User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 442 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 19 out of 442

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  1. Dec 17, 2012
    10
    I loved this film. A perfect balance between humor, drama, and quirkiness. I thought the chemistry between Pat and Tiffany was through the roof. The acting and writing are excellent throughout. David O. Russell seems to be one of those directors that gets superb performances by the entire cast. "I made crabbie snacks and homemades!". I laughed every time his mother said it. Pat and Tiffany's discussion about all the meds they've taken was hilarious. I laughed a lot during the film and was rooting for these two to get together right from the start. The best romantic comedy I've seen in years. This movie and "Life of Pi" are the best two films I've seen this year. Oh - I also really enjoyed the music selection for the film as well. Expand
  2. Dec 16, 2012
    10
    People are hopelessly flawed, but that doesn't mean that happiness is out of reach. This movie is a celebration of the human spirit, and I love it so much. Might be my favorite of 2012.
  3. Dec 15, 2012
    8
    Cooper plays a nut just out of the asylum who returns home to live with mom and dad and get his life together and win back his wife (who had an affair that caused him to have a psychotic break).The first half of the movie plays like a modern version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. And while that's for me the more unusual and the better half of the
  4. Dec 15, 2012
    7
    A Rom-com with a twist. I'm not a fan of Rom-coms as they're all predictable, although this is no different it is actually one of my favourite films of the year, it's heart warming, funny & unique. Definitely worth a watch.
  5. Dec 15, 2012
    7
    This movie is exactly what a good romantic comedy should be. The story is great and rewarding. You learn to love the main character and all his weird habits. There are a few flaws. First, I thought Bradly Cooper was way over acting in the film. Second, the doctor character was very unbelievable especially the part where he is drinking with his patient. Third, it felt like they were trying too hard to get the middle Ammerica vibe instead of a story about an any town USA. As for the positives, the love interest was so good it was amazing. The leads had great chemistry. Chris Tucker was really good. The parents where great. The story was great. The climax was great. Worth watching for sure. Expand
  6. Dec 13, 2012
    9
    A unique film because of the way it tells a light human story in such a hard dramatic way. The most invigorating aspect of Silver Linings Playbook- and there are many- is its masterful script and the actors delivering the well-paced, careful lines. There isn
  7. Dec 12, 2012
    7
    The music selections and acting performances are what make this movie shine, but there are many flaws that seem to have been overlooked. As far as romantic comedies go, this one is one of the better ones with interesting twists and a good story. However, the movies depiction of various mental illnesses are astoundingly inaccurate and the fairytale ending was nothing but predictable from the start. Expand
  8. Dec 12, 2012
    8
    I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I do like both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, but this film also features a variety of other great actors who I love. Such as Robert de Niro, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles and Shea Whigham. The plot is interesting, the acting is great, the comedy value is high but most of all this features an emotional tale between two crazy people. This is definitely a a great movie to watch with a loved one or date. But I went, alone, and still enjoyed it a lot. Definitely worth the watch! Expand
  9. Dec 12, 2012
    7
    Rom com for the intelligentsia. Well paced. Well acted and directed with flair the film is enjoyable, but , somehow insubstantial. There is a rather hysterical scene near the end and the very last scene is superfluous. Good, but overrated.
  10. Dec 10, 2012
    1
    This movie troubled me at a level 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. In my opinion, this movie's script was badly flawed and presented a dangerous and very serious mental disease in a completely unrealistic light. Yes, the movie has a predictable and idealistic end but the end is just not conceivable given the events and the time frame depicted in the movie. I have tried to figure how this movie got such a high rating from others, but have not come up with any plausible reason except that most people know absolutely nothing about the seriousness and difficulty persons with the mental disease depicted in this movies have in their lives dealing with the disease. Expand
  11. Dec 9, 2012
    9
    With the help of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence's best performances to date, a fantastically charming screenplay, and David O. Russell's substantial directorial prowess, "Silver Linings Playbook" easily soars above the conventional romantic comedy with its honesty.
  12. Dec 8, 2012
    10
    The best film I've seen this year; loved the story, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence were perfect; the supporting cast was fantastic. Loved it!!
  13. Dec 7, 2012
    6
    As the movie begins, Bradley Cooper is released from a mental facility where he was sentenced after a violent incident. He returns home to his parents (De Niro's his dad) and tries to get his demons under control. It's not long til he meets his unstable soulmate (Jennifer Lawrence) and the knotty relationship develops. This is not a punchline script: The humor comes from the characters and their unwieldy interactions. Expect more quiet chuckles than outright laughter. Performances are uniformly strong (great to see Chris Tucker) with Lawrence adding to her short list of impressive characters. If you enjoy watching emotional outbursts and frantic family arguments, you may find this film entertaining. I was never bored, but never captivated either. Expand
  14. Dec 5, 2012
    8
    Bradley Cooper perfectly portrays a man struggling with his bi-polar disorder. He's warm and funny but also scary and delusional. The rest of the cast (including a revelatory performance by Jennifer Lawrence) is also terrific. The film captures the chaos and confusion of people dealing with mental issues well enough to forgive its neat Hollywood ending.
  15. Dec 4, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This could have been a good movie if it knew where it wanted to go. The relationship struggling to overcome mental disease might have been worthwhile but the incessant need to reunite with the former wife and the ridiculous Eagles euphoria with stupid bets, ju-ju, and parlays not to mention a silly dance competition distracted the course of the movie and made it silly. So many things simply don't ring true because it tried to be more. Stupid and moronic bets are made, Eagles fans attack their own, a dysfunctional family is made so only for laughs, Copper goes berserk when ever the plot needs some stimulus, several other characters are possibly more disturbed than Cooper, Lawrence is basically conniving and dishonest to an extent, and who becomes a full blown slut just because their husband dies? I could go on with other aspects that distracted me but you get the point. This could have been better but it went for cheap laughs. Expand
  16. Nov 30, 2012
    9
    The best movie I have seen all year! It had it all...drama, tears, humor, romance...Bradley Cooper was smoking hot and should be an Oscar nominee for this one.
  17. Nov 30, 2012
    0
    Let me start by saying I am from Philly, and I like Robert DeNiro a lot. That being said, this has to have been the worst movie I've seen in years. This is a shallow, predictable and uninteresting tale about highly unbelievable and implausible characters. The dialogue is contrived, the plot unrealistic and ridiculous, and the acting over-the-top. The creators of this movie tried to do too much. It could have been a serious story about a man recovering from mental illness and family strife, much like the excellent movie "The Fighter", or an excellent comedy about a dysfunctional and extreme family, much like "Meet the Parents." By attempting to combine both, the creators assured neither plot line was adequately developed, plausible or interesting. It was intellectually nauseating for me to watch this movie. Expand
  18. Nov 29, 2012
    8
    Maintaining an overall tone that is both dark and witty, while at the same time quite touching and genuine,
  19. Nov 29, 2012
    10
    What a brilliant film Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DiNiro, Chris Tucker so funny considering the subject matter after a long day it really cheered me up some brilliant acting and great direction a must see film.
  20. Nov 27, 2012
    5
    Any movie involving the Philadelphia Eagles or their mutant fans is terrible by definition. Oh yeah, Bradley Cooper is actually pretty good in this movie.
  21. Nov 27, 2012
    6
    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.
  22. Nov 27, 2012
    6
    The acting of all the principles was well done and the dialog was mostly fine, however, this film did not really "grab" me as I expected, especially after hagving seen "The Fighter" by the same director. Individuals who are part of the mental health world presumably will get more out of this story. Watching the film, I kept veering between wanting to really like it, but then feelings of "who really cares" would intrude. I think Bradley Cooper is terrific but some of his acting verged on histrionics. I thought Jennifer Lawrence was better. And Robert Deniro's part just did not really add to making this a "ten" film movie. He is so much better than his role in this movie. Go to see it, but don't expect "great". Collapse
  23. Nov 26, 2012
    9
    Enjoy every bit of the movie. It was funny, sweet and I love both actors. I would see it again. My daughter and I both found it to be a movie to remember.
  24. Nov 26, 2012
    6
    I have to say, this film slightly overstepped the mark of emotion, overdoing it with brash confidence after assuming that this is what the audience came for. The comedy was perfectly balanced, though, and with the addition of people like Robert De Niro, I got what I came for. The drama was edgy alongside its more or less light-hearted comedy, without any conflict and a little spirit. However, despite the difference of its less formulaic storyline from other dramedies, many of the scenes did not gel and I still left the cinema with a whole bunch of unanswered questions. Expand
  25. Nov 24, 2012
    7
    The first half of this movie made me slightly uncomfortable,and didn't seem to have a clear direction. I actually regretted choosing to see it at first.. But it found its voice in the second half and I ended up liking it. I enjoyed how the film captured a slice of Philadelphia.but have no idea what a "home made" is.. . .
  26. Nov 24, 2012
    10
    A roller coaster ride of a movie with emotions swinging from teary eyed seriousness to laugh out loud moments. Every character was well played and especially good performances from Cooper and Lawrence.
  27. Nov 23, 2012
    10
    Best movie of the year. Not one moment did my wife and I feel any incongruity in any part of this movie. It was funny and real all the way through. Very rewarding if you have accurate people skills & intuition
  28. Nov 23, 2012
    2
    DeNiro & Cooper save a bit what is simply a real bad comedy, full of cliché and a Jennifer Lawrence way over the top and using a ridiculous voice. Russel always go for the easy joke, the movie never really try to explore the disease or disability. At the end it's just a nice story about a guy and a girl.
  29. Nov 23, 2012
    10
    A seamless blend of excellent dramatic and comedic acting. Satisfying comedy. Satisfying romance. Dozens of scenes which could have gone awry and none of them do. Some movies just gel and have a special magic and this one did for me. Please go see this movie and support real film making, great writing, and just hardcore fantastic acting.
  30. Nov 20, 2012
    7
    This movie is a mixed bag. I enjoyed everything except the main plot, which was very a typical romcom. A Boy has a problem, a girl has problem, then the boy and girl overcome that problem through mutual respect and handwork. That being said, the additional subplots and story elements are a welcome change to that typical formula. For example, the psychologist is hilarious, and the peculiarities of each character are executed well (except Cooper's mother, who is pretty stale). DeNiro and Cooper's performance are excellent, and show real promise in future movies for the later. Expand
  31. Nov 18, 2012
    8
  32. Nov 17, 2012
    10
    This comfortably sits as my movie of the year thus far. I sat with a wide, satisfied smile when it was over. This won't be a full review because I want it to be fresh experience for everyone. I will say that it shows outstanding casting, writing, and directing. And its use of a certain Led Zeppelin song is so pitch perfect, it gave me goose bumps.
Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 45 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 45
  2. Negative: 1 out of 45
  1. Reviewed by: David Denby
    Nov 26, 2012
    50
    Pretty much a miscalculation from beginning to end. [26 Nov. 2012, p.87]
  2. 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."
  3. Reviewed by: Marc Mohan
    Nov 23, 2012
    91
    A funny, believable film about the ability of even the damaged and imperfect to earn a little happiness.