What was the last movie you watched? IV
Posted: January 12th, 2013, 11:56 am
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) - David O Russell
I knew there would be some love between me and the latest of David O Russell's cinematic endeavours, there always was... but to this extent? Silver Linings Playbook was Frank Capra in his golden days, movies with Audrey Hepburn and Gene Kelly and the good old Hollywood glory... with manic-depressive spin. He did it in The Fighter (fantastically so) and he did it here, ensemble pieces constrained in a single room with a big fucking boom called stellar acting, and I'm pointing at these guilty participants: Bobby De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, even Jacki Weaver (even though it's funny to see her among the fellow nominees, but we already agreed on the joke part of the tuxedo/crinoline ceremony, basically 99% of it).
And it's constantly moving and jogging and marching forward, to either chaos or soothing calmness of dancing sequences. It's either wildly unpredictable or extremely gentle and delicate, and sometimes it's all at the same time (at the cost of nerves). The finale... I don't know, it was like Bigelow's Raid part done in social environment of a major contest event. The last time I wanted to walk out and forget about the whole thing James Franco was cutting his arm off with a swiss army knife in 127 Hours, that's how nail-biting it was. And the leading duet, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence? Please, let there be light. Bradley always had it, there was always this little actor-player... entertainer, squatting inside him, he just needed the chance to prove it. Jenn had her chances, last year was fantastic for her and this is simply an extension of that hard work and sweat; talent in the right hands, amazing stuff to behold - I loved them both. Bobby De Niro, needs to be said, one of the greatest actors of our time (from some time ago), he's not back, he was always here and it was nice to see him in such sincere form.
In the end, gotta hand it to the man, O. Russell, guy knows how to run the show and control his little drama playground, and drive them to some amazing lengths.
VERDICT: 5/5