This quirky, offbeat, romantic dramedy explores dysfunctional relationships between unstable, psychologically-damaged people. After spending eight months in a state institution on a plea bargain after violently attacking his wife's lover in the shower, Pat Solatano Jr. (Bradley Cooper) is released. Determined to control his anger and reconcile with his wife, bipolar Pat moves into the suburban Philadelphia home belonging to his parents: his superstitious, OCD, Philadelphia Eagles-loving, bookmaking father (Robert De Niro) and conciliatory housewife mother (Jacki Weaver). When Pat's anxiety-riddled buddy (John Ortiz) and his controlling wife (Julia Stiles) invite him for dinner, he meets recently widowed, deeply depressed Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). Sullen, smart-mouthed, sexually charged Tiffany offers to help Pat reconnect with his estranged wife if he'll agree to be her partner in a local ballroom-dancing competition—an endeavor that requires long hours of rehearsal. Based on Matthew Quick's 2008 novel, director David O. Russell's Best Picture nominee Silver Linings Playbook plumbs the poignant complexity of vulnerable characters, with Oscar-nominated turns from Cooper, De Niro, and Weaver, and a win by Lawrence. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “The Movie That Became a Movement” behind-the-scenes featurette (29 min.), deleted scenes (26 min.), a dance rehearsal (2 min.), a brief Steadicam segment with star Bradley Cooper, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are “Q&A Highlights” (27 min.), a “Learn to Dance Like Pat & Tiffany” instructional segment (12 min.), and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for one of 2012's most highly acclaimed films.] (S. Granger)
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