The acclaimed movie ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ is one of those great films in which every part comes together to form a coherent whole that transcends all expectations. The movie is nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster and forces us to take a long hard look at trauma and mental illness. David O. Russell’s movie not only wowed the critics but we, as audiences, are also made to feel the characters and their woes.
The film earned eight Academy nominations and Jennifer Lawrence bagged the award for Best Actress for the role of Tiffany. Though Bradley Cooper didn’t win any accolades for the movie, his role as Pat is one of his best performances to date. The movie is so good that it begs us to ask the question – is it based on reality? The answer to that, unfortunately, is no.
The Story Of ‘Silver Linings Playbook’
The story focuses on Pat Solitano Jr’s (Bradley Cooper) attempt to win his wife back after his stay at a psychiatric facility due to bipolar disorder triggered by infidelity in marriage. Pat struggles to adjust with his family and remains in denial that his marriage is over throughout the film. His life is thrown out of his axis when he crosses paths with Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). Tiffany has suffered the trauma of her own, due to the loss of her husband. She lives by her own rules, and she even shows affection for Pat.
She enlists him with her to participate in a dance contest, but he continues to push her away. However, like any good romantic story, they finally get their happy ending and a bonus for the audience is the amazing dance sequence performed by Lawrence and Cooper themselves. In the end, Pat realizes that his marriage is really over and starts working on his mental health. He chooses Tiffany over Nikki in the final scenes of the movie, and we get to see a love declaration for the ages.
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What Is The Inspiration Behind ‘Silver Linings Playbook’?
Truth is always stranger than fiction. While the saying might be true in some cases, it is not true for Pat and Tiffany’s love story. The movie was not based on reality; however, it was adapted from Matthew Quick’s 2008 novel of the same name. The most important aspects of the film are the same as that of the book, the film did add subplots like Pat Sr’s (Robert De Niro) gambling habit which proved perfect for a Philadelphia setting.
Another variation from the novel was Pat’s surname, he had the surname Peoples in the book instead of Solitano, as in the movie. The film is not only a poignant and quirky take on trauma and mental illness, but it also portrays the life of Philadelphia suburbs flawlessly. The film’s ability to feel real despite being based on a work of fiction is what makes it authentic and a cinematic delight to watch.
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