BY TINA HENNESSEY
SC Contributing Writer
Silver Linings Playbook has been played in the quad area at East Stroudsburg University several nights by the Campus Activities Board (CAB) for a drive-in movie night, completely free to students, faculty, and staff. The film Silver Linings Playbook was directed by David O. Russell and based off of the novel by Matthew Quick.
Pat, who is played by Bradley Cooper, just got out of a state institution and is trying everything in his power to show his wife that he is better. However, his restraining order seems to be getting in the way. He befriends Tiffany, who is played by Jennifer Lawrence. They bond over their situations and the side effects of medications they have taken. This is not the only thing that had this on screen pair seeing each other on a daily basis.
They make a deal that if she helps him get in contact with his wife, Nikki, he will have to do a favor for her by entering a dance competition. This is where the connection between the two really begins. A better pair could not have been chosen for these parts than Cooper and Lawrence. The portrayal of their characters felt completely real throughout the entire film and their connection only grew stronger the deeper they were into learning the dance routine.
They were not the only right fits for this film. Robert De Niro, who plays Pat’s dad, and Jacki Weaver, who plays Pat’s mom, do an excellent job of showing compassion toward Pat and trying their best to help him and do what is best for him.
Silver Linings Playbook is filled with drama, comedy, and romance. Pat constantly uses the word “excelsior” to remind himself to be positive and find a silver lining when he feels angry and negative. Throughout the film, viewers are reminded the importance of hard work and positivity in life.
One of the most effective and motivating lines in the film that all can benefit from is said by Pat when he is explaining what he learned in the hospital, “You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, then you have a shot at a silver lining.”
Email Tina at:
thennessey@live.esu.edu
