Silver Linings Playbook
User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 470 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 434 out of 470
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 470
  3. Negative: 19 out of 470

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  1. Shiira
    Feb 13, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Two endings: one happy, one sad, wind up Billy Brown's malleable story in Vincent Gallo's Buffalo '66, the 1998 cult classic that informs Silver Linings Playbook: sometimes broadly, sometimes not. Like any good quarterback, however, the film calls many audibles and creates something new from the prevailing framework. But make no mistake about it, the QB scouted the Bills-themed indie. The QB knows the players. Billy, lost and unloved, just released from prison for a crime he didn't commit, inevitably, finds himself at a strip joint, bent on revenge with gun in hand, staring down Scott Wood, a retired placekicker whose missed game-winning field goal prompted in Billy a default on his wager to a local bookie that the designated fall guy couldn't begin to recompense. As the club's owner, Scott holds court in a private booth, in which the Super Bowl goat, surrounded by topless women, takes a bullet in the forehead before the disgruntled gambler turns the gun to the side of his own temple. Excelsior, Pat's notion that every bad situation has a silver lining is something Billy doesn't prescribe to, or so it seems, at first. Who is the omniscient QB(read: narrator) that changes the called play: the murder/suicide? Is it the bipolar high school teacher, who similar to the would-be killer, returns home after being incarcerated for a felony(he nearly beats his wife's lover to death), with the difference being that the facility is a mental hospital, not a state penitentiary? Pat, similar to Billy, grew up in a house where the preponderance of football created an extensive amount of dysfunction between parent and child. When Pat Sr. complains that Tiffany is messing up his team's juju, it reveals how for many Americans, football functions as a sort of pagan religion. In the Brown household, O.J. with the pigskin graces their wall, not J.C. on the cross. Moreover, Billy is named after the appelation given to the cold weather city's team. Clearly, both men played(and continue to play) second fiddle to an organization of beefy athletes who on Sunday, diverted their parents from the church and into a stadium, the house of laical worship. Sadly, the discovery made by Tiffany that Pat's catchword doubles as the motto used on the New York State seal, constitutes as a bona fide miracle. In Buffalo '66, god is in the details; the parking lot markings where Billy tries to drive Layla's "shifter car", look conspicuously like hash marks. The eagle, another detail, the symbol that serves as the moniker for Philadelphia's NFL team, doubles as a sign, a street sign in Buffalo, where Billy crosses Eagle Avenue during his quest for a public restroom. Therefore "reading the signs," becomes even more pronounced, becomes more than the key phrase from the letter Tiffany writes in order to trick her fellow codependent into participating at a formal dance competition. She has filmic powers. The audience can read signs, too. Tiffany passes Baldwin(as in bald eagle) Street; she spans time like Billy, but backwards instead of forwards, all the way back to Eagle Avenue. Blink and you'll miss it, but as Tiffany enters the Ben Franklin Hotel, you see a camera flash go off; it's the photo booth scene updated. Other faint echoes abound, especially the moment in Buffalo '66 when Billy runs into Wendy Balsam, his unrequited childhood crush, whose house he used to walk past, since in Silver Linings Playbook, Pat jogs past Tiffany's place, but unlike Wendy, she comes out of the house, crossing Pat's path and greeting him with a sharp "hey". Tiffany, the girl who can span time, by running with her stalker(decked out in a garbage bag), it can be construed, is in a sort of extra-diegetical communique with celluloidal Buffalo and its flickering residents. She's the retroactive ghost in Gallo's film, a conduit from the moving picture future, a second skin beneath Layla, as she coaxes the former Bills fan into believing that he's better than Wendy(who growing up, perceived Billy as garbage), which has ramifications in her own life, since throughout Silver Linings Playbook, she is proving her love for Pat is bigger than Nikki's. Hypothetically speaking, in the performative sense, Silver Linings Playbook has an alchemizing effect on Buffalo '66. The illusion of fluidity in a static art is enacted. The second ending, the one where Billy's reality turns out to be his imagination, becomes the narrative equivalent of a Hail Mary. With Pat helming the quarterback position, he throws A Farewell to Arms through the window, through time, like a football. He then goes into his parents' room and complains about Ernest Hemingway, yelling, "Can't anybody say: Hey, let's be positive? Let's have a good ending to this story?" Billy hears the audible. Outside the nudie bar, he flings his gun into the darkness: a farewell to arms. Because of Tiffany, excelsior becomes his catchword, too. Layla is his silver lining.… Expand
  2. BKM
    Jan 23, 2013
    7
    The main reason to watch Silver Linings Playbook is for the performances, particularly the two leads who have terrific chemistry. Bradley Cooper ventures out of his comfort zone and actually has to act instead of coasting by on his looks and Jennifer Lawrence is superb as usual. The two of them manage to hide a lot the movies flaws including it's third act problems as well as its reluctance to deal with mental illness in any meaningful fashion.… Expand
  3. lkusa
    Jan 27, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Silver Linings Playbook is a fun movie, with the usual compromises that touchy-feely family comedies have, especially when mixed with a heavy amount of clinical disfunctionalism.
    Most of the casting was fine, the script and work of the cast drew us in to the characters and the semi-plausible tale will bring tears to the eyes of the optimists in the audience.
    There was a little too much psychosis for me, but it was a fun two hours and the ending didn't disappoint.    … Expand
  4. Lyn
    Jan 20, 2013
    9
    It's no "Ordinary People," but I really enjoyed both the drama and comedy of this film about people just trying to survive in their different ways. And the fact that a competent cast managed to do the job in a mere two hours! Know it's not a "blockbuster," but it's less preachy than "Lincoln," doesn't embellish a real story like "Argo," is more relatable than "Zero," and has a soundtrack that's more enjoyable than 99 percent of the music in "Les Mis." Puzzled, though, by the Oscar nom for Jacki Weaver. She picks the son up at the hospital and that's about it -- kind of a zero compared with (say) Melissa Leo as the mom in "The Fighter."… Expand
  5. KarthXLR
    Jan 22, 2013
    8
    I love movies like this because it reflects just how messed up life can be sometimes. You may mess up and not get a second chance, so move on; improve yourself.

    Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence play off each other wonderfully, both representing broken people who have had their lives completely drained by a previous episode. Robert De Niro is wonderful as the OCD father and the film     really does ride the line of comedy and drama well. The most surprising part is how it got me rooting for the main characters, a rare-feat these days.

    I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of character-driven movies.    … Expand
  6. man
    Jan 20, 2013
    9
    One of the most unique, clever, and charming films I've seen from 2012! The film exceeded my expectations in every way possible! The acting was absolutely sensational! This film will no doubt in my mind be Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence's career booster. De Niro was perfect as the film's comic relief. Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker also deliver worthwhile performances. The film's story is absolutely perfect! The dialogue from the characters is very clever and often times rather humorous. There were some instances where the film seemed confused about what it was(comedy, drama, romance, etc.) However, the film was able to maintain a perfect balance of all three for the most part. So that extremely minor flaw can thankfully be overlooked. Overall, it's definitely one of the best movies I've seen all year! It's a movie that will definitely make you laugh, cheer, and maybe even cry. It's also bound to stay with you in spirit long after it's over!… Collapse
  7. Forrestgump1
    Jun 4, 2013
    9
    "A truly terrific and humorous movie all across the board. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence shine in there best performances to date. Its a movie we all can feel good about and walk away with a great message. David O Russel is truly a genius" A-
  8. nutterjr
    Dec 29, 2012
    8
    A truly adorable, engaging and uplifting romantic comedy that manages to steer away from the conventional and reminds us that in order to get it right in this genre it requires both a solid script, a good director, but most of all chemistry between the leads: Lawrence has proven her self before, but Cooper is just such a revelation in a very challenging role. Recommended feel good film of the year.… Expand
  9. TVJerry
    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
  10. danjakubik
    Feb 23, 2013
    9
    This is a most enjoyable, convincing, thoughtful and true to life comedy/drama/romance about a dysfunctional family. There's an excellent screenplay, direction and four strong acting performances in this film. Jennifer Lawrence's performance is especially impressive.
  11. Bikerjames
    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
  12. bitburn
    Jan 20, 2013
    10
    For me, this film worked at every level. It's funny, sad, tragic, compelling, screwed up and absolutely entertaining. Not a dull moment here and it's not even an action movie! Cooper + Lawrence are beautiful together and believable.
  13. wishmaster
    Feb 23, 2013
    8
    This is a comedy of category A, this love story between 2 people with mental health problems makes that the Viewer is love, at a certain point no I thought it was the best movie of the year, but if offers the best deal with the best performances of the year, mainly Lawrence, Cooper and De Niro.
  14. Nazgulero
    Mar 15, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Please why does a movie that sucks so bad get an 8.2 score here From the very first scene you can tell that even Bradley Cooper doesn't know if this is a comedy or a drama. Bipolar my butt. He looks like an NFL quarterback, that is the shape he is in. The script is just beyond awful. And why did they throw Robert DeNiro into the mix Anyone who has ever seen a father and a son together know that they don't act like that...unless...it is a comedy, which it isn't. The ADD style of this movie and the constant babbling of everybody involved really go on your nerves after 7.5 minutes. I seriously start to doubt the ratings on here. I am pretty sure that Hollywood has an entire army of people who do nothing but rate up movies on sites like this one.
    And yes, why exactly WAS he wearing that modified garbage bag while running It was not even funny...    … Expand
  15. VidsRule
    Jan 28, 2013
    10
    The greatest date movie I've seen in years, or ever. Funny, sad, serious, everything. Plus, if you have any experiences with the subject matter you will have a lot to relate to. A couple unrealistic issues are no big deal to anyone except the annoying self-righteous types.
  16. eliteco3
    Feb 22, 2013
    9
    Incredible movie. Cooper and Lawrence could both be up for an Oscar for this puppy. The development of Cooper's character is given with care and validity. My only gripe is the betting of the football game and dance. That seemed a little cliche.
  17. Benarden
    Dec 25, 2012
    10
    If you had a "Rom Com" written by John Cassevetes and Woody Allen with the football part of " Saturday Night Lights" - mixing in the dance Scene from " Saturday Night Fever" but with a few Double Vodkas thrown in; - quickly You might get a glimmer of how brilliant this very small film is. Loved the Dinner scene, the Diner Scene & Bradley Cooper nails it. Go ! The Acting on a scale of 1- 10 is a Fifty.… Expand
  18. Hfahmy
    Jan 4, 2013
    7
    Touching movie about life twists, when human tracks reassemble and diverge, beyond control. Pat (Bradley Cooper) is discharged from a mental institution after eight months supervision for beating his wife lover. He accidentally meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) a widower who lost her job after being engaged in sexual relationships with her colleagues following her husband sudden death. Both are back to their parents home, starting all over, trying to rehabilitate and reconcile with their families and new life. Pat is obsessed by regaining his wife, seeks the help of Tiffany in exchange of participating with her in a dance contest. This line goes with Pat father (Roberto De Nero) trying to win a gamble to own a restaurant if his team Philadelphia Eagles wins along with Pat and Tiffany scoring 5 of 10 in the contest. Pat hardly sought love for his wife is diverted to Tiffany at the last ten minutes of this two hours movie. They got the 5 out of 10 in the dance contest, Philadelphia Eagles wins, Pat father gets the restaurant. Happy finale, for a well crafted scenario, acting, and directing, from the whole team, no one is exempted from the credit. Life is not what's expected or anticipated, human feelings are not stereotyped, a must see movie that won't let you bored.… Expand
  19. hollyv
    Jan 16, 2013
    10
    Such great dialogue that it deserves an Oscar - and makes you realize how starved you are for intelligent dialogue in movies. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have surprisingly good chemistry and this helps you overcome the desire to (occasionally) slap them silly.
  20. jasher
    Feb 22, 2013
    6
    The first two-thirds of the film were pretty great. I was enjoying the acting and the storyline. But then someone decided it was a good idea to throw a ridiculous, moronic bet into the plot and the film kind of falls apart, devolving into a generic (but admittedly sweet) rom-com ending. Worst of all, there was just no need for the goofy bet; the film was going to be fine without it. I give a lot of credit to the actors, then, for making the whole affair watchable anyway. Cooper and Lawrence do their best work ever here, and De Niro and Tucker get their best roles in years.… Expand
  21. EssenceOfSugar
    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
  22. dharma
    Jan 28, 2013
    7
    One of this year's top Oscar contenders, Silver Lining Playbook has a really great ensemble cast. Jennifer Lawrence is excellent as always, cementing her position as one of this generation's best actress. Kudos for Bradley Cooper, De Niro and Weaver. Despite its flawless cast though, at its heart, Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy, filtered through David O. Russel's gritty sensibility. The plot follows a predictable trajectory; sure it's peppered with a more 'colorful' i.e. curse filled dialogue, but if you've seen romantic comedies, you'll know the drill.… Expand
  23. heyitsmegrif4
    Jan 13, 2013
    9
    The Silver Linings Playbook has no flaws at all. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper somehow manage to be the most entertaining characters of the year. The cast gives potent and wonderful performances and it has an excellent screenplay. This is a great film and should be a big hit at the Oscar's. I give this film 94%.
  24. Bruce722
    May 6, 2013
    8
    While I don't think Silver Linings Playbook was quite worthy of all the praise it got from the "experts" and the academy, it was still a very good movie. Bradley Cooper is absolutely fantastic. This is by far the best role he's ever had and he shows that he really is a very good actor. Jennifer Lawrence is also incredible. Not only is she stunning but the range of her acting abilities seems to have no bounds. A lot of that range is shown in this film and, while I can't confirm that she did in fact perform better than the competition, I can say that her role was flawless and I can't argue her winning an Oscar for it. The supporting cast was also great with Robert De Niro and Chris Tucker, among others, providing added depth to the movie. The only flaw I had was that it dragged quite a bit towards the middle/end portion. It started great and ended great and most of the middle was very entertaining but from about the 60% to 80% part of the film it did feel a bit sluggish. Nonetheless, the dialogue and character development keeps you intrigued so I think most people would appreciate the movie.… Expand
  25. lasttimeisaw
    Apr 2, 2013
    7
    Finally a cinema-going to officially culminate all the Oscar BEST PICTURE nominee of last year, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK treads upon a traditionally crowd-pleasing boy-meet-girl romantic genre while smartly embodying two main characters with distinguished personal mental foibles, which is a masterstroke to keep them refreshing and connected with the present quirk-emancipated modern generation.

    After his ambitious brothers-boxers drama THE FIGHTER (2010, 8/10), David O. Russell has ascended to the top tier of Hollywood where he can harness marquee stars and meaty source materials, thus, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK has all its edges to be winsome and lovable, but somewhat the final outcome doesn’t live up much to the heated expectation, personally I am rather stolid from the American football fanaticism and the “parley gamble” bidding is by no means a recommendable action to be encouraged (but it is an intrinsic default in the source novel, O. Russell should not take the blame here I suppose), anyway, the scenario does make wonders to gyrate a captivating duo-dance between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, both utterly committed to their characters, verbal ripostes are acetic and sharply accessible. The chemistry sparkles albeit of the age-gap of the actors (a inconceivable 15 years in real life).

    Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscar-crowning has sparked (understandably)
    controversies (like most of the years), but it is like the film itself, acceptable (for me), the stretch of her character may be impeded by the condescending male-perspective of winning the right girl, why on earth it always ends with a stale “it is the girl who lingers on the verge of being hurt” plot even under the exception of the mighty confidence discharging from Lawrence’s character. Her youth is the double-edged sword in this case, thanks to her mature countenance, audience may not detect it instantly, and the film also bypasses to specify her age. So it is a younger example of Helen Hunt’s win and looks like a future Jodie Foster career orbit, plus her Kristen Stewart popularity (THE HUNGER GAME franchise will continue lighting her path), she is the “it girl” in Hollywood right now and a role model of the industry.

    Bradley Cooper, a later-bloomer in his leading man status, has seized an unexpected earlier harvest in Oscar-nomination than most of his contemporaries, although constantly in the danger of being overshadowed by his more sapient co-stars, performance-wise, it is his own victory. Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver, are not in my top 10 list of the year, since the script doesn’t challenge them hard enough, but they do reflect the slice-of-life authenticity of the endearing parents (except that De Niro’s weeping scene is too maudlin to endure). And forget about Chris Tucker, I don’t know why he pops up here to interrupt his satisfactory (both to him and to me) holed-up.

    So, it is a happily-ever-after fairytale full of mentally unstable people with various neuroses, the steady-cam cinematography looks hipster but also impairs one’s concentration, the ultimate dance-routine is mesmerizingly shot, but the banal ending does causing a compulsive meh before the credits rolls, although the final speech is fine and (artificially) sincere.    … Expand
  26. Greatbeallo
    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.
  27. Michael2415
    Feb 4, 2013
    10
    Silver Linings Playbook is an Beautiful film with A wonderful Story brought to life by Great Acting, Colorful Dialog, and a heartfelt story. This includes the captive performances of the 4 leads with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper igniting the most in there characters. Silver Linings Playbook is a film to remember one of the instances to successfully infuse A wonderful Love Story, A great Drama and A funny Comedy.… Expand
  28. Vanessa_S
    Apr 18, 2013
    8
    It is surprising how the movie is able to combine so many conflicts in 120 minutes, and still make me laughing at some point. It is one of those movies which you thought it was plain while watching it, but when you think about it moments later, you'll find it good. I see blue sky, white clouds and shining sun in my mind while the credits going. Definitely not good enough to win Oscar for The Best Movie, but obviously good enough to win Jennifer The Best Actress.… Expand
  29. jgzeger
    Feb 2, 2013
    9
    I loved this heartwarming movie that makes you feel good without it getting all syrupy. At the heart of the film is wonderful acting with both Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper delivering great performances. Also take note of the sound track featuring a duet between Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.
  30. jimboesq
    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
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 45 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 45
  3. Negative: 1 out of 45
  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: David Denby
    Nov 26, 2012
    50
    Pretty much a miscalculation from beginning to end. [26 Nov. 2012, p.87]
  2. The Guardian
    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."
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  3. Portland Oregonian
    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.
    Read full review
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