People are saying that it's "offensive" and "too happy" to be real, and that surprises me. As someone who lives with mental illness (severe major depression with severe psychotic features),and was in psych ward for quite a while, I didn't find it offensive. I found it to be remarkably accurate in portraying some of my own struggles, with mind-dulling medications, unwanted outbursts, deep paranoia, odd tics, etc. that I have had for over ten years. As for the "overly happy" stuff? Too many movies and TV shows focus on being "dark" and "edgy", so I found it refreshing to see someone going through struggles being positive about it. I won't pretend to have had the most difficult life, but it hasn't been easy. I saw this movie a few months after I was released from psych ward (2016),and I can honestly say it gave me a bit of hope to find my own silver lining. The world needs more positivity.

The Oscars are still a few weeks away, so at this point I have no idea which awards, if any, this film will receive. I also cannot really say which ones it SHOULD receive, as I still have quite a few movies to see that were also nominated for the big awards. But I can say that the two leads were just terrific and I loved how unconventional most of the film was. I seem to have heard a lot more about how great Jennifer Lawrence was in the film--and she was AMAZING. However, I can't understand why I haven't heard at least as much about Bradley Cooper--his performance as a really screwy guy was quite convincing.

The movie starts off in a mental hospital. It seems that Cooper's character was forced to go there because of SOMETHING he did--and eventually you learn that he nearly killed his wife and the man with who she was having an affair. And, based on what happened to him, you really COULD understand the man snapping like this. But, he also is mentally ill and desperately in need of professional help. His behaviors are consistent with a Bipolar Disorder with LOTS of Obsessive-Compulsive traits...LOTS. Despite it begin very clear that his marriage is over (the wife not only cheated on him but has a restraining order out on him),he lives in a delusional world where if he only gives it time, everything will work out perfectly. It obviously won't but he's too sick and stubborn to admit it.

Into this screwed up little world comes a woman almost as screwy as him. Jennifer Lawrence plays a young lady whose husband was killed tragically--and her coping skills totally suck. She uses sex to deaden her pain and she is also mentally ill. Together, these two screwed up people will somehow work through these issues. I liked this. But what made the movie lose a point was the ending. The subplot involving the bet and the magical way everything worked out at the end seemed to give way to formula--which is a shame, as up until then, the film was great because it was NOT formulaic. Still, the film is terrific from start to finish and I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of the leads wins the award as well as the film taking home top honors. Well worth seeing. And, well worth seeing for Robert De Niro's exciting supporting performance--it showed some depth that you don't normally see from him.

Watching Silver Linings Playbook tonight I got the feeling that the parts of the film good as they are did not add up to a perfect whole. Still the film has a lot to recommend it. After all it did get eight Oscar nominations from last year including one each in all the acting categories. And an Oscar for Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress.

Bradley Cooper, nominated for Best Actor plays a husband who just did a stint in a mental hospital for beating the living daylights out of his wife's lover. All three were teachers at the same high school in South Philadelphia and that must have had the faculty and students gossiping for a year.

Jacki Weaver and Robert DeNiro play Cooper's parents and both were nominated in the Supporting players category for both sexes. Weaver had her son released in her custody without telling DeNiro who accepts the situation for peace at home. He's got his own issues, he's a degenerate gambler who drives Weaver to wit's end.

Some friends try to fix up Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence on the theory that two volatile people could help heal each other. Lawrence's issues stem from the death of her husband a Philadelphia cop. Although there is an attraction for them, both their joint volatility and Cooper's refusal to give up trying to win back his wife are obstacles.

All those things plus DeNiro's gambling habit combine in one interesting climax where the growing relationship of Cooper and Lawrence plus DeNiro's finances are on the line. I dare not say more.

Some nice location cinematography also distinguishes Silver Linings Playbook. Having visited Philadelphia a few times I recognized quite a bit of it. We get to see quite a bit of South Philadelphia where it seems everyone knows everyone and everyone's business.

Both Cooper and Lawrence come across as decent and three dimensional people trying to cope as best they can with mental illness. Lawrence just lights up the screen with her performance. I didn't see the other nominated roles, but they would have had to go some to beat her out for the Oscar and apparently didn't.

My main criticism of an otherwise fine film is that I see no silver linings for either main character. They'll have to do a lot to make the relationship work if they can.

Still Silver Linings Playbook is a wonderful film deservedly honored with all those nominations and Jennifer Lawrence's Oscar.