Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook is the eighth of nine films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. As the films are listed alphabetically on the Oscar website, reviews will be in alphabetical order.

Sometimes I am even more shallow than simply judging a movie by its trailer.  Sometimes I judge a trailer by its actor.

So, I began to judge the trailer for Silver Linings Playbook before viewing it...

I am not sure if I like Bradley Cooper and not even sure if I dislike Bradley Cooper.  He's an actor that seems to play the same intense guy in everything.  Whether a good guy or not - at least in the few films I've seen him in.  I think it has something to do with having all the right acting tools but his eyes seem to betray the emotion of his acting - except intensity - and thus, in every role he seems to have varying levels of asshole-ness.  Maybe that's who he is and maybe that's why he is cast in those types of roles. If something works for you, then by all means do it, right? Unless of course, you're hurting someone else...

The wife likes Bradley Cooper.  Maybe I'm just jealous of his abs.

The trailer for Silver Linings Playbook opens up on Robert De Niro. Who doesn't like Robert De Niro?

Silver Lining Playbook (SLP): 1
My Judgment (MJ): 0

Bradley Cooper plays the same asshole, but this time there's a sort of reason for it - mental health - and, in the trailer, he shows much more than just the intense asshole he usually plays. In a few clips his eyes actually reflected the emotion he projected. 

SLP: 2
MJ: 0

Jennifer Lawrence was really believable in The Hunger Games, which is the only movie I've seen her in.  She was very charming and believable in this trailer.

SLP: 3
MJ: 0

The story communicated in the trailer is of a man in his 30s dealing with mental health issues, released from an institution (I think), moves in with his parents, meets a girl who is also dealing with mental health issues, all the while trying to connect with life.  Then there's this whole dancing thing that kind of threw me off.  Like if he wins a dance competition life will be better or something because he will feel a sense of accomplishment. 

SLP: 3
MJ: 1

Up until the dance stuff, I really liked the trailer for Silver Linings Playbook.

This will likely be a date night movie, and like all date night movies, it will be the wife's choice.