F. Scott Fitzgerald (one of my most favourite authors, you know, in case you were wondering) once said,
“Often people display a curious respect for a man drunk, rather like the respect of simple races for the insane. There is something awe-inspiring in one who has lost all inhibitions”.
I believe that is one of the messages of David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook. Throughout the film the audience wonders if the so called “sane” people are really that sane and that perhaps there is something, like Fitzgerald said, awe-inspiring about the ability to lose one’s inhibitions.
The film begins with Pat (Bradley Cooper), a 30-something substitute teacher who has just been released from an institution into the care of his parents Dolores and Pat Sr. (Jacki Weaver and Robert DeNiro). The audience learns through Pat’s inability to listen to Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour” that his wife cheated on him with a history teacher (with tenure). As a result, Pat seriously attacks his wife’s lover resulting in his institutionalisation.
Upon his return to the family home, we, along with Pat are reminded of the idiosyncrasies of not only the Solatano clan, but our own families. We discover that Pat Sr. is a bookmaker obsessed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Constantly worried about his son’s condition, Pat Sr. overlooks his own quirks (the juju, the remotes...). When I say the audience is reminded of their own relatives, perhaps I’m generalising, perhaps it was just me. Would I have connected with Pat Sr. so much if he hadn’t been played by Robert DeNiro, my own Dad’s personal hero, I can’t say for sure. (Just an aside note, I once had a dream that I won an Oscar and DeNiro presented it to me, and in the dream, my Dad didn’t congratulate me, instead he asked - like a love struck teen - what DeNiro was like).
I can understand the Solatano’s superstitions because my family also has a sporting obsession, one in which, and I’ll reference good ol’ F. Scott, we totally loose our inhibitions when supporting them. We’ve painted our faces, missed school and work for matches and for many years I would wear the same necklace and pin to every game. To an outsider, yes, this may seem crazy, but to us, it’s tradition and ceremonial. For me, the Solatano’s Eagles love is a reminder not to pass judgement too quickly because we’re all capable of a little crazy sometimes. It also shows the unique bond this family shares and that regardless of fights and misunderstandings, their's is a deep rooted love.
Jacki Weaver is superb as Dolores, the most sympathetic and understanding character in Silver Linings. She worries rather than judges and somehow manages to keep her family together. She seems to know her son the best, and unlike other characters, she has faith in him. She is the orchestrator of his “Silver Lining” by helping to set up his jogging meeting with Tiffany.
Ah yes, Tiffany - played brilliantly by Jennifer Lawrence. She is a true star, someone parents and kids can both like and she always seems genuine in every role whether it’s fighting to the death a la Hunger Games or fighting just to keep afloat in life as a young widow in Silver Linings. This is indeed a different role for Ms. Lawrence, we are used to seeing her as strong (X-Men, Hunger Games) but not usually so hard as in this film. She is also vulnerable and sad, and most importantly misunderstood, leading her family, and Pat Sr. (and even Pat Jr. on occasion) to define her as crazy. Yet grief affects everyone differently and while morally, we may not agree with how she’s handle her grief, the point is just that, it is her grief and we as an audience, or Pat as her friend don’t necessarily need to understand, we need to support (a major theme of the film).
Chris Tucker as Danny, Pat’s friend from the hospital, John Ortiz and Julia Stiles as Ronnie and Veronica as Pat’s friend and his wife and Anupam Kher as Dr. Patel round up this incredible cast. Tucker adds comedy and dance skills to the film as he goes on his own journey of acceptance so he can shed the crazy label. Veronica and Ronnie are interesting as their main plot purpose is to highlight the fact that despite the pretense of a happy family, Ronnie feels like he’s suffocating and can’t tell his wife. They like to pass judgement on Pat and Tiffany for not being normal but what they fail to realise is that Pat and Tiffany don’t need to be normal or “sane” because as the movie progresses, propelled by emotion and not expectation, they become increasingly free and less likely to feel suffocated. Dr. Patel also adds comedic effect and is a shining example of things not always being what they seem. During the week he’s a mild mannered therapist, but come Sunday (like my family), he’s not afraid to throw some paint on his face to support his team. Again, some may say this is “crazy” but I think it’s letting go of expectations.
Despite his predicament, Pat manages to remain optimistic and resolute with a personal motto of “Excelsior!”. This motivation is initially to get back with his wife thus proving that he is healed, shedding the crazy label. Yet as the film moves forward, Pat instead begins to shed his inhibitions as well as the expectations of others. This manifests itself in many ways - I personally love that he runs with a garbage bag on. Yes, he is running to get in shape for his wife, but the fact that he doesn’t care what he’s wearing is liberating. If I ever jogged, after seeing this film, I’d be tempted to throw on a garbage bag to do it.
Pat and Tiffany embark on an emotional journey, initially not realising they are doing it together. I love that they enter a dance competition with no hopes of winning, simply because she loves to dance. To be that passionate about something is an incredible feeling, and like Pat with the garbage bag, it doesn’t matter what people think or if they win, the fact is they’re doing something, they are living. I was a bit skeptical of this pairing when I first heard about it, perhaps because I picture Bradley Cooper in The Hangover and Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games but the chemistry is undeniable. Cooper shows some serious acting chops which no doubt made his old dean James Lipton proud.
In fact the chemistry between the whole cast is remarkable. Each character, in their struggle to appear sane inadvertently showcases their little "crazies", putting the audience at ease because we too have our own. And if there’s one thing this movie shows without a shadow of a doubt is that that’s ok. In her SAG acceptance speech (which is hopefully a precursor for the Oscars), Lawrence said that David O. Russell made a film for his son, so that he wouldn’t feel alone and so that he would be understood, and that Russell actually ended up making a film for so many who suffer from mental illness.
Yes Silver Linings Playbook wraps up neatly with the help of a football game and a dance contest, and no, that is not real life. However, the film tackles real life issues, and tackles them well. It highlights the fear people have about mental illness and more importantly, their fear of talking about it, but it is something that, especially nowadays, needs to be discussed. I think my favourite thing about this film wasn’t the incredible cast, the witty writing or the emotional journey but rather the fact that it really made me think about how exhilarating it would be to run down my street wearing a garbage bag, throwing caution and more importantly, people’s opinion to the wind...call me crazy, I’m ok with it.
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