On Issues of Mental Illness with Silver Linings Playbook

A couple of years ago a film was released that dealt with mental illness with such delicacy and brilliance that it went unnoticed. That film was Take Shelter (2011) and that it was a small budget film staring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain before they became more in demand most likely allowed the director, Jeff Nichols, more freedom.

Silver Linings Playbook is what happens when you deal with the same issues but use ‘A listers’ and upcoming favourites, in this case Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. Playbook therefore lacks the subtle handling of Take Shelter, instead opting for large, melodramatic performances to communicate the issues. Yet, it carries expectations that Take Shelter did not. A film staring such popular actors (and with Robert De Niro in a supporting role) is expected to reach a wide audience and must therefore be more audience friendly.

So what we get with Playbook is an audience friendly interpretation of mental illness. A large, loud, sexy film with good performances and a happy ending most notable for De Niro displaying the brilliance that has made him one of the 20th century’s greatest actors.