Silver Linings Playbook Analysis
Sarah Carpenter
Professor Herzog
Final Paper
Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook
The narrative of Silver Linings Playbook is formed in the heart of Philadelphia around a middle class family at it’s breaking point. Pat’s, the protagonist, family has very much shaped his current situation; he has clinical bipolar disorder and struggles with stress-induced manic outbursts. After Pat’s release from a mandated rehabilitation center, he handles the next recuperating stage of his life in a similar way as a quarterback looking to make the next big play on the field; watching for possible blitzes and passes, anything to get the ball into the end zone, or in Pat’s case, to get in position for his life to get back on track, and preferably with his estranged wife, Nikki. The football metaphor does not stop there and is continually enforced by Pat Sr., Pat’s OCD and stress-induced manic outburst ridden father. Silver Linings Playbook was first a book written by Matthew Quick, then re-adapted by David Russell, the director and screenwriter. David Russell has a son who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum and bipolar disorder and he wanted to make something that his son could relate to. The characters were brought to life by Bradley Cooper as Pat Jr., Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany, and Robert De Niro as Pat Sr., among others. The film, like life itself, juggles multiple dimensions simultaneously. It is a dark comedy with some occasional romance and addresses stigmatized human elements like dysfunctional families and mental illness. Elements of Silver Linings Playbook relate to other films; the screwball comedy storyline is reminiscent of classic movies starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn and the effect of mental illnesses is also depicted in Side Effects, released in 2012. However, no film singularly covers all of the crucial aspects of Silver Linings Playbook, which in part, makes it such a refreshing film in what seems to be a half a decade of
Professor Herzog
Final Paper
Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook
The narrative of Silver Linings Playbook is formed in the heart of Philadelphia around a middle class family at it’s breaking point. Pat’s, the protagonist, family has very much shaped his current situation; he has clinical bipolar disorder and struggles with stress-induced manic outbursts. After Pat’s release from a mandated rehabilitation center, he handles the next recuperating stage of his life in a similar way as a quarterback looking to make the next big play on the field; watching for possible blitzes and passes, anything to get the ball into the end zone, or in Pat’s case, to get in position for his life to get back on track, and preferably with his estranged wife, Nikki. The football metaphor does not stop there and is continually enforced by Pat Sr., Pat’s OCD and stress-induced manic outburst ridden father. Silver Linings Playbook was first a book written by Matthew Quick, then re-adapted by David Russell, the director and screenwriter. David Russell has a son who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum and bipolar disorder and he wanted to make something that his son could relate to. The characters were brought to life by Bradley Cooper as Pat Jr., Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany, and Robert De Niro as Pat Sr., among others. The film, like life itself, juggles multiple dimensions simultaneously. It is a dark comedy with some occasional romance and addresses stigmatized human elements like dysfunctional families and mental illness. Elements of Silver Linings Playbook relate to other films; the screwball comedy storyline is reminiscent of classic movies starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn and the effect of mental illnesses is also depicted in Side Effects, released in 2012. However, no film singularly covers all of the crucial aspects of Silver Linings Playbook, which in part, makes it such a refreshing film in what seems to be a half a decade of