James Fazzaro

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK has been out for awhile, and I finally got a chance to see it. I felt it started off as a semitough look at mental illness, then turned into a crazy-guy fantasy where everything around was surreal and absurd. Played straight by all, and played well, one can still see this as a well made Hollywood/Weinstein Brothers Oscar nabber. Call me cynical, but nevertheless I was entertained and director David O Russell did a good job with the material as it was. I preferred THE FIGHTER, THREE KINGS and going way back SPANKING THE MONKEY by him, but this film with its good box office and Oscar buzz should allow him to return to more daring fare. Bradley Cooper was pretty good, and Jennifer Lawrence can add another feather to her cap for her work here.