Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Silver Linings Playbook - 派特的幸福劇本 - 失戀自作業



Silver Linings Playbook (派特的幸福劇本) is an 2012 film. The film stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. The supporting cast include Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, Julia Stiles, and John Ortiz. Directed by David O. Russell of The Fighter fame. The movie was adapted from the novel The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick and partly based on David O. Russell's experience with his oldest son, whom had bouts with mental illness.

Bradley Cooper plays Pat Jr, who's spent the last 8 months in a mental institution after being arrested for beating the man his wife was having a affair with. Once home, Pat Jr. sets on a path to repair his marriage to his wife Nikki. However, Pat Jr. is still a bit unstable and lacks some social skills now, such has having no filter for thoughts. Robert De Niro plays Pat Sr., who's recently lost his job and makes a living bookkeeping on the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. Pat Jr is obsessed with losing weight and goes out for a jog, bumping into his childhood friend Ronnie, who invites him over for dinner. While at the dinner, Ronnie's sister in law, Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is also invited. Tiffany has been mentally unstable since the death of her police officer husband. During the dinner, a fight erupts, ending in Pat Jr. walking Tiffany home. Pat Jr. starts to run past Tiffany's house during his jogging. Tiffany intercepts him one day and they visit her home. The home was a old garage in the back yard of Tiffany's parents. Tiffany used her insurance movie to convert it, including a dance floor studio type set up on the first floor. Tiffany convinces Pat Jr. to join her in a local dance competition.



The movie was pretty righteous. Pat Jr.'s path to recovery will be a lifelong event as his mental illness will always be a struggle. Cooper does a great job to convey to the audience that he's not all there. You felt that he was pretty unstable. Which doesn't seem a stretch away from his roles in The Hangover and Limitless. Jennifer Lawrence goes in the opposite direction of her Hunger Games role here. Tiffany is played with a strong personality and likes to be in control. Combined with a story that's told in a tremendously sensitive way, you have a great movie. The supporting cast does a good job of painting the world that they live in. Basically revolving around the NFL season.

I highly recommend this film and I saw it via Blu-ray rental.

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