Silver Linings Playbook Review

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Mental Illness Portrayed with Balance In Silver Linings Playbook, a romantic comedy-drama featuring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, mental illness is explored as both an insight into the struggles of the daily life of those who suffer and a look at how American society perceives those with mental illnesses. BAFTA Award winning director David Owen Russell directed the film. His other works include such successes as Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees. The film, released on November 16th, 2012, has a uniquely lighthearted approach to a serious story of a bipolar man and a woman suffering depression. Silver Linings Playbook does an excellent job of both exposing the daily struggle of those with mental disorders and the perception and blurred lines American society has when viewing mental illness in the country. As the film begins, Pat Solitano, played by Bradley Cooper, is being released from a mental institution after being treated for his newly diagnosed bipolar disorder. He had originally been sent to the institution because he faced assault charges in court. Upon returning home from work early, he found his wife in the shower with another man. Even worse, their wedding song was playing. While he appears much more stable after his release from the institution, the song is still a spark that can bring on uncontrollable rage. During Pat’s struggle, a woman named Tiffany Maxwell, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is experiencing a similar difficulty with mental illness. After the death of her husband, she slept with all eleven people in her office, which resulted in her termination. Suffering depression, Tiffany has trouble seeing how her life could improve. Pat and Tiffany meet at a dinner party hosted by Pat’s friend Ronnie, who is also Tiffany’s brother-in-law. Pat and Tiffany develop an odd relationship, as Tiffany is initially very forthcoming, and Pat does not

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