Review: Silver Linings Playbook

When Crazy Met Crazy...

Quirky indie rom-com Silver Linings Playbook sees Bradley Cooper playing Pat; a man recently freed from a mental hospital after attempting to overcome the undiagnosed bipolar disorder that came to light after catching his wife cheating on him. Living with his parents (played by Jacki Weaver and Robert De Niro), Pat tries to get by in life without letting his illness stop him along the way; but when his world collides with Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) - a young woman also suffering from mental illness after the death of her husband - the two kindle a new friendship that allow each other to overcome their disorders and fit back into the world.

Of course he's wearing a bin bag; it's a quirky rom-com, duh...

This latest film from director David O. Russell is about as bipolar from his previous film The Fighter as Cooper's character is within it; and is also just as much unlikely to win the coveted Oscar awards that it is predicted to be nominated for. That is not to say that the film is bad by any means, it just isn't award winning material, and it won't change your life - which is by no means a criticism! Silver Linings Playbook is a perfectly harmless piece of cinematic rom-com material that will suitably fill the appetite of those who are looking for that sort of film. Yet the often prestigious Weinstein production title and the awards season release do little to push the film into the realms of the extraordinary. This is a film that could see nominations coming its way early next year, but ultimately it's highly unlikely that the film will walk away with any awards at all.

But is that really a problem? No, not at all. Whilst the film isn't a game changer, it is certainly a refreshing release within the genre which adds a respectable layer to the film by dealing with the emotional hardships of two good-looking people suffering from mental illness; as opposed to just the emotional hardships of two good-looking people! Although the film doesn't delve quite as far into dealing with and examining the illnesses as much as I'd have liked it to, the film does tastefully approach them as to not offend anyone; and from time to time effective camera movements cleverly create uncomfortable and claustrophobic moments that allow you to momentarily jump inside the minds of these two lost souls as they try to confront the seemingly overwhelming world surrounding them. It's also important to point out that the film is funny too, and does inject a satisfying sense of humour into a tough subject matter in order to make it a satisfying watch.

Lawrence and Cooper rehearsing for the big dance - yes, it has a big dance too!

A solid cast do a sufficient job to bring the story to life, with Lawrence coming fresh out of very successful adaptation of The Hunger Games (of which I was reminded as she makes an intertextual quip about Lord of the Flies) stealing the show. Cooper does a satisfying job with a character who - after pissing around in two Hangover films (the third set for release next summer) - allows him to take on a more challenging role, although as the leading man I'd have liked to have seen him challenge the character even further (a fault, albeit, of the script partially). Robert De Niro provides a pleasant presence in the film, although equally disappointing with the film simultaneously reminding us that his glory days are well behind him now. Chris Tucker - who is supposedly being eyed up for the already rumoured Hollywood remake of this year's remarkable French film Untouchable - gives a glimmer of hope for the film with the actor effortless breathing life into his minor supporting character who also suffers from mental illness.

Despite the push for its awards season release date, Silver Linings Playbook is not a film that will set the world on fire, but one that provides a satisfyingly feel good rom-com experience that does delve into a slightly deeper realm by dealing with the challenging issues of mental illness. Yet whilst the film may leave you with a slight smile on your face and skip in your step, it would have been a far more fulfilling experience if it had been ballsy enough to take a much more challenging look into the life of those suffering from mental illness, which in turn would have made the film's pay off much more rewarding. For the fact that it avoids this, the film that could have been extraordinary falls disappointingly short; but Silver Linings Playbook should satisfy those who do like a good bit of feel good romantic fluff and go in expecting just that.

Verdict: 3/5

Silver Linings Playbook (certificate 15) is now showing in cinemas across the UK.

Have you seen Silver Linings Playbook? Agree or disagree with my review? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!

Review: Brave

Och aye; Pixar Brave Medieval Scotland, fairytales and female protagonists for their wee new film...

Set in a fantasy Medieval Scotland, Pixar's 13th feature film Brave revolves around the story of the young Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald), who's wild red hair perfectly matches her free-spirited personality and aspirations. In a land of tradition Merida's parents King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) attempt to set up an arranged marriage for their daughter. However in her attempt to fight against the expectations of a young princess, an encounter with an old witch (Julie Walters) and an unfortunate spell result in Merida having to rely upon her impressive archery skills and ingenuity to undo the curse and decide her own fate...

There's just something about Pixar Animation Studios isn't there? Something special in everything they do. Even in their weakest films there seems to be a level of quality within not only the animation but within the stories - something so professional, tasteful, universal and timeless - that other animation studios just cannot beat. In a world where competitors like Dreamwork's How to Train Your Dragon are praised for being the studio's 'most Pixar-like' film, you know which studio's ahead of the game. For anyone who agrees with the majority that the studio's last film Cars 2 dropped the ball a bit (although I did enjoy it personally it is their weakest film, especially when following Toy Story 3), Brave will be a step back in the right direction for them as Pixar remind us all why they're still the kings of the industry.

A Wisp leads Merida (Kelly Macdonald) towards her fate in Brave

The film certainly lives up to its name with a number of firsts for Pixar making the film a Brave choice for the studio (I promised myself I'd get that pun out of the way as soon as possible!). Deciding to make a fairytale was no easy task for Pixar, especially considering that they are owned by Disney who are well renowned for their animated fairytale classics. By setting the film in Medieval Scotland instead of a more generic and non-existent fantasy land, Brave respects and differentiates itself from the clichés of the genre, giving it a heightened sense of reality which plays to the film's strengths - making the characters feel more relatable, the world more engaging and the perils of tradition that Merida must face all the more substantial. The real world history of the setting gives the film a lot more weight than any other fairytale film has yet to provide, making the film a lot darker as a result, almost reminiscent of the old Grimm fairytales that formed the genre. This is all featured in the film's opening scene alone, instantly grabbing you from the very beginning, proving exactly how this is the film's greatest asset and what makes it so admirable and engaging.

At the film's heart is the touching and emotionally investing story of a fractured and testing mother and daughter relationship between Merida and Queen Elinor. This particular story is what really drives the entire film, and once again the enhanced realism of the setting's heritage makes it all the more meaningful and believable - crucial in allowing the audience to become attached to the film's characters, and something that Pixar knows how to do best. It's not all about the darkness and reality though as there is also the abundance of humour that you'd come to expect from a Pixar film. Merida's three younger brothers - the triplets - provide a lot of the laughs with their cheeky antics, but the real star of the show is Billy Connolly's King Fergus who's personality is consistently entertaining and scene stealing, especially when paired up with the testosterone driven clans who start fighting for Merida's hand but end up fighting mainly for no reason at all as the film goes on - all in true man style!

Merida auditions for the lead role in The Hunger Games...

Aside from its many strengths, Brave unfortunately isn't one of Pixar's best, with a lot of the studio's other films remaining a lot more memorable than what ends up being one of the studio's least original films. However it is difficult to put this as a weakness as that just comes as part of the genre which the film has to respect and abide by in certain ways regardless of how far it differentiates itself. As a result Brave seems somewhat less ambitious in comparison to the studio's previous output with its simpler story and weaker second act, albeit even if they do come as a result of the genre. Whilst it does differ substantially from most fairytales it struggles to compare to the incredibly diverse and unique worlds of working monsters, talking toys, superhero families, loving robots, cooking rats and lost fish that Pixar boasts in its back catalogue of films. Pixar have raised the bar in animation, and it'll always be difficult for them to raise it further.

Albeit not Pixar's best, Brave is still a thoroughly enjoyable film that is to be commended for just how, well, Brave it is! It's Medieval setting allows the film to boast a much darker and more realistic approach than you'd probably expect from the genre and studio, linking directly into the heart and sole of the film and giving the mother and daughter relationship the emotional depth that it needs to encapsulate audiences. Merida provides a fantastic and refreshing female protagonist for the film, showing a much needed fairytale Princess figure who is proud to be different and is driven in her pursuits, not one seeking perfection and royal luxuries - making her the ideal figure for young girls. Entertaining, admirable and universally timeless, Brave is another Pixar film that reminds people who is boss in the animation industry; of course the wait continues for the surprises that lay in store with their next big cinematic treat...

Verdict: 4/5

Brave is released in cinemas across the UK on August 13th 2012.

Are you Brave enough to join Merida's adventure, or is this a Pixar film you'll miss? If you've seen it what did you think? Leave your comments below!

Review: The Hunger Games

This hunger that may put you off your appetite...

Set in a fictitious and dystopian version of Earth, The Hunger Games is an annual event where two young people are selected from each of the 12 districts and then pit against each other in a controlled forest battlefield environment where only one person can survive to become a part of the richer world who watch on through a reality TV show. During the participant selection for District 12 when the particularly young Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields) is selected as the female candidate, older sister and expert archer Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers herself in her sister's place, and is sent off into a fight for survival with the district's male candidate, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).

Adapted from the original book (the first in a trilogy) by Suzanne Collins, and brought to the big screen labelled as 'the next twilight,'  The Hunger Games actually provides much more for a much larger audience than you would initially expect from what appears to be a film aimed at a teenage girl demographic. Whilst the film is rated a 12A here in the UK (down from a 15 certificate after the cutting of seven seconds of  footage and the digital removal of blood splatter), the film is very dark and mature from the very start; when we are introduced to the character of Katniss in the poverty filled District 12 as she hunts animals in the wood for food. Once the film enters the battle arena after a whole host of training sequences and Olympic style proceedings from the TV show, the events suddenly turn very brutal, with violent killings of and by youths as they literally fight for survival. This is something that I in particular didn't expect to see coming so vividly, meaning that it's certainly not appropriate for some younger viewers and perhaps even some of the older ones either - you have been warned! However whilst I give caution to this, I do at the same time feel that this is actually the film's strong suit too, giving the film a lot more weight and credibility for making it a much darker affair, with a much greater reward for the audience - it simply wouldn't have worked with a lighter family orientated tone.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in The Hunger Games

The film's acting cast, lead by Jennifer Lawrence, is fantastic and work well to bring this world to life. Lawrence in particular does a fantastic job of portraying a very strong female lead character, who is tough yet lovable and upon whom the entire film rides upon and works as a result of - seeing a film with such a female lead character like this was a breath of fresh air to see. Despite this I did feel as if her love relationship with Peeta did weaken her character slightly, with their whole love story becoming cliched and unneeded, pushing the film further towards the anticipated teenage girl demographic; however the twist and questioning of just how genuine their relationship is within the reality show setting did give it a bit more power and weight, helping to justify it a bit more. Aside from that little quip, the film on the whole features a gripping and exciting character driven plot, directed excellently by Gary Ross who creates a visceral world that keeps you enticed and never bored throughout. Whilst it's an not entirely unique story, it certainly is one that hasn't been done like this before or used recently, making it a cinematic treat that you may not have seen coming - if you ignored all of the initial hype generated by the fans of the original books, you better start believing it!

People keep saying that this could be the next big thing in film after the recent Harry Potter and Twilight franchises - I think they may be onto something. Whilst the trailer didn't fill me with much hope, this dark and exciting film definitely isn't the new 'Twilight' teenage girl targeting film that you may go in expecting - it is much, much more. Suitable for a large teen and adult audience of both genders; with bold action, an enticing story and a great cast lead fantastically by Jenifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games certainly isn't one to overlook.

Verdict: 4/5

The Hunger Games is still showing in cinemas across the UK.

Agree or Disagree? Leave your comments below!