Review of Silver Linings Playbook (2012) by Yash M — 15 Aug 2014

I'm not going to lie, I didn't expect this to be nearly as good as it was, and I certainly didn't think it would be one of the best films I've ever seen. Having watched American Hustle before this, I thought I knew what I was going in for, a simple and well told story, but man was I wrong.

This review won't be like my others; this time I won't talk about the "conventional" criteria very much. That would be pointless at best because if 10 different people had to rate this movie on a scale of 1-10, you'd get a 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a 5 and a 6 and a 7 and a 8 and a 9 and a 10.

I just happened to be the 10. This movie is so incredibly intimate with the viewer and like other Russell films, metaphorically significant with it's occasional tonal whiplash (though never unintentional of course).

Jennifer Lawrence's performance here is easily the best of her career, even trumping her fantastic portrayals in Winter's Bone and American Hustle by a long shot - and it's not just her. Cooper, Deniro (obviously), and even Chris Tucker give beyond exceptional show cases of their talent to the audience.

They truly bring the movie's purpose to life. All of these qualities combined with Russell's innovative direction create a one of a kind film experience that's much like a slab of play-dough to the face - personal, reflective, and unique to everyone who's willing to take the hit.