might have hit the right tone.

I found the use of music in this downright awful at times.

When Pat says he's going to read the letter out loud, I silently added, "Because I'm in a movie!"

HS

[ldw]

Here is a film in which one should comprehend the deep pain these two characters are in. One should sense Pat's difficulties in his struggles with his bipolar disorder. One should sense Tiffany's pain as she struggles with the death of her husband. Instead the main thing this film left with me is wondering who is at fault for creating such a superficial experience. Was it Russell's script, Russell's direction or the two lead performances? Maybe all three if one considers the entirety of the sequence that starts from the diner and ends in front the movie theater. Lawrence's acting in this sequence is awful but Cooper and the mediocre script aren't much better. Yet DeNiro is operating with that script and he creates some beautiful, authentic feeling moments. The portrayal feels thoroughly believable as DeNiro superbly conveys a man struggling with his temper, his guilt, and the fear of his son falling apart again. DeNiro overcomes even the most tricky moments to play (such as an about face concerning Tiffany) that he is given. It is no surprise that the most affecting moments come when DeNiro is on screen.

Cooper and Lawrence are nowhere near that skilled. They can't overcome such a mediocre script. Cooper is unable to make more out of the material than what he was given. It is a performance that has little substance. Lawrence is even worse. Not once do we feel the sense of pain, the sense of guilt, the fire of someone refusing to be labeled, the fear of hope being quashed. To be fair to Russell, he has written some scenes that are meant to go there somewhat (more so than with Cooper). Lawrence's line readings often feel like they are going through the motions - an actress unable to truly commit to digging deep. Is this choice on purpose? Did she (or Russell in his direction) worry that audiences wouldn't find the character accessible enough? Or is Lawrence an actress whom cannot convey depth? Lawrence's supposedly great moment is reciting football and baseball scores. She does a solid job with retorts but it is hardly anything that is remarkable let alone awe-inspiring. Both Pat and Tiffany come across as thinly sketched characters who never do much to engage anyone on anything more than a standard romcom level. Maybe to some the movie, instead of being the dark hybrid of drama and comedy it aims for, is fulfilling because they are able to view it as a romantic comedy and ask nothing more. I am not suggesting one should have to cry to tell if a film is working but what does it say that Tiffany can relay, in words, such devastating events and it comes across as the most uninvolving parts of the film.

I don't think it is a one star film necessarily like Slant magazine says (though I agree with much in that review). But my expectations were higher than this uninvolving film.

[eopanga]

I really enjoyed this movie despite the fact that in it's essence it was a somewhat formulaic romantic comedy. Perhaps it's because I had such low expectations for Bradley Cooper that merely passing the low bar I set for him, let alone exceeding it, came as a surprise but I thought he was absolutely phenomenal here. I don't think this was a one-note performance at all, quite the opposite. I bought into his character completely and though he did amazing job at expressing his internal conflict between truly wanting to get better while not being able to control his manic behavior.

And what a relief to see DeNiro actually try acting again. It's been so long since I've since a performance from him where he wasn't just mailing it in and cashing a paycheck. I think he effectively conveyed his sense of helplessness and inability to understand what was going on with his son. Also there was a level of desperation and frustration that he was able to invoke that I found truly heartwarming. I'd love to see DeNiro get nominated for his work here; a somewhat understated but incredibly effective role.

[Moviefreak]

So I finally saw this and I am completely shocked why this is receiving any awards attention whatsoever. Sure, it's a fairly well made, mainstream rom-com but it never for a second exceeds that, ever. There is nothing different in this film from the horde's of other similar type films that come out every year. It is completely and utterly generic. The acting is overall fine, but again nothing noteworthy. Lawrence is alright, but feels completely miscast. She's way too young for this role and you sense it through the entire film. The performance never feels organic or lived in, but instead like she's trying way too hard. Also, she's totally supporting. Cooper is good, but also nothing really that special. DeNiro, also, but he does have a lot of screen time. This will probably still get a bunch of Oscar nominations, but I'm baffled as to why.

[with_one_voice]

Lawd! Finally someone's opinion of the film that I agree with, almost completely. I was marginally more impressed with the acting, but I still remain baffled at the acclaim for this. As I mentioned in a previous post in the thread, I thought the ending of this film was so terrible, and sorry, but I think Lawrence is mediocre-to-bad (as I generally do).

[erikdean]

Oh please, that's almost my review word for word.

[with_one_voice]

Oh please, that's almost my review word for word.

Except you lead in with "I liked this" . Whatever, I'm just hoping for a Cooper nomination. Those eyes.

[erikdean]

Except you lead in with "I liked this" . Whatever, I'm just hoping for a Cooper nomination. Those eyes.

It's funny, I liked it enough when I saw it but as time has passed it annoys me now. On the podcast I mentioned that it was kind of good and then it's about...football gambling and a dance competition? Really??

[Submerge]

I know this may seem trivial, but I also found Lawrence miscast. She is just too young to be totally believable in this role. At certain points, she almost seemed like a teenager. As such, I was consistently taken out of her performance throughout the film.

[forizzer69]

It's funny, I liked it enough when I saw it but as time has passed it annoys me now. On the podcast I mentioned that it was kind of good and then it's about...football gambling and a dance competition? Really??

I know this may seem trivial, but I also found Lawrence miscast. She is just too young to be totally believable in this role. At certain points, she almost seemed like a teenager. As such, I was consistently taken out of her performance throughout the film.

Do you mean she's literally too young for the role or that (maybe) her mind is too young to truly comprehend this character's dilemma and convey it appropriately? Is it her face or is it her theory?

[ldw]

I wonder if Lawrence's age becomes more disconcerting due to the lacking performance and how far out of her league she seems to be. Because the line readings are so unconvincing at times, one is taken out of the picture and finds themselves thinking how Lawrence is struggling to make the character feel the slightest bit authentic. Moviefreak said it best - the performance does not feel "organic or lived in". It feels like an actor who has no grasp on how to play the role just deciding to play her tough with some vulnerability and thinking that is enough.

[Submerge]

I wonder if Lawrence's age becomes more disconcerting due to the lacking performance and how far out of her league she seems to be. Because the line readings are so unconvincing at times, one is taken out of the picture and finds themselves thinking how Lawrence is struggling to make the character feel the slightest bit authentic. Moviefreak said it best - the performance does not feel "organic or lived in". It feels like an actor who has no grasp on how to play the role just deciding to play her tough with some vulnerability and thinking that is enough.

Yes. I think this is about right. She certainly gave it her all, but this just didn't feel authentic to me (looks, mindset, whatever). There isn't a ton of depth here, which is unfortunate for such a damaged character.

[Moviefreak]

I think "line readings" is the the perfect way to describe her performance.

[Cesky]

I also agree. I think it comes out especially when her character has to go serious. It doesn't ring true, I don't believe her.

[with_one_voice]

I think "line readings" is the the perfect way to describe her performance.

I agree with this completely, perfect way of putting it, and this is even how I felt about her perf in WB (though I feel like I disliked it less than I do her perf in SLP)

[dlong5665]

Y'all are such Silver Lining Sourpusses.

[Artimus]

I don't think I've ever seen a more mature, beautiful performance than Lawrence's. It's the best performance ever, I think.

[bosk]

Y'all are such Silver Lining Sourpusses.

This forum will implode if/when Lawrence wins on Oscar night.