A story of a man (Bradley Cooper) that leaves a mental institute to live with his parents and try to get his life back on track, whether that be returning to his former job or rekindling his love for the wife that he left behind.
This is a 122-minute long dramatic rom-com full of twists, turns and the viewer requiring a lot of perseverance to understand what’s going on. Pat (Bradley Cooper) is a man whose wife left him after his breakdown sent him to the mental health clinic, or rehab as some like to call it.
He comes home after completing his stint in the institution with the view that he’s still married and his wife still loves him; he thinks she’ll see he’s a changed man and take him back like nothing happened. However, he is still yet to come to grips with the court approved restraining order that stands next to his name.
Then we are introduced to Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), the first lady, besides his mother, that he meets outside of rehab; his bipolar obsession with her stands as she is the link between him getting back in contact with his wife, without the courts having to know. She says she’ll help him but, there’s a catch in the terms, she wants to enter a dance competition and needs him as a partner.
Pat Snr. (Robert De Niro), like its going to be any other name, is a man that makes his living betting on sports games and when his son Pat comes home; his turn of luck changes and now believes that his son is the lucky charm to his success. Unfortunately, Pat Jnr. has different ideas and needs to continue his working relationship with Tiffany, much to his father’s dismay … Go figure what happens next.
There are dead ends, u-turns and unexpected halts to the plot throughout the film that makes its more interesting than your traditional rom-com. As the novel thickens, new characters arrive and the audience is even treated by a cameo from fellow-rehab inmate, Danny (Chris Tucker).
There isn’t much you can say really about this film without telling the whole story and spoiling it but, unlike most romances of late, you should expect to have a few chuckles throughout. With a strong casting, eye candy for all in the two lead stars, an award-winning directing and although it’s a little drawn out, Silver Linings Playbook has everything that you need to have you retuning again and again.