The Bradley Cooper Effect
I have factors that dictate whether or not I should watch a movie. Bradley Cooper is one of those factors. Shirtless preferred, but not necessarily required. Allowable substitutes include: Channing Tatum, Chris Hemsworth or Jeremy Renner.
With that, I break into Director David O. Russell’s ‘Silver Linings Playbook.’ The director is know for his work in ‘Three Kings’, and received an Academy Award nomination for his work in 2011’s ‘The Fighter’ with actor Mickey Rooney. The screenplay, written by the director, is based on a novel of the same name by writer Matthew Quick.
<<SPOILER ALERT: Read no further if you plan to watch this movie.>>
Cooper plays Pat, a man who has recently suffered a nervous breakdown. This was on account of discovering his wife in the shower with one of her co-workers. After being discharged from a mental health facility, he moves in with his concerned parents; played by Jacki Weaver and a pleasantly uncharacteristic Robert DeNiro.
In walks tough-as-nails widow Tiffany, played by ‘The Hunger Games’ Jennifer Lawrence. Russell cast Lawrence before her popularity as Katniss. Like the best romantic leads, they initially hate one another. The pair bond over their outcast roles and a pact, where Tiffany agrees to deliver a message to Pat’s ex, Nikki, in exchange for a dance competition partner. This ‘Step Up’-esque plot twist could have come off uncomfortably and ruined the film. Instead, it came off charmingly and ended in a hilariously memorable ballroom dancing scene.
Julia Stiles, playing Tiffany’s sister, and Comedian Chris Tucker, playing Pat’s friend (and a fellow mental patient) offer comedic relief throughout the movie. The entire film is real, moving and heartwarming–described by a fellow movie watcher as “kind of a little ‘As Good As It Gets’-y “. The dialogue that Russell has written is raw and conveyed authentically by this cast.
So, what lessons have we learned? To always seek out the silver lining in every situation…and that we’re all a little crazy.
Article By: ‘DC on Heels’ Celebrity and Flirty Editor Abbie Elliott
This article was written by the guest author listed at the end of the article.