Saturday, December 8, 2012

Lessons Learned from Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

WARNING: SPOILERS 

 
1. Romance can overcome mental illness.  Sure, taking meds and setting goals can help, but love is the magic potion.  Falling in love is particularly effective if you're so obsessive and violent that your wife took out a restraining order against you.  Because nothing says "dating is the answer to your problems" like a restraining order (or still being married to someone else, for that matter).

2. A history of violence (note the aforementioned restraining order) will not be an impediment to true love if you're both attractive and have used some of the same medications.

3. A mother who truly cares about her son will remove him from his treatment program before he's ready and (apparently) help set him up with a woman while he still has violent outbursts.

4. A father will be punished for the irresponsibility of risking his nest egg on gambling unless his gambling furthers his son's romantic storyline, in which case he will be considered a great dad and be rewarded with a big victory.

5. Lying and manipulating is romantic and a sure sign that two people deserve are destined for each other.

6. It may be the 21st century, but your token wacky African-American friend is still the best person to provide advice on how to put more soul into your dancing.

7. Ridiculous plots are more fun when they are meant to be ridiculous (see Preston Sturges, for example) than when they're meant to be taken seriously, as in this film.  It also helps if your female lead is Barbara Stanwyck or Claudette Colbert instead of Jennifer Lawrence.