Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 45 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 469 Ratings

  • Starring: Bradley Cooper, Chris Tucker, Jacki Weaver, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Stiles, Robert De Niro
  • Summary: Life doesn’t always go according to plan...Pat Solitanohas lost everything -- his house, his job, and his wife. He now finds himself living back with his mother and father after spending eight months in a state institution on a plea bargain. Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain posositive and reunite with his wife, despite the challenging circumstances of their separation. All Pat’s parents want is for him to get back on his feet - and to share their family’s obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated. Tiffany offers to help Pat reconnect with his wife, but only if he'll do something very important for her in return. As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives. (The Weinstein Company) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 45
  2. Negative: 1 out of 45
  1. Reviewed by: Steve Persall
    Nov 21, 2012
    100
    Silver Linings Playbook is a bracing shaken cocktail of awkward failure and accidental success, with Pat and Tiffany making a refreshing and unlikely couple to root for. We just want them to be abnormal together, share their favorite antidepressants, maybe even dance to Stevie Wonder.
  2. Reviewed by: Mike Scott
    Nov 21, 2012
    80
    The result is an intelligent and well-crafted film that works to inspire audiences by finding the humor amid the prevailing bittersweetness of life, and that celebrates the strength of the human spirit with a dose of unbridled and entirely embraceable optimism.
  3. Reviewed by: Peter Bradshaw
    Nov 25, 2012
    60
    Likable, watchable and has a nice supporting turn from Robert De Niro; I'm not sure I wouldn't rather watch this again than the macho acting in Russell's boxing drama "The Fighter."
  4. Reviewed by: Calum Marsh
    Nov 10, 2012
    25
    When one stops to consider how irksomely on the nose so much of this is, the qualities which intend to most readily ingratiate the film with us begin to appear perceptibly disingenuous and false.

See all 45 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 7 out of 142
  1. This movie had me smiling all the way through. All the characters are full of life and energy. They're all a little crazy, even the sane ones, and I think that describes us all. Expand
  2. Silver Linings Playbook is a peculiar film, because is a romantic comedy that breaks all the previews standards of that genre. Basically is the typical love story, but the interesting thing is that all the cast have a psychological problem. Starting by the protagonist couple, we see Pat (unexpectedly well played by Bradley Cooper) a bipolar that speaks before thinking, then Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence as marvelous as always) a widow with borderline personality. The dynamic that is generated between them is based in learning how to live a normal life and be adapted to social conventions. The thing is that consequence of their condition the family and friends attempt to control their lives (the topic of the great power of the family is also noticeable in The Fighter). The family of the protagonist also is a dilemma; the father is an addicted to gambling with OCD and felt guilty because how his son turned out; the mother has an extreme necessity that all the relationships of the family maintain in order, living in denial; the brother lives with a superiority complex, but enters to a contradiction because of Pat. Then we have the friend of the protagonist who has problems with his wife so he release tension breaking stuff at his garage with hard music; the friend of the hospital invents excuses to run away and the doctor tries to fit in the American society. This great cast is amazingly well managed by David O. Russell, the only problem is that at the end the movie returns to the stereotypes of simple romantic comedies. Expand
  3. Silver Linings Playbook: A charmer! Bradley Cooper proves to be an actor of skill. Jennifer Lawrence proves to be a future star. First half of the film was funny but also real. Second half: what a disappointment! I can't believe the movie chose to go for the cheese fest in the second half. It totally wasted the promising premise. Expand
  4. Completely fell apart int he 3rd act. So many plot devices and contrivances to reach the underwhelming emotional finale. As over-hyped as the Eagles 2011 and 2012 seasons combined. Expand

See all 142 User Reviews

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