I just watched this last night so if there's already been a thread on this issue let me know but in my effort to watch Oscar nominated movies I watched Silver Linings Playbook last night and, while I enjoyed it, was pretty suprised it is receiving the attention it did.
I read this article about Robert De Niro and how his son with bipolar disorder inspired him to make the movie. I'll link it here but I wanted to add what I saw in the movie didn't seem much like bipolar and the film overall was pretty weak when compared to other past nominees that have portrayed mental illness like Good Will Hunting, As Good as It Gets, and A Beautiful Mind.
I'm curious what others thought of the film.
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Robert De Niro Crying: 'Silver Linings Playbook' Actor Breaks Down On 'Katie'
Robert De Niro became unusually emotional during an interview with Katie Couric Monday.
The typically taciturn actor, appearing with "Silver Linings Playbook" co-star Bradley Cooper and director David O. Russell, sat back as the other two men discussed the bipolar and mood disorders that challenged them both on set and off set. Russell's son suffers from bipolar disorder, an experience that the director has said inspired him to make the movie in the first place.
De Niro didn't say much in the interview. But when asked about how he related to the movie, the 69-year-old Oscar winner -- who has four sons of his own -- had to start and stop. "I don't like to get emotional, but I know exactly what [Russell] goes through," De Niro said, voice cracking. He appeared to be holding back tears.
Russell confirmed that De Niro had related deeply to the movie, telling Couric that he had witnessed a strong visceral reaction from the actor after reading the script. "I thought he was having hay fever, then I realized he was having an emotional reaction and I sat there and watched Robert De Niro cry for 10 minutes and I said, 'Wow he's really connecting with this material and this would be beautiful thing if it could work out, because I think his heart would be there' and it is there."
"Silver Linings Playbook" is nominated for eight Academy Awards. Fast-forward to 5:05 for the clip.
Post by ChillyMcFreeze on Feb 8, 2013 12:02:51 GMT -5
I don't know enough about bipolar disorder to make an informed comment, but it was definitely a lighter take on mental illness than those you mentioned. At the same time, though, you could tell that Bradley Cooper's character was seriously, tremendously ailed by his disorder. He recognized what it was doing to his relationships, but he couldn't overcome it. Even though the movie was fairly light in places, I think the way they portrayed him did justice to the seriousness of mental illness.
I liked the movie. It's an odd Oscar pick, but I think it shows that the Academy is getting younger.
I liked the movie. I'm not terribly familiar with BP in particular, but I liked the way it treated mental illness in general. My only complaint was that I wished Bradley Cooper would have said out loud to Deniro "Stop judging me for my mental illness because you're fucked up too".
I saw the movie and was emotionally exhausted by it. It was so interesting to see the varying levels of mental health dealt with within the story line (the father's character played by De Niro was interesting, as was the main character's best friend).
I really don't agree with the premise that every movie about a serious issue has to be a very serious movie. If you can bring an issue to an audience's attention and make them rethink what they thought they knew or have them question something they never thought about in a more useful way, then I consider that a positive.
I really don't agree with the premise that every movie about a serious issue has to be a very serious movie. If you can bring an issue to an audience's attention and make them rethink what they thought they knew or have them question something they never thought about in a more useful way, then I consider that a positive.
I agree...there are a few examples of other movies like this (I haven't seen 50/50 but I thought it was a similar kind of thing - humour in cancer?)...
I really don't agree with the premise that every movie about a serious issue has to be a very serious movie. If you can bring an issue to an audience's attention and make them rethink what they thought they knew or have them question something they never thought about in a more useful way, then I consider that a positive.
Totally agree. I think that was one of the reasons I loved the movie.
I liked that it was lighter. It seemed more real. Life isn't heavy and awful all the time. But this shows several people who are struggling but are trying to work past it. I had someone I know say it seemed really true to life to her personal experiences with bipolar.
I loved the movie--it was one of my favorites this year.
I really don't agree with the premise that every movie about a serious issue has to be a very serious movie. If you can bring an issue to an audience's attention and make them rethink what they thought they knew or have them question something they never thought about in a more useful way, then I consider that a positive.
I agree...there are a few examples of other movies like this (I haven't seen 50/50 but I thought it was a similar kind of thing - humour in cancer?)...
yes, it was. 50/50 was a GREAT movie. when i had starz it was on all over the place and i watched it every time.
on a side note, i am always impressed with RD. he's SO private. he's a great example of how you can actually have a (completely) private life. all the people complaining in hollywood don't impress me at all when there are people like him out there.
I was really impressed by this movie, in part because of how REAL this was. Not drama for drama's sake or to evoke pity as pp's suggested, but real people who have real families with their own issues. I enjoyed the lighter aspects of it.
I fell asleep half way through this movie if that tells you how much I enjoyed it. I watched it with a friend who is bipolar, and she didn't think it was an acurate portrayal of anything, FWIW.
Loved the movie until the ending. Same old Hollywood garbage. Hey! Love will make life with a serious mental illness all OK! No more problems! Bullshit.
Loved the movie until the ending. Same old Hollywood garbage. Hey! Love will make life with a serious mental illness all OK! No more problems! Bullshit.
I agree. I loved the movie until the end. It was wrapped up too quick and neat.
I need to read the book. I really enjoyed the movie, especially Jennifer Lawrence's character. I can imagine myself in her if I lost my husband like that.
Loved the movie until the ending. Same old Hollywood garbage. Hey! Love will make life with a serious mental illness all OK! No more problems! Bullshit.
I agree. I loved the movie until the end. It was wrapped up too quick and neat.
Eh, I didn't take the end that way. I figured they're still sick and they'll still have their issues, but at least now he's with someone who accepts him for who he is.
I haven't seen the movie yet. I have several family members who struggle with bipolar (one who is very close to me and completely noncompliant with treatment, won't even acknowledge the diagnosis, etc.) and I've talked about that here before. It's a movie I want to see, for sure.
^Me too. I wonder if my family member has seen it; he's off his meds and is in high manic right now.
There's a big spectrum of what bipolar means and how it affects people. And how their life experiences and circumstances affect them as well.
I felt that it wasn't SO MUCH about bipolar itself, but about how difficult it can be to find your way after a mental illness episode.
This.
I am bipolar (type 2). My illness does not act the way that was represented in the film. But, my illness does not act the way that any of my bipolar friends' illnesses act, either. We are all so very different, and the illness comes out in really diverse ways.
I really loved the movie. It made me uncomfortable at times, sure, but I thought it was real. When you have a mental break, and then you go back to your life, all you want is for things to get back to normal. But they can't. And that's a very emotional thing to deal with. People with mental illness don't live in a vale of tears all the time... rather, especially with bipolar disorder, there are random moods that you just sometimes can't explain, and that make you react in a way that's uncomfortable for everyone around you as much as it is for you. I thought the movie dealt with this emotional randomness really well, that it was subtle and funny and realistic.