Silver Linings Playbook

          For New Year's Eve I went to see Silver Linings Playbook. This David O. Russell-directed romantic comedy is about a guy (Pat) who is just leaving a mental health hospital after beating up the guy who he found having an affair with his wife. It turns out that he has bipolar disorder. While learning how to deal with that in the real world of Philadelphia, he meets a girl (Tiffany) who has her own colorful past. Although it is pretty obvious how this will end up, there is a new twist to the typical romance: Pat still wants to get his wife back. It is clear from the start that there is an instant connection between him and Tiffany, but it is constantly being restrained because of this third party. That, my friends, is all screenwriter/director David O. Russell had to add to make his story realistic, believable, and enjoyable. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence gave believable performances as Pat and Tiffany, respectively. Robert De Niro played Pat Sr., Cooper's onscreen dad, and he was very heartfelt and funny. Not the best movie of the year, but it served its purpose; it entertained by connecting with the audience and maybe even producing a tear or two. Russell's other efforts include I Heart Huckabees and The Fighter, and he is a likeable guy with a lot of passion about his craft. I recommend watching The Directors (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gAK3aUq25fo), which is a "roundtable" interview with David O. Russell, Ben Affleck, Tom Hooper, Ang Lee, Quentin Tarantino, and Gus Van Sant. Happy New Year's Eve!