Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

4/5

David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook is a delightful and surprising treasure. The story follows Pat (Cooper) on the day of his release from an 8-month stint at a psychiatric hospital. We discover that he has delusional bipolar disorder, that he hates taking his meds, and that he's trying to win his wife back (although she has a restraining order against him). He moves back in with his parents (De Niro, Weaver) while he continues his rehabilitation with a psychiatrist (Kher). On a dinner date with his best friend (Ortiz), he meets Tiffany (Lawrence) and they share an undeniable connection--while talking about the pros and cons of different psych meds. What happens next I'll leave for you to experience firsthand.

The writing and the acting are the film's strongest aspects. The story and dialogue are just the right amount of quirky and comedic to balance its darker tones of mental illness and dysfunctional families. Cooper and Lawrence both give knockout performances that are joys to watch: equal parts ferocity and vulnerability, strength and tenderness. Cooper's violent outbursts are matched by his emotional pain. Lawrence is mature and assured but also naive and scared. They are complex and real, and their chemistry is electric. There is an unexpectedly exhilarating dance number in the movie that has you stunned while watching it, on the edge of your seat and with a grin on your face, worried about the past but excited for the future. It was sensational. But the movie should have ended there, because after that it devolved into a contemporary romantic comedy happily ever after instead of giving us something novel and unique like before.

As a film, Silver Linings Playbook failed to impress me. The shots were mediocre and the editing was substandard. The camerawork was a bit too self-indulgent for me, with almost every shot pushing in or pulling back. And I just can't get rid of how disappointed that ending made me. But none of that invalidates what makes this movie so special. Everything about it just pulsates with life and vitality, enriching our own lives by watching it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

4/5

Paul Greengrass's The Bourne Ultimatum is riveting. Not only does it have some of the most tense action scenes put to film, but it has them one after another with almost no lag time. The editing is simply stunning. Not a single wasted frame. While I despised the over-the-top shakiness in the second movie, this movie's less obtrusive, more muted camerawork was actually quite effective at making it realistic and thrilling. Probably because you could still tell what was going on. What made this movie stand out from your typical action fare was its political and thematic underpinnings. While it focuses most obviously on the dichotomy between following orders and making your own decisions, it also delves into modern American politics unapologetically. My favorite line in the movie was by Strathairn: "Don't second-guess an operation from an armchair."

I didn't really like the intro at all. It did nothing to serve the story and its lack of any explanation simply made its inclusion unnecessary. Additionally, some of my enjoyment was slightly marred by the terrible smile by Julia Stiles in the next to final frames. And for some reason Jason Bourne is superhumanly strong and incapable of being injured. But if you like action, you need to see this movie. Now. It truly is the best action movie of the year.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0440963/