Posted by Kathryn Butler
After an eight-month stint in a state mental institution, bipolar Pat Solatano's (Bradley Cooper) life seems to have fallen apart-he has lost his wife, his job, his house and even his independence. Following the terms of his plea-bargain, he moves in with his Philadelphia Eagles-obsessed parents and starts a healthy living routine based on a positive outlook.
Solatano is determined to turn his life around and ultimately win back his estranged wife, proving to her, to his family and to himself that he has changed. However, his plans go awry when he meets the beautiful, but equally complex Tiffany (Oscar-winning Jennifer Lawrence), a young widow who uses her sexual appetite to conceal her grief. Tiffany soon sets her sights on Pat, proposing a deal he can't resist: she offers to deliver a letter to his wife, but in return Pat has to be her partner in a ballroom dancing competition. As Pat and Tiffany train, they form an unexpected bond, finding solace and strength in one another's quirks.
Following the ups and downs of their relationship, the hilarious misunderstandings and the occasional football brawl, this movie is definitely not just another romantic comedy-it will keep you rolling on the floor while reaching to your heart. Silver Linings Playbook defies categorization as it manages to be simultaneously dramatic and hilarious.
Silver Linings Playbook will screen at the Saratoga Film Forum at 320 Broadway this Thursday, March 21th and Friday, March 22th at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, March 24th at 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for students.