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A good film despite its cliché ending.

tt1045658

As the film opens protagonist Pat Solitano is being released from an eight month sentence to a mental institution. He has lost his job as a teacher, his home and his wife has a restraining order against him… but he is still convinced he can win her back. Soon after his release he meets young widow Tiffany, who has issues of her own, at a dinner after which she invites him to spend the night with her but he refuses. That isn't the end of things and soon he is trying to persuade her to get a message to his wife; she agrees but has a condition; she wants to take part in a dance competition and wants Pat to be her partner. Pat's parents are a little bit concerned about him seeing Tiffany although his father's reasons is somewhat peculiar… he believes the Philadelphia Eagles will lose if they don't watch the game together! As the day of the dance approaches it gains greater significance following Pat being told his wife will be watching and the fact that his father has made a large bet on the outcome.Given that all the main characters seem to have mental issues; bi-polar disorder, anger control problems and obsessive behaviour; one would be forgiven for thinking it was either going to be overly worthy or in poor taste… thankfully that wasn't the case. This is largely down to the leads; Bradley Cooper is great as Pat and Jennifer Lawrence positively shines as Tiffany. They make their characters believable and likable. Of the supporting cast it isn't surprising that Robert De Niro gives the most memorable performance; his character's obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles is both disturbing and amusing. The film isn't without its flaws of course and unfortunately the biggest flaw is the cliché ending even if that is the ending that viewers probably want. Overall this film is engaging, funny, sexy and well worth watching.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-675

ur13977076

title: A good film despite its cliché ending. review: As the film opens protagonist Pat Solitano is being released from an eight month sentence to a mental institution. He has lost his job as a teacher, his home and his wife has a restraining order against him… but he is still convinced he can win her back. Soon after his release he meets young widow Tiffany, who has issues of her own, at a dinner after which she invites him to spend the night with her but he refuses. That isn't the end of things and soon he is trying to persuade her to get a message to his wife; she agrees but has a condition; she wants to take part in a dance competition and wants Pat to be her partner. Pat's parents are a little bit concerned about him seeing Tiffany although his father's reasons is somewhat peculiar… he believes the Philadelphia Eagles will lose if they don't watch the game together! As the day of the dance approaches it gains greater significance following Pat being told his wife will be watching and the fact that his father has made a large bet on the outcome.Given that all the main characters seem to have mental issues; bi-polar disorder, anger control problems and obsessive behaviour; one would be forgiven for thinking it was either going to be overly worthy or in poor taste… thankfully that wasn't the case. This is largely down to the leads; Bradley Cooper is great as Pat and Jennifer Lawrence positively shines as Tiffany. They make their characters believable and likable. Of the supporting cast it isn't surprising that Robert De Niro gives the most memorable performance; his character's obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles is both disturbing and amusing. The film isn't without its flaws of course and unfortunately the biggest flaw is the cliché ending even if that is the ending that viewers probably want. Overall this film is engaging, funny, sexy and well worth watching.

'Silver Linings Playbook' is simply an entertaining film and one of the best of 2012

tt1045658

I had wanted to see this film for a while, especially after the Oscar nominations came in and this film was surprisingly nominated for 8 Oscars including 'Best Picture' Now that I've seen this movie, I can happily say that this movie is deserving a spot of the Best Picture nomination 'Silver Linings Playbook' is a story about a guy and a girl who both have had such a hard life of their own. Patty is trying to reconcile with his former lover when he meets the eccentric Tiffany, who also has had a tough life behind her.This film is not what I expected going into it. I just expected a funny romance movie but what I got was something that very well depicts what life can be like. The film was definitely funny, entertaining but most importantly it shows how depressing life can be. The film, nor the director David O Russel allowed the script to ever fall away from the movie. The jokes weren't over the top, they were pretty simple funny moments but this film knows that it wasn't to be a crazy comedy. The tone of the movie is sad, a little humorous and well sad! The writing never takes away from the tone. The direction and writing is great. Good job! The acting in the movie is easily its biggest strength for me. I loved the performances in the movie, especially the ever so brilliant Robert de Niro who is definitely by far the best. That isn't to say the supporting cast wasn't good, they were terrific. Jennifer Lawrence brought such a realistic portrayal to her character Tiffany as did Bradley Cooper. By the end, these are characters we cared about. I was actually so glad to see Chris Tucker back for a short part of the film. Its been 5 years since we've seen him in a film and I'm glad he's back! The story in the movie is definitely great but also to me, its only real weakness of any real sort. Its hard to find any real weakness with the movie as everything is done brilliantly but if anything has to be called its weakest thing, its perhaps the story. The real story to the film doesn't begin until over one hour in but it was no issue as the characters were fleshed out.The characters in the movie were great especially de Niro's character the father. I loved all these characters by the end of the film that I believe this film was certainly worth a 2 hour watch, despite most movies like this being a half hour shorter.In conclusion, 'Silver Linings Playbook' is a movie that is most definitely worth a watch and perhaps "even" deserving of a Best Picture nominations despite movies like the Dark Knight Rises, Avengers and the Hobbit coming out in the same year.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-254

ur28221379

title: 'Silver Linings Playbook' is simply an entertaining film and one of the best of 2012 review: I had wanted to see this film for a while, especially after the Oscar nominations came in and this film was surprisingly nominated for 8 Oscars including 'Best Picture' Now that I've seen this movie, I can happily say that this movie is deserving a spot of the Best Picture nomination 'Silver Linings Playbook' is a story about a guy and a girl who both have had such a hard life of their own. Patty is trying to reconcile with his former lover when he meets the eccentric Tiffany, who also has had a tough life behind her.This film is not what I expected going into it. I just expected a funny romance movie but what I got was something that very well depicts what life can be like. The film was definitely funny, entertaining but most importantly it shows how depressing life can be. The film, nor the director David O Russel allowed the script to ever fall away from the movie. The jokes weren't over the top, they were pretty simple funny moments but this film knows that it wasn't to be a crazy comedy. The tone of the movie is sad, a little humorous and well sad! The writing never takes away from the tone. The direction and writing is great. Good job! The acting in the movie is easily its biggest strength for me. I loved the performances in the movie, especially the ever so brilliant Robert de Niro who is definitely by far the best. That isn't to say the supporting cast wasn't good, they were terrific. Jennifer Lawrence brought such a realistic portrayal to her character Tiffany as did Bradley Cooper. By the end, these are characters we cared about. I was actually so glad to see Chris Tucker back for a short part of the film. Its been 5 years since we've seen him in a film and I'm glad he's back! The story in the movie is definitely great but also to me, its only real weakness of any real sort. Its hard to find any real weakness with the movie as everything is done brilliantly but if anything has to be called its weakest thing, its perhaps the story. The real story to the film doesn't begin until over one hour in but it was no issue as the characters were fleshed out.The characters in the movie were great especially de Niro's character the father. I loved all these characters by the end of the film that I believe this film was certainly worth a 2 hour watch, despite most movies like this being a half hour shorter.In conclusion, 'Silver Linings Playbook' is a movie that is most definitely worth a watch and perhaps "even" deserving of a Best Picture nominations despite movies like the Dark Knight Rises, Avengers and the Hobbit coming out in the same year.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) - Set a Goal! Find Your Silver Lining!

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Released to worldwide critical acclaim, and tons of supposed Oscar buzz, "Silver Linings Playbook" is the film adaptation of the highly successful novel of the same name. Director David O. Russell from "The Fighter" has taken the liberty of becoming the man in charge of taking this one story and treating it with plenty of care. But, thanks to a beautiful script and a super-talented cast, "Silver Linings Playbook" is the most memorable movie-going experience I've had all year. Bradley Cooper delivers probably the best performance of his entire career playing Pat, a young man with a huge case of bipolar disorder, who has just been released from a mental institution after suffering a major breakdown when noticing his ex-wife in the shower with another man. That's not really a spoiler, because it was seen in the trailer, but for now, better safe than sorry! Now, that he has returned home, he now wants to make changes in his life. He's now moved back in with his parents, played respectively by Robert de Niro and Jacki Weaver, and tries to fit in within his neighborhood. He has decided to set out and make new goals, especially one in particular, trying to reconcile with his ex-wife. But he then runs into Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, a young woman whom also is having serious troubles of her own, after the recent death of her husband, and similar to Pat, is also a little crazy. While trying to spend time with his family, and helping Tiffany rehearse for a ballroom dance competition, Pat shares this unlikely bond with this girl, and maybe a certain and strange romance will soon occur. "Silver Linings Playbook" is one of the best movies of the year, if not, the best. This is a beautifully realistic and heartfelt film that will relate to anyone, unlike anything I have seen in such a long time. David O. Russell both wrote and directed this film, and you can obviously tell that this man cares more about the people in his films, and less about the subject matter. He knows how to make the characters so believable, and gives the audience a chance to feel so much sympathy for these people. Also, the script delivers some of the most well-written realistic dialogue ever put on the silver screen. This is one of the best directed films of the year, and David O. Russell will probably score both a Best Director and Best Screenplay nomination respectively. Bradley Cooper absolutely delivers an Oscar-worthy performance, and if he ends up getting a Best Actor nomination, it would be great if he actually won, which will probably not happen, but it should. This actor has proved that besides comedies, he can also do dramatic roles very well. Cooper can actually act, and do these dramatic movies really well. It's that broken-down character, hoping to make things better for himself, that Cooper does a great job at portraying. Another Oscar-worthy performance in this movie comes from the one and only Robert de Niro, playing Pat's father, a man with dreams of opening a new restaurant, and has a huge obsession for the Philadelphia Eagles football team. It's so great to see one of the greatest actors of all time back on the screen in a good movie, and delivers the role with such perfection, definitely worthy of a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Although Jacki Weaver, as Pat's mother, and Chris Tucker, as Pat's best friend, each deliver terrific supporting performances respectively, it's all about Jennifer Lawrence as the female lead. After her work in "Winter's Bone" and "The Hunger Games", Lawrence has become one of the most promising actresses of our century, delivering a powerful scene-stealing performance, worthy of a Best Actress nomination. Lawrence and Cooper, respectively, share electrifying chemistry between each other, and I was able to believe in the bond that these two people shared. It was so great to watch these two actors together. The movie delivers every single human emotion you can think of. There's a really funny side to the film that will make you laugh, a dramatic side that will make you think, and overall, it just warms your heart in some way. If a movie is able to affect me so much, yet make me feel good at the same time, it's a great movie to me! Beautifully directed, fantastically written, incredibly acted, heartwarming, realistic, and intriguing, "Silver Linings Playbook" is my new favorite movie of the year, and I won't be surprised if the film is able to score a Best Picture nomination. "Silver Linings Playbook", in my review, "a funny, realistic, emotional, and heartwarming motion picture".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-77

ur25627714

title: Silver Linings Playbook (2012) - Set a Goal! Find Your Silver Lining! review: Released to worldwide critical acclaim, and tons of supposed Oscar buzz, "Silver Linings Playbook" is the film adaptation of the highly successful novel of the same name. Director David O. Russell from "The Fighter" has taken the liberty of becoming the man in charge of taking this one story and treating it with plenty of care. But, thanks to a beautiful script and a super-talented cast, "Silver Linings Playbook" is the most memorable movie-going experience I've had all year. Bradley Cooper delivers probably the best performance of his entire career playing Pat, a young man with a huge case of bipolar disorder, who has just been released from a mental institution after suffering a major breakdown when noticing his ex-wife in the shower with another man. That's not really a spoiler, because it was seen in the trailer, but for now, better safe than sorry! Now, that he has returned home, he now wants to make changes in his life. He's now moved back in with his parents, played respectively by Robert de Niro and Jacki Weaver, and tries to fit in within his neighborhood. He has decided to set out and make new goals, especially one in particular, trying to reconcile with his ex-wife. But he then runs into Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, a young woman whom also is having serious troubles of her own, after the recent death of her husband, and similar to Pat, is also a little crazy. While trying to spend time with his family, and helping Tiffany rehearse for a ballroom dance competition, Pat shares this unlikely bond with this girl, and maybe a certain and strange romance will soon occur. "Silver Linings Playbook" is one of the best movies of the year, if not, the best. This is a beautifully realistic and heartfelt film that will relate to anyone, unlike anything I have seen in such a long time. David O. Russell both wrote and directed this film, and you can obviously tell that this man cares more about the people in his films, and less about the subject matter. He knows how to make the characters so believable, and gives the audience a chance to feel so much sympathy for these people. Also, the script delivers some of the most well-written realistic dialogue ever put on the silver screen. This is one of the best directed films of the year, and David O. Russell will probably score both a Best Director and Best Screenplay nomination respectively. Bradley Cooper absolutely delivers an Oscar-worthy performance, and if he ends up getting a Best Actor nomination, it would be great if he actually won, which will probably not happen, but it should. This actor has proved that besides comedies, he can also do dramatic roles very well. Cooper can actually act, and do these dramatic movies really well. It's that broken-down character, hoping to make things better for himself, that Cooper does a great job at portraying. Another Oscar-worthy performance in this movie comes from the one and only Robert de Niro, playing Pat's father, a man with dreams of opening a new restaurant, and has a huge obsession for the Philadelphia Eagles football team. It's so great to see one of the greatest actors of all time back on the screen in a good movie, and delivers the role with such perfection, definitely worthy of a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Although Jacki Weaver, as Pat's mother, and Chris Tucker, as Pat's best friend, each deliver terrific supporting performances respectively, it's all about Jennifer Lawrence as the female lead. After her work in "Winter's Bone" and "The Hunger Games", Lawrence has become one of the most promising actresses of our century, delivering a powerful scene-stealing performance, worthy of a Best Actress nomination. Lawrence and Cooper, respectively, share electrifying chemistry between each other, and I was able to believe in the bond that these two people shared. It was so great to watch these two actors together. The movie delivers every single human emotion you can think of. There's a really funny side to the film that will make you laugh, a dramatic side that will make you think, and overall, it just warms your heart in some way. If a movie is able to affect me so much, yet make me feel good at the same time, it's a great movie to me! Beautifully directed, fantastically written, incredibly acted, heartwarming, realistic, and intriguing, "Silver Linings Playbook" is my new favorite movie of the year, and I won't be surprised if the film is able to score a Best Picture nomination. "Silver Linings Playbook", in my review, "a funny, realistic, emotional, and heartwarming motion picture".

The Life's Good Side

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Knowing that "Silver Linings Playbook" won an Oscar for the best performance by an actress in leading role, I decided to give it a chance and see what's going on. The story is basically about a mentally ill guy coming back to his house after spending eight months in the hospital. In this return, everyone is willing to help him dealing with life more calmly, but things don't always work like this. To make it harder for him-- in a first sight--, Pat meets a girl named Tiffany who isn't exactly a role model of mental stability. In fact, sometimes we wonder who has a bigger mental problem, given that both characters face these problems with a considerable frequency. The good thing about that explosive behavior is that it delivers some funny scenes, like the first dinner they have together, in which they explode with rudeness to everybody gathered in the table. I don't honestly know what I felt so funny about that scene, but people acting rude all of a sudden usually makes me laugh, for being so spontaneous. The plot makes it an entertaining movie, mainly because the pace is fast and we care about the main characters. There aren't many thrilling scenes, and the climax is well reached in the dancing scene-- and deliver another funny moment, since nobody could understand why they've felt so happy after receiving a five grade. It's also good to see Robert DeNiro portraying something different than a rough father/grandfather who in the end becomes sensitive and kind; in fact, his character is reasonable all the way through the story. By the way, for some moments Tiffany remembered me a lot the character Penny from the series "The Big Bang Theory", despite the fact Tiffany is really crazy hehe. All in all, it just doesn't deserve a better rating because it never accomplish to be too emotional, romantic or funny, but it's in no way a bad film. Also, I can understand why Jennifer Lawrence won the Oscar for having the best performance-- if I agree with that is another discussion.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-630

ur16558990

title: The Life's Good Side review: Knowing that "Silver Linings Playbook" won an Oscar for the best performance by an actress in leading role, I decided to give it a chance and see what's going on. The story is basically about a mentally ill guy coming back to his house after spending eight months in the hospital. In this return, everyone is willing to help him dealing with life more calmly, but things don't always work like this. To make it harder for him-- in a first sight--, Pat meets a girl named Tiffany who isn't exactly a role model of mental stability. In fact, sometimes we wonder who has a bigger mental problem, given that both characters face these problems with a considerable frequency. The good thing about that explosive behavior is that it delivers some funny scenes, like the first dinner they have together, in which they explode with rudeness to everybody gathered in the table. I don't honestly know what I felt so funny about that scene, but people acting rude all of a sudden usually makes me laugh, for being so spontaneous. The plot makes it an entertaining movie, mainly because the pace is fast and we care about the main characters. There aren't many thrilling scenes, and the climax is well reached in the dancing scene-- and deliver another funny moment, since nobody could understand why they've felt so happy after receiving a five grade. It's also good to see Robert DeNiro portraying something different than a rough father/grandfather who in the end becomes sensitive and kind; in fact, his character is reasonable all the way through the story. By the way, for some moments Tiffany remembered me a lot the character Penny from the series "The Big Bang Theory", despite the fact Tiffany is really crazy hehe. All in all, it just doesn't deserve a better rating because it never accomplish to be too emotional, romantic or funny, but it's in no way a bad film. Also, I can understand why Jennifer Lawrence won the Oscar for having the best performance-- if I agree with that is another discussion.

The Game of Life in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

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Director David O. Russell (Three Kings) has taken Matthew Quick's novel, Silver Linings Playbook, and adapted it for the screen. It is a topic near and dear to him as his own son has bipolar disorder like the lead character. By balancing dramatic situations with comedic overtones, Russell has accomplished a rare feat, an excellent drama with a superior cast that treads the fine line of humor. By making such a delicate subject accessible to the masses, he has made a really entertaining, crowd pleaser.Pat (Bradley Cooper) suffers from bipolar disorder and, following a breakdown over a failed marriage and confinement to a psychiatric facility in Baltimore, has just been released to his parents' care. Now back in Philadelphia and living with his parents, Dolores (Jacki Weaver), his doting mother, and Pat, Sr. (Robert DeNiro), a sports addict, Pat is determined to get his wife back despite a restraining order. He is so obsessed with getting back with his wife that he boils over on occasion with emotional outbursts which threaten to send him back to confinement. When he is not taking his meds or visiting his therapist, he runs in his neighborhood to get into shape in anticipation of repatriating with his wife, or so he thinks. One day he runs into Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), another troubled soul who not only has been widowed recently, but now sleeps with anyone. Their uneasy interactions lead to an unusual offer by Tiffany for him to partner with her in a dance contest in exchange for her being an intermediary and backdoor link to his wife. What follows are the revelations of emotional scars and the realities of finding happiness in the most unlikely places.The cast is excellent, particularly the four lead actors. Lawrence portrays Tiffany as a seemingly naïve, young woman, but she turns out to be a bright, perceptive person who is not afraid to stand toe-to-toe with anyone. DeNiro has not had such a strong role in many years, and he shows just how good he still is. Even Chris Tucker, in an unusual supporting role, registers as Pat's buddy from his psych group.The film is about how people, who are trapped in their own patterns of behavior, are afraid or unable to reach out and take a chance in life. The depictions of mental illness are portrayed with realism. When Pat undergoes mood swings, it can manifest itself as uncontrollable rage brought on by a simple trigger. He has no filter to his reactions and responses which can be quite awkward and downright offensive. Much as Jack Nicholson's character in As Good as It Gets laments if 'this really is as good as it gets', Cooper's Pat tries to find the 'silver lining' in his life.It is interesting to note that virtually every major character in the story has emotional issues in varying degrees. At one point Pat actually thinks Tiffany is crazier than he is. Pat's father, a superstitious gambler and bookie, has his own issues with obsessive-compulsive disorder. His belief that having his son nearby to ensure the Eagles football team a victory, leads to an amusing confrontation with Tiffany.When you have a cast that is this good, you have to look at the director, Russell, who orchestrates like a master conductor. Despite an uneven filmography in his early career, he is rapidly becoming the actors' go-to director. His attention to minor details like the simple act of tying a tie, a quick reaction shot, or hand gesture enriches the texture of a characterization. His recent films (The Fighter) have taken noteworthy, acting ensembles and elicited superior, Oscar worthy performances amid strong story lines. Somewhere, directing legends, George Cukor (The Philadelphia Story) and William Wyler (The Best Years of Our Lives), are smiling broadly.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-373

ur0774754

title: The Game of Life in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK review: Director David O. Russell (Three Kings) has taken Matthew Quick's novel, Silver Linings Playbook, and adapted it for the screen. It is a topic near and dear to him as his own son has bipolar disorder like the lead character. By balancing dramatic situations with comedic overtones, Russell has accomplished a rare feat, an excellent drama with a superior cast that treads the fine line of humor. By making such a delicate subject accessible to the masses, he has made a really entertaining, crowd pleaser.Pat (Bradley Cooper) suffers from bipolar disorder and, following a breakdown over a failed marriage and confinement to a psychiatric facility in Baltimore, has just been released to his parents' care. Now back in Philadelphia and living with his parents, Dolores (Jacki Weaver), his doting mother, and Pat, Sr. (Robert DeNiro), a sports addict, Pat is determined to get his wife back despite a restraining order. He is so obsessed with getting back with his wife that he boils over on occasion with emotional outbursts which threaten to send him back to confinement. When he is not taking his meds or visiting his therapist, he runs in his neighborhood to get into shape in anticipation of repatriating with his wife, or so he thinks. One day he runs into Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), another troubled soul who not only has been widowed recently, but now sleeps with anyone. Their uneasy interactions lead to an unusual offer by Tiffany for him to partner with her in a dance contest in exchange for her being an intermediary and backdoor link to his wife. What follows are the revelations of emotional scars and the realities of finding happiness in the most unlikely places.The cast is excellent, particularly the four lead actors. Lawrence portrays Tiffany as a seemingly naïve, young woman, but she turns out to be a bright, perceptive person who is not afraid to stand toe-to-toe with anyone. DeNiro has not had such a strong role in many years, and he shows just how good he still is. Even Chris Tucker, in an unusual supporting role, registers as Pat's buddy from his psych group.The film is about how people, who are trapped in their own patterns of behavior, are afraid or unable to reach out and take a chance in life. The depictions of mental illness are portrayed with realism. When Pat undergoes mood swings, it can manifest itself as uncontrollable rage brought on by a simple trigger. He has no filter to his reactions and responses which can be quite awkward and downright offensive. Much as Jack Nicholson's character in As Good as It Gets laments if 'this really is as good as it gets', Cooper's Pat tries to find the 'silver lining' in his life.It is interesting to note that virtually every major character in the story has emotional issues in varying degrees. At one point Pat actually thinks Tiffany is crazier than he is. Pat's father, a superstitious gambler and bookie, has his own issues with obsessive-compulsive disorder. His belief that having his son nearby to ensure the Eagles football team a victory, leads to an amusing confrontation with Tiffany.When you have a cast that is this good, you have to look at the director, Russell, who orchestrates like a master conductor. Despite an uneven filmography in his early career, he is rapidly becoming the actors' go-to director. His attention to minor details like the simple act of tying a tie, a quick reaction shot, or hand gesture enriches the texture of a characterization. His recent films (The Fighter) have taken noteworthy, acting ensembles and elicited superior, Oscar worthy performances amid strong story lines. Somewhere, directing legends, George Cukor (The Philadelphia Story) and William Wyler (The Best Years of Our Lives), are smiling broadly.

I loved it

tt1045658

Pat (Bradley Cooper) comes home to find his teacher wife having a shower with another teacher, who Pat promptly beats to a pulp. Eight months later, Pat is discharged from mental hospital - complete with restraining order - into the care of his mother, having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the meantime. All is clearly not well with him, however: there is clear evidence that his grip on reality and reason is not always all that it could be, because he remains tightly focused on being reunited with the wife who has the restraining order on him (we also see that Pat's OCD father (Robert De Niro) may well be the source of some of Pat's problems). Into his life comes Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young woman recently widowed and with obvious issues of her own in terms of dealing with the depression caused by her grief. A quid pro quo develops: Tiffany will act as a mailbox for letters between Pat and wife, and Pat will be a dancing partner for Tiffany for a contest she has entered as therapy.This film does not tidily fit into a category: it is essentially a drama, though with romantic and comedic elements. And it has a couple of fairly severe flaws. The bet which fuels the third act is pretty obviously no more than a dramatic device to raise the stakes in the dance contest and has a distinct whiff of improbability about it, and the ending appears inconsistent with the attitudes of the protagonists. These are both fairly serious criticisms to level at a film which takes itself seriously, nowithstanding its comedic elements.And I didn't care. I liked this film very much indeed. It plays fair with the mental problems suffered by Pat and Tiffany: while drawing humour from them, they are never the butt of insensitive jokes. Bradley Cooper makes Pat believable, and Jennifer Lawrence is heart-achingly poignant as Tiffany (she is also sizzlingly sexy, particularly in the final dance, but that's merely a bonus). You always want these two damaged people to find, in each other, the means to achieve a measure of happiness, and you are never 100% sure whether the film will take you there by the end or not.And if the film leaves you pondering the relative merits of consistency versus satisfaction, well so what?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-54

ur7813355

title: I loved it review: Pat (Bradley Cooper) comes home to find his teacher wife having a shower with another teacher, who Pat promptly beats to a pulp. Eight months later, Pat is discharged from mental hospital - complete with restraining order - into the care of his mother, having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the meantime. All is clearly not well with him, however: there is clear evidence that his grip on reality and reason is not always all that it could be, because he remains tightly focused on being reunited with the wife who has the restraining order on him (we also see that Pat's OCD father (Robert De Niro) may well be the source of some of Pat's problems). Into his life comes Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young woman recently widowed and with obvious issues of her own in terms of dealing with the depression caused by her grief. A quid pro quo develops: Tiffany will act as a mailbox for letters between Pat and wife, and Pat will be a dancing partner for Tiffany for a contest she has entered as therapy.This film does not tidily fit into a category: it is essentially a drama, though with romantic and comedic elements. And it has a couple of fairly severe flaws. The bet which fuels the third act is pretty obviously no more than a dramatic device to raise the stakes in the dance contest and has a distinct whiff of improbability about it, and the ending appears inconsistent with the attitudes of the protagonists. These are both fairly serious criticisms to level at a film which takes itself seriously, nowithstanding its comedic elements.And I didn't care. I liked this film very much indeed. It plays fair with the mental problems suffered by Pat and Tiffany: while drawing humour from them, they are never the butt of insensitive jokes. Bradley Cooper makes Pat believable, and Jennifer Lawrence is heart-achingly poignant as Tiffany (she is also sizzlingly sexy, particularly in the final dance, but that's merely a bonus). You always want these two damaged people to find, in each other, the means to achieve a measure of happiness, and you are never 100% sure whether the film will take you there by the end or not.And if the film leaves you pondering the relative merits of consistency versus satisfaction, well so what?

That's Bradley Cooper?

tt1045658

If not for the terrific performances and depth to EACH character in Silver Linings Playbook, this movie would've tanked outside Oprah's OWN cable station.Okay, yes, the story is very well done, as is the cinematography, music, dialogue, etcetera, but above all else is the wonderful performance by Bradley Cooper and I never thought I would say that. I am not a fan of his; in fact, he was my least favorite character in the Hangover series. But, here, he gives the performance of his career.Notice how I didn't mention Jennifer Lawrence yet? Oh, of course, she's excellent. But, I expect that out of her. (I have yet to see her critically, and publicly, panned horror film of 2012, so in my mind, so far, that woman can do NO wrong.) Okay, I enjoyed her once again, but again, I already expected great things from her. I was shocked by how well Cooper played the bipolar hero of our story.Recently released mental patient, Pat (Cooper,) tries to put his life in order by being positive and reclaiming his lost wife at his side. All the while, he's unintentionally testing his elderly parent's (and the police's) patience with his uncontrollable outbreaks and being wooed by the great, and almost equally messed up character of Tiffany (Lawrence.)At probably too long of a length in running time, you know how this is going to pan out, but it's still suspenseful throughout because of the excellence of acting on the side of Cooper and his raging one moment to calm the next. I don't even know too many people with this problem, and yet, I know this is realism.In addition to all the greatness I've spoken about, the movie is full of heart, comedy and great strides in performances from everyone involved, including Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver and yeah, even Chris Tucker. I did love his reoccurring character throughout.Again, it's a tad bit long, especially since the end, while thoroughly welcomed, is foreseen. Overall, it's absolutely a delight and highly recommended.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-179

ur17825945

title: That's Bradley Cooper? review: If not for the terrific performances and depth to EACH character in Silver Linings Playbook, this movie would've tanked outside Oprah's OWN cable station.Okay, yes, the story is very well done, as is the cinematography, music, dialogue, etcetera, but above all else is the wonderful performance by Bradley Cooper and I never thought I would say that. I am not a fan of his; in fact, he was my least favorite character in the Hangover series. But, here, he gives the performance of his career.Notice how I didn't mention Jennifer Lawrence yet? Oh, of course, she's excellent. But, I expect that out of her. (I have yet to see her critically, and publicly, panned horror film of 2012, so in my mind, so far, that woman can do NO wrong.) Okay, I enjoyed her once again, but again, I already expected great things from her. I was shocked by how well Cooper played the bipolar hero of our story.Recently released mental patient, Pat (Cooper,) tries to put his life in order by being positive and reclaiming his lost wife at his side. All the while, he's unintentionally testing his elderly parent's (and the police's) patience with his uncontrollable outbreaks and being wooed by the great, and almost equally messed up character of Tiffany (Lawrence.)At probably too long of a length in running time, you know how this is going to pan out, but it's still suspenseful throughout because of the excellence of acting on the side of Cooper and his raging one moment to calm the next. I don't even know too many people with this problem, and yet, I know this is realism.In addition to all the greatness I've spoken about, the movie is full of heart, comedy and great strides in performances from everyone involved, including Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver and yeah, even Chris Tucker. I did love his reoccurring character throughout.Again, it's a tad bit long, especially since the end, while thoroughly welcomed, is foreseen. Overall, it's absolutely a delight and highly recommended.

More Mature Than the Book

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I have recently read the book by Matthew Quick, admittedly in preparation for watching this movie. While the book had a decidedly child-like tone being told in Pat's mentally-disturbed point of view, this movie is a lot more dramatic and serious in tone. The romantic comedy is still in there, but this film is more mature than the book. From the onset, you already knew that this was not going to be an exact depiction of the book. A lot of changes were noted in the transition from book to film. For some reason, the surname of Pat's family was changed from Peoples to Solitano for some reason. The tune Pat hates was changed from the really cheesy "Songbird" by Kenny G to the less cheesy "My Cherie Amour" by Stevie Wonder. All the football stories in the book were summarized into one tailgate party scene in the parking lot of the Philadelphia Eagles' stadium.The story progression and development and the climax is totally different from the book but decidedly more effective cinematically. These changes made were in no way insulting or disappointing to the fans of the book. It did lead to an ending we have seen so many times before in several a romantic comedy in a scene not even in the book. But for the sake of the goodwill built up by the very effective chemistry of the two charismatic lead stars, audiences will love it and cheer.It is truly remarkable that a romantic comedy could garner nominations in the top 5 Oscar categories and then some. Aside from Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (adapted), this film had the rare distinction of having a nominee in ALL 4 ACTING categories! While I read the book, I already had Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in my mind in their respective roles as Pat and Tiffany. While I can fully imagine Cooper as Pat, I simply cannot imagine Jennifer as Tiffany. However, while watching the film, Jennifer could not have been a more apt choice. She pulls off this very mature role convincingly with a ferocity and sexiness heretofore only hinted at in "X-Men First Class." Bradley Cooper so far we remember only for his stupid "Hangover" movies. He gave us a glimpse of his acting versatility in "Limitless" in 2011. But this role as Pat seemed to have been written with him in mind. He had embodied this role of the troubled bipolar guy to a perfect T. He remains likable despite his condition, as Pat was in the book. As portrayed by Cooper, audiences will root for this guy. While the book had a more dominant role of Pat's Mom, Jacki Weaver had to take a backseat to Robert de Niro in the meatier role of Pat's Dad. Ms. Weaver can count herself lucky to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress as her role had been considerably edited in the final screen version. Glad to see De Niro back in good comic form as Pat's supportive Dad. As originally written, Pat's Dad hardly had any dialog nor much to do. I guess this role was rewritten to deserve the talent of the actor they signed for it. As for its quest to be the first contemporary romantic comedy since "Annie Hall" (1977) to win best picture, I do not think that is completely impossible. However, win or no, this movie will be a favorite of many audiences, even for guys only forced by their significant others to watch with them. It will make you feel good and smile when you leave the theater, and that is what we all like.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-132

ur4294858

title: More Mature Than the Book review: I have recently read the book by Matthew Quick, admittedly in preparation for watching this movie. While the book had a decidedly child-like tone being told in Pat's mentally-disturbed point of view, this movie is a lot more dramatic and serious in tone. The romantic comedy is still in there, but this film is more mature than the book. From the onset, you already knew that this was not going to be an exact depiction of the book. A lot of changes were noted in the transition from book to film. For some reason, the surname of Pat's family was changed from Peoples to Solitano for some reason. The tune Pat hates was changed from the really cheesy "Songbird" by Kenny G to the less cheesy "My Cherie Amour" by Stevie Wonder. All the football stories in the book were summarized into one tailgate party scene in the parking lot of the Philadelphia Eagles' stadium.The story progression and development and the climax is totally different from the book but decidedly more effective cinematically. These changes made were in no way insulting or disappointing to the fans of the book. It did lead to an ending we have seen so many times before in several a romantic comedy in a scene not even in the book. But for the sake of the goodwill built up by the very effective chemistry of the two charismatic lead stars, audiences will love it and cheer.It is truly remarkable that a romantic comedy could garner nominations in the top 5 Oscar categories and then some. Aside from Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (adapted), this film had the rare distinction of having a nominee in ALL 4 ACTING categories! While I read the book, I already had Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in my mind in their respective roles as Pat and Tiffany. While I can fully imagine Cooper as Pat, I simply cannot imagine Jennifer as Tiffany. However, while watching the film, Jennifer could not have been a more apt choice. She pulls off this very mature role convincingly with a ferocity and sexiness heretofore only hinted at in "X-Men First Class." Bradley Cooper so far we remember only for his stupid "Hangover" movies. He gave us a glimpse of his acting versatility in "Limitless" in 2011. But this role as Pat seemed to have been written with him in mind. He had embodied this role of the troubled bipolar guy to a perfect T. He remains likable despite his condition, as Pat was in the book. As portrayed by Cooper, audiences will root for this guy. While the book had a more dominant role of Pat's Mom, Jacki Weaver had to take a backseat to Robert de Niro in the meatier role of Pat's Dad. Ms. Weaver can count herself lucky to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress as her role had been considerably edited in the final screen version. Glad to see De Niro back in good comic form as Pat's supportive Dad. As originally written, Pat's Dad hardly had any dialog nor much to do. I guess this role was rewritten to deserve the talent of the actor they signed for it. As for its quest to be the first contemporary romantic comedy since "Annie Hall" (1977) to win best picture, I do not think that is completely impossible. However, win or no, this movie will be a favorite of many audiences, even for guys only forced by their significant others to watch with them. It will make you feel good and smile when you leave the theater, and that is what we all like.

Delightful

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Sometimes, meeting the right person can turn your life around. That's one of the messages of Silver Linings Playbook. Of course, this is not exactly new territory for Hollywood love stories, but there's a lot of craziness in this romantic comedy that sets it apart from the usual fare. David O. Russell's story of two mentally ill people who fall in love, based on a novel by Matthew Quick, is not a natural recipe for a romantic comedy, but Silver Linings Playbook's upbeat, quirky portrayal of its main characters makes for a delightful experience.The story is about Pat (Bradley Cooper), a substitute teacher with bi-polar disorder who was committed to a mental hospital for eight months. Later we learn that Pat brutally assaulted his wife's lover after catching them in the shower listening to his wedding song. The movie begins with Pat's mother Dolores (Jacki Weaver) discharging him from the mental hospital and bringing him back home. Pat's father (also named Pat- played by Robert Deniro), has always favored his other son, but he wants to spend some quality time with Pat Jr. to make up for it. But these intentions are masked by Pat Sr.'s job. Pat Sr., a bookie with obsessive compulsive disorder and a penchant for violent outbursts (guess where Pat Jr. got his problems from?), believes that his son is a good luck charm that will help the Philadelphia Eagles win games. Pat Jr. thus interprets his father's advances as financially motivated.Pat Jr. doesn't have much time for family, however, because he is obsessed with getting his old life back. His daily routine revolves around his plans to win over Nikki even though she has a restraining order against him. Now there's a textbook case of denial for you. Pat believes that staying positive is all it will take to turn his life around. He jogs around the neighborhood with a garbage bag over his sweatshirt to stay in shape to impress Nikki, and he reacquaints himself with friends who can contact her. Pat's world is really turned upside down though when he meets a woman who knows Nikki- Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a beautiful young widow who is severely depressed and lacks confidence in herself. Tiffany bears a tremendous sense of guilt over her husband's death, and in her depression she went on many sexual escapades which only contributed to her self-loathing. There is instant chemistry between Pat Jr. and Tiffany, but Pat suppresses his feelings and convinces her to deliver a letter to Nikki. Tiffany won't be used so easily though. She agrees to help him on one condition- that Pat will help her win a dance competition that she has attempted to enter for ages.I bet you can guess where the movie goes from here. While the film has a formulaic side, its portrayal of mentally ill people rings true. People who have experienced or witnessed mental illness will find that this movie hits the right chords- Pat's manic highs and lows, his refusal to use medication, and the arguments that get out of hand will be very familiar to them. I also enjoyed how the film touched on Pat's family history of mental illness as these problems are often inherited. Its core message is very positive- mentally ill people can help lift each other out of their complicated problems if they work together. Alone, they will just wallow in their destructive behavior.I wouldn't describe this film as a laugh out loud comedy, but the character's quirks and behaviors, as well as the many absurd situations they find themselves in make this a very entertaining picture. Silver Linings Playbook is also elevated by its performances and Jennifer Lawrence shines the brightest. Compared to her performances in X-Men First Class and Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook is easily her best. Lawrence's high maturity and fiery attitude overcomes her sixteen year age difference with Bradley Cooper. Cooper, to his credit, captures the highs and lows of bipolar disorder very well. It is also good to see Robert DeNiro in an intelligent role again. This won't go down in history as one of his best roles, but he makes his obsessive compulsive quirks genuinely funny and sad at the same time. Pat Jr.'s obligation to Tiffany's dance competition drives a wedge between him and his father that leads to the best scene in the movie- a three way argument between Cooper, DeNiro, and Lawrence that unexpectedly turns to the Eagles' excellent performances whenever Pat Jr. dances with Tiffany.If you're going to see a comedy in theaters now, see this movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-280

ur4823391

title: Delightful review: Sometimes, meeting the right person can turn your life around. That's one of the messages of Silver Linings Playbook. Of course, this is not exactly new territory for Hollywood love stories, but there's a lot of craziness in this romantic comedy that sets it apart from the usual fare. David O. Russell's story of two mentally ill people who fall in love, based on a novel by Matthew Quick, is not a natural recipe for a romantic comedy, but Silver Linings Playbook's upbeat, quirky portrayal of its main characters makes for a delightful experience.The story is about Pat (Bradley Cooper), a substitute teacher with bi-polar disorder who was committed to a mental hospital for eight months. Later we learn that Pat brutally assaulted his wife's lover after catching them in the shower listening to his wedding song. The movie begins with Pat's mother Dolores (Jacki Weaver) discharging him from the mental hospital and bringing him back home. Pat's father (also named Pat- played by Robert Deniro), has always favored his other son, but he wants to spend some quality time with Pat Jr. to make up for it. But these intentions are masked by Pat Sr.'s job. Pat Sr., a bookie with obsessive compulsive disorder and a penchant for violent outbursts (guess where Pat Jr. got his problems from?), believes that his son is a good luck charm that will help the Philadelphia Eagles win games. Pat Jr. thus interprets his father's advances as financially motivated.Pat Jr. doesn't have much time for family, however, because he is obsessed with getting his old life back. His daily routine revolves around his plans to win over Nikki even though she has a restraining order against him. Now there's a textbook case of denial for you. Pat believes that staying positive is all it will take to turn his life around. He jogs around the neighborhood with a garbage bag over his sweatshirt to stay in shape to impress Nikki, and he reacquaints himself with friends who can contact her. Pat's world is really turned upside down though when he meets a woman who knows Nikki- Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a beautiful young widow who is severely depressed and lacks confidence in herself. Tiffany bears a tremendous sense of guilt over her husband's death, and in her depression she went on many sexual escapades which only contributed to her self-loathing. There is instant chemistry between Pat Jr. and Tiffany, but Pat suppresses his feelings and convinces her to deliver a letter to Nikki. Tiffany won't be used so easily though. She agrees to help him on one condition- that Pat will help her win a dance competition that she has attempted to enter for ages.I bet you can guess where the movie goes from here. While the film has a formulaic side, its portrayal of mentally ill people rings true. People who have experienced or witnessed mental illness will find that this movie hits the right chords- Pat's manic highs and lows, his refusal to use medication, and the arguments that get out of hand will be very familiar to them. I also enjoyed how the film touched on Pat's family history of mental illness as these problems are often inherited. Its core message is very positive- mentally ill people can help lift each other out of their complicated problems if they work together. Alone, they will just wallow in their destructive behavior.I wouldn't describe this film as a laugh out loud comedy, but the character's quirks and behaviors, as well as the many absurd situations they find themselves in make this a very entertaining picture. Silver Linings Playbook is also elevated by its performances and Jennifer Lawrence shines the brightest. Compared to her performances in X-Men First Class and Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook is easily her best. Lawrence's high maturity and fiery attitude overcomes her sixteen year age difference with Bradley Cooper. Cooper, to his credit, captures the highs and lows of bipolar disorder very well. It is also good to see Robert DeNiro in an intelligent role again. This won't go down in history as one of his best roles, but he makes his obsessive compulsive quirks genuinely funny and sad at the same time. Pat Jr.'s obligation to Tiffany's dance competition drives a wedge between him and his father that leads to the best scene in the movie- a three way argument between Cooper, DeNiro, and Lawrence that unexpectedly turns to the Eagles' excellent performances whenever Pat Jr. dances with Tiffany.If you're going to see a comedy in theaters now, see this movie.

Cooper Plays Pat With Such Believability We Begin Pitying His Character, So Much That We Are Left Dissatisfied With The Resolution The Film Offers Him

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There is a thin line of difference between 'eccentric' and 'unstable': Pat Solitano, a victim of bi-polar disorder behaved more unstable than eccentric or quirky, and so I pitied him instead of loving him. Bradley Cooper has Pat's uncontrollable anxiety down to a tee and he plays his character with great sincerity because of which we sympathize with him all the more. Silver Lining Playbook's humor seemed more dark than quirky in the first half, and when the director David O. Russell brings in the screwball comedy post intermission, I was a tad disappointed because I was looking forward to a better resolution for Pat's dilemma. Maybe Cooper should have performed his character with less believability and more stylization, and then I may have laughed with him all along. But since the actor plays every moment of his character with utmost sincerity and believability, I could not laugh at his actions and behavior before intermission. I pitied him, I prayed for him, I had a lump in my throat when he began screaming at the top of his lungs in the middle of the night, but I did not laugh much. I was howling with laughter when Tom Ewell played Richard Sherman in Seven Year Itch. I almost fell off my couch watching Billy Wilder and Tony Curtis play two impersonators in Some like It Hot. I fell in love with screwball romantic comedies like Awful Truth and Send Me No Flowers. In none of the films did the protagonists invoke pity right from scene one. Maybe Cooper, despite his impressive efforts, isn't the right choice for a genre like this. His co-star Jennifer Lawrence is ideally cast though because we do not sympathize with her in the beginning; she plays her part in a manner where we gradually fall in love with her eccentricities and then care for her when it seems she won't achieve her desire. This imbalance Cooper creates manifests strongly in the second half when the situation goes berserk – that is when the artificiality sickens us instead of charming us and our interest in the characters and the plot dwindles right up to the very end. Silver Lining Playbook has a winsome premise involving bi-polar disorder patient Pat's release from mental institution and subsequent endeavor by him to ignore all negativity and set his life back on track keeping the motto 'Excelsior!' in mind. Pat's main objective is to get his wife Nikki back, who refuses to meet him and has a restraining order against him after he almost beat her paramour to death after the two were caught making love in the shower. He is not encouraged by his parents to do so and so when he gets to know that his friend's wife's younger sister Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) can help him by delivering messages to Nikki, he becomes friends with her. But Tiffany has her own problems – suffering from depression ever since her husband died, she spent a long time having sex with almost all her co-workers (women included) at her job until she was kicked out. Even now, she is extremely impulsive and volatile and she only agrees to deliver Pat's letter to Nikki if he partners her for a dance competition. Pat's father on the other hand suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and he spends his entire time gambling on football team Philadelphia Eagles after losing his job so that he can buy a new restaurant with the money he gets. Things take a surprising turn when Pat Sr., who believes his son is the luck factor for his winning streak, loses his bet money and it coincides with Pat Jr.'s scuffle at the game; Pat Sr. then decides to parlay with his rival where if i) Eagles wins against Dallas and ii) Pat Jr. and Tiffany get a minimum 5 points in their dance competition, then the family shall recover all the money lost on the first bet. Frankly, the entire football segment with Pat, his elder brother and the American-Indians, and the parlay segment were lame. A big issue I had was the inclusion of Pat's brother in the movie, who served little purpose than to slight his sibling whenever he could and then react to his father's parlay. I was slightly disquieted the moment Tiffany said 'dance with me' but that was nothing compared to the disappointment I felt watching every character break loose and trying to sound as if they really cared about that silly 'parlay'. The part where Tiffany wakes in during the fight and starts reproaching Pat for skipping rehearsals would've suited the old films mentioned in the first paragraph, but doesn't look good in this film. Everything after the parlay scene went downhill, and although it was funny to see the how the events turned up, I was yet dissatisfied by the resolution provided to Cooper's character in the film. In supporting roles are Jackie Weaver, Robert De Niro, Anupam Kher and Chris Tucker. Jackie Weaver speaks more with her eyes and makes it clear that she loves her family to death despite all their oddities. Robert De Niro is perfectly fine except he sounded (only sounded) weirdly like Tommy Wiseau from the disastrous 2003 film The Room at times and that distracted me. Anupam Kher in the role of Pat's therapist Dr. Cliff Patel is alright, but I was stunned when how his character responded to the parlay situation at Pat's home. Chris Tucker is very likable and very funny as the hair-obsessed buddy of Patrick. David O Russell maintains the quick-shifting pace throughout using cuts, zooms and hand-held camera. Yet, on the basis of the impression I got from the first half and the changing impression I got after interval, I was left unconvinced whether Pat had really attained his silver lining.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-327

ur14156875

title: Cooper Plays Pat With Such Believability We Begin Pitying His Character, So Much That We Are Left Dissatisfied With The Resolution The Film Offers Him review: There is a thin line of difference between 'eccentric' and 'unstable': Pat Solitano, a victim of bi-polar disorder behaved more unstable than eccentric or quirky, and so I pitied him instead of loving him. Bradley Cooper has Pat's uncontrollable anxiety down to a tee and he plays his character with great sincerity because of which we sympathize with him all the more. Silver Lining Playbook's humor seemed more dark than quirky in the first half, and when the director David O. Russell brings in the screwball comedy post intermission, I was a tad disappointed because I was looking forward to a better resolution for Pat's dilemma. Maybe Cooper should have performed his character with less believability and more stylization, and then I may have laughed with him all along. But since the actor plays every moment of his character with utmost sincerity and believability, I could not laugh at his actions and behavior before intermission. I pitied him, I prayed for him, I had a lump in my throat when he began screaming at the top of his lungs in the middle of the night, but I did not laugh much. I was howling with laughter when Tom Ewell played Richard Sherman in Seven Year Itch. I almost fell off my couch watching Billy Wilder and Tony Curtis play two impersonators in Some like It Hot. I fell in love with screwball romantic comedies like Awful Truth and Send Me No Flowers. In none of the films did the protagonists invoke pity right from scene one. Maybe Cooper, despite his impressive efforts, isn't the right choice for a genre like this. His co-star Jennifer Lawrence is ideally cast though because we do not sympathize with her in the beginning; she plays her part in a manner where we gradually fall in love with her eccentricities and then care for her when it seems she won't achieve her desire. This imbalance Cooper creates manifests strongly in the second half when the situation goes berserk – that is when the artificiality sickens us instead of charming us and our interest in the characters and the plot dwindles right up to the very end. Silver Lining Playbook has a winsome premise involving bi-polar disorder patient Pat's release from mental institution and subsequent endeavor by him to ignore all negativity and set his life back on track keeping the motto 'Excelsior!' in mind. Pat's main objective is to get his wife Nikki back, who refuses to meet him and has a restraining order against him after he almost beat her paramour to death after the two were caught making love in the shower. He is not encouraged by his parents to do so and so when he gets to know that his friend's wife's younger sister Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) can help him by delivering messages to Nikki, he becomes friends with her. But Tiffany has her own problems – suffering from depression ever since her husband died, she spent a long time having sex with almost all her co-workers (women included) at her job until she was kicked out. Even now, she is extremely impulsive and volatile and she only agrees to deliver Pat's letter to Nikki if he partners her for a dance competition. Pat's father on the other hand suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and he spends his entire time gambling on football team Philadelphia Eagles after losing his job so that he can buy a new restaurant with the money he gets. Things take a surprising turn when Pat Sr., who believes his son is the luck factor for his winning streak, loses his bet money and it coincides with Pat Jr.'s scuffle at the game; Pat Sr. then decides to parlay with his rival where if i) Eagles wins against Dallas and ii) Pat Jr. and Tiffany get a minimum 5 points in their dance competition, then the family shall recover all the money lost on the first bet. Frankly, the entire football segment with Pat, his elder brother and the American-Indians, and the parlay segment were lame. A big issue I had was the inclusion of Pat's brother in the movie, who served little purpose than to slight his sibling whenever he could and then react to his father's parlay. I was slightly disquieted the moment Tiffany said 'dance with me' but that was nothing compared to the disappointment I felt watching every character break loose and trying to sound as if they really cared about that silly 'parlay'. The part where Tiffany wakes in during the fight and starts reproaching Pat for skipping rehearsals would've suited the old films mentioned in the first paragraph, but doesn't look good in this film. Everything after the parlay scene went downhill, and although it was funny to see the how the events turned up, I was yet dissatisfied by the resolution provided to Cooper's character in the film. In supporting roles are Jackie Weaver, Robert De Niro, Anupam Kher and Chris Tucker. Jackie Weaver speaks more with her eyes and makes it clear that she loves her family to death despite all their oddities. Robert De Niro is perfectly fine except he sounded (only sounded) weirdly like Tommy Wiseau from the disastrous 2003 film The Room at times and that distracted me. Anupam Kher in the role of Pat's therapist Dr. Cliff Patel is alright, but I was stunned when how his character responded to the parlay situation at Pat's home. Chris Tucker is very likable and very funny as the hair-obsessed buddy of Patrick. David O Russell maintains the quick-shifting pace throughout using cuts, zooms and hand-held camera. Yet, on the basis of the impression I got from the first half and the changing impression I got after interval, I was left unconvinced whether Pat had really attained his silver lining.

Bradley Cooper delivers the year's most surprising leading performance...

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The amount of heart and wit embodied in David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook is one of the tender and surprising films of the year. Russell, who has brought his quirky comedies to the screen like I Heart Huckabees (2004) seemingly never found his footing in the genre. Russell has had his fans championing his choices such as Spanking the Monkey (1994), Flirting with Disaster (1996), and especially Three Kings (1999). In Playbook, you can chalk it up to the source material by Matthew Quick, or the way Russell approaches telling the story but it's one of the director's bravest attempts to date. Despite a love story that feels forced and a bit tedious and predictable, the film is a breath of fresh air to the romantic comedy genre.Comically whimsical when it needs to be, the film searches and fines an emotional epicenter lying in the brilliance of Bradley Cooper and the rest of the stellar cast. Silver Linings Playbook tells the story of Pat Solitano Jr. (Cooper), a former teacher that attempts to reconnect after his ex-wife after spending several months in a mental institution. Living with his parents, Pat attempts to get in shape, focus, and reconcile relationships since his return until he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young mysterious girl with problems of her own. As Pat, Cooper shows a dynamic range of comedy and emotion that audiences never knew he had. It's a marvelous turn by the actor who has shown glimpses of greatness in The Hangover (2009) and earlier this year in The Words. While most of the film, Pat operates at a level ten, Cooper never overcooks and oversimplifies Pat's candor and honesty. It's one of the year's most surprising and delectable turns.Jennifer Lawrence's approach to the character is different than others. Tiffany lacks much of the likability factor that Pat or his family and friends do. Tiffany's antics, foul-mouthed liners, and over indulgence into Pat's life can be off-putting to some. It's still unclear whether the failure is on Lawrence's interpretation of the character or the structured laid out by writer/director Russell but the performance is merely satisfactory and doesn't stand out in a cast where everyone is producing career highs. I simply don't get the overwhelming love for the performance.As Pat Sr., the undiagnosed father who may have some ticks of his own Robert DeNiro, who has shown blips of excellence since his Oscar nomination for Cape Fear (1991), is back in full force; dramatic, sensitive, zealous about the work, and magnetic. It's inducing what DeNiro puts out for the audience to view moment after moment. As the overly loving and beautiful mother Dolores, Jacki Weaver practically spends the entire film on the edge of tears. Dolores, who is the exact opposite of Weaver's character Janine in Animal Kingdom (2010), embodies worry and nurturing effortlessly. In another surprising turn, Chris Tucker, mostly known for eyes and laughs in the Rush Hour films, completely floors me as Danny, the mentally-ill friend with his constant yearning to escape. Tucker shows a maturity we haven't seen before, even when he's hilarious. Julia Stiles as Tiffany's sister Veronica, Anupam Kher as Dr. Cliff, Pat's therapist and especially John Ortiz as Ronnie, Veronica's husband round out what is sure to be this year's winner of Cast Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.The film also seems to have a more serious and political approach into the medicinal purposes in mental health rehabilitation. Is it about getting to the root of the issue and attempting to rid it or about drugging you so you don't have to face it? A daring question to ask as the comedy casts a shadow over this dramatic look into one man's approach. Silver Linings Playbook is a sure-fire hit with a loving sentiment and heartwarming laughs. In the end, if there's one hero of this team, Bradley Cooper is M.V.P. hands down and delivers one of the year's most exciting leading man turns. A must-see in 2012.Read More Reviews at The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-13

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title: Bradley Cooper delivers the year's most surprising leading performance... review: The amount of heart and wit embodied in David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook is one of the tender and surprising films of the year. Russell, who has brought his quirky comedies to the screen like I Heart Huckabees (2004) seemingly never found his footing in the genre. Russell has had his fans championing his choices such as Spanking the Monkey (1994), Flirting with Disaster (1996), and especially Three Kings (1999). In Playbook, you can chalk it up to the source material by Matthew Quick, or the way Russell approaches telling the story but it's one of the director's bravest attempts to date. Despite a love story that feels forced and a bit tedious and predictable, the film is a breath of fresh air to the romantic comedy genre.Comically whimsical when it needs to be, the film searches and fines an emotional epicenter lying in the brilliance of Bradley Cooper and the rest of the stellar cast. Silver Linings Playbook tells the story of Pat Solitano Jr. (Cooper), a former teacher that attempts to reconnect after his ex-wife after spending several months in a mental institution. Living with his parents, Pat attempts to get in shape, focus, and reconcile relationships since his return until he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young mysterious girl with problems of her own. As Pat, Cooper shows a dynamic range of comedy and emotion that audiences never knew he had. It's a marvelous turn by the actor who has shown glimpses of greatness in The Hangover (2009) and earlier this year in The Words. While most of the film, Pat operates at a level ten, Cooper never overcooks and oversimplifies Pat's candor and honesty. It's one of the year's most surprising and delectable turns.Jennifer Lawrence's approach to the character is different than others. Tiffany lacks much of the likability factor that Pat or his family and friends do. Tiffany's antics, foul-mouthed liners, and over indulgence into Pat's life can be off-putting to some. It's still unclear whether the failure is on Lawrence's interpretation of the character or the structured laid out by writer/director Russell but the performance is merely satisfactory and doesn't stand out in a cast where everyone is producing career highs. I simply don't get the overwhelming love for the performance.As Pat Sr., the undiagnosed father who may have some ticks of his own Robert DeNiro, who has shown blips of excellence since his Oscar nomination for Cape Fear (1991), is back in full force; dramatic, sensitive, zealous about the work, and magnetic. It's inducing what DeNiro puts out for the audience to view moment after moment. As the overly loving and beautiful mother Dolores, Jacki Weaver practically spends the entire film on the edge of tears. Dolores, who is the exact opposite of Weaver's character Janine in Animal Kingdom (2010), embodies worry and nurturing effortlessly. In another surprising turn, Chris Tucker, mostly known for eyes and laughs in the Rush Hour films, completely floors me as Danny, the mentally-ill friend with his constant yearning to escape. Tucker shows a maturity we haven't seen before, even when he's hilarious. Julia Stiles as Tiffany's sister Veronica, Anupam Kher as Dr. Cliff, Pat's therapist and especially John Ortiz as Ronnie, Veronica's husband round out what is sure to be this year's winner of Cast Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.The film also seems to have a more serious and political approach into the medicinal purposes in mental health rehabilitation. Is it about getting to the root of the issue and attempting to rid it or about drugging you so you don't have to face it? A daring question to ask as the comedy casts a shadow over this dramatic look into one man's approach. Silver Linings Playbook is a sure-fire hit with a loving sentiment and heartwarming laughs. In the end, if there's one hero of this team, Bradley Cooper is M.V.P. hands down and delivers one of the year's most exciting leading man turns. A must-see in 2012.Read More Reviews at The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com)

A Different Kind of a Romcom with Quirkily Effective, Seriocomic Touches

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Portraying mental illness on screen usually means you'll see bravura scenes set in an asylum like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", but iconoclastic filmmaker David O. Russell ("The Fighter") deals with the edges of emotional disequilibrium in this compellingly quirky 2012 dramedy. Based on the same-name 2008 novel by Matthew Quick, this film reminds me a bit of Russell's 1999 dysfunctional family comedy, "Flirting with Disaster", as the seriocomically volatile dynamics here are amplified by the central character's precarious psychological state. High school teacher Pat Solitano Jr. is a man with bipolar disorder who has spent eight months in a Baltimore psychiatric hospital for a violent episode caused by seeing his wife Nikki cheating with a fellow teacher. He's released into the care of his parents and determined to win back his estranged wife.As he strives to improve himself, Pat meets Tiffany Maxwell facing her own level of mental instability since becoming widowed, turning to indiscriminate sex with her co-workers, and most recently losing her job. Eventually they strike a deal where she will help him win back his wife if he enters a dance competition with her, both coping with their disorders at the same time. At first, I really didn't buy Bradley Cooper ("The Hangover") as Solitano since his idea of showing manically obsessive behavior is to speak loudly in a monotone without much nuance, but his performance grew on me as Russell's screenplay had him show more layers to a character that has a hard time eliciting sympathy from anyone much less the audience. At 21, Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone") would appear too young to play a sex-addicted cop widow like Tiffany, but she excels with her preternatural ability to convey unforced maturity and conviction without losing touch with the character's deep-seeded vulnerability.Perhaps the film's nicest surprise is Robert De Niro's sterling performance as Pat Sr., his best work in years after the silly shenanigans of the Fockers franchise. Exhibiting his character's obsessive-compulsive disorder in powerful, brief scenes, De Niro vividly shows how the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Completely submerging her Australian roots in favor of a convincing Mid-Atlantic accent, Jacki Weaver ("Animal Kingdom") effectively plays the lone voice of sanity as Pat's mother constantly fretting over her son and preparing "crabby snacks and homemades" for home viewing of the family's beloved Philadelphia Eagles. As Pat's best friend Danny, a fellow patient constantly escaping from the hospital, motor-mouthed, high-pitched Chris Tucker ("Rush Hour") is surprisingly good even if his soulful dance moves came across as a convenient plot device. Julia Stiles ("Mona Lisa Smile") shows up in a smallish role as Tiffany's patronizing, status- conscious sister Veronica. The climax induces the right emotions even if it means the uncertainties in the plot get wrapped up all too neatly.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-354

ur3608743

title: A Different Kind of a Romcom with Quirkily Effective, Seriocomic Touches review: Portraying mental illness on screen usually means you'll see bravura scenes set in an asylum like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", but iconoclastic filmmaker David O. Russell ("The Fighter") deals with the edges of emotional disequilibrium in this compellingly quirky 2012 dramedy. Based on the same-name 2008 novel by Matthew Quick, this film reminds me a bit of Russell's 1999 dysfunctional family comedy, "Flirting with Disaster", as the seriocomically volatile dynamics here are amplified by the central character's precarious psychological state. High school teacher Pat Solitano Jr. is a man with bipolar disorder who has spent eight months in a Baltimore psychiatric hospital for a violent episode caused by seeing his wife Nikki cheating with a fellow teacher. He's released into the care of his parents and determined to win back his estranged wife.As he strives to improve himself, Pat meets Tiffany Maxwell facing her own level of mental instability since becoming widowed, turning to indiscriminate sex with her co-workers, and most recently losing her job. Eventually they strike a deal where she will help him win back his wife if he enters a dance competition with her, both coping with their disorders at the same time. At first, I really didn't buy Bradley Cooper ("The Hangover") as Solitano since his idea of showing manically obsessive behavior is to speak loudly in a monotone without much nuance, but his performance grew on me as Russell's screenplay had him show more layers to a character that has a hard time eliciting sympathy from anyone much less the audience. At 21, Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone") would appear too young to play a sex-addicted cop widow like Tiffany, but she excels with her preternatural ability to convey unforced maturity and conviction without losing touch with the character's deep-seeded vulnerability.Perhaps the film's nicest surprise is Robert De Niro's sterling performance as Pat Sr., his best work in years after the silly shenanigans of the Fockers franchise. Exhibiting his character's obsessive-compulsive disorder in powerful, brief scenes, De Niro vividly shows how the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Completely submerging her Australian roots in favor of a convincing Mid-Atlantic accent, Jacki Weaver ("Animal Kingdom") effectively plays the lone voice of sanity as Pat's mother constantly fretting over her son and preparing "crabby snacks and homemades" for home viewing of the family's beloved Philadelphia Eagles. As Pat's best friend Danny, a fellow patient constantly escaping from the hospital, motor-mouthed, high-pitched Chris Tucker ("Rush Hour") is surprisingly good even if his soulful dance moves came across as a convenient plot device. Julia Stiles ("Mona Lisa Smile") shows up in a smallish role as Tiffany's patronizing, status- conscious sister Veronica. The climax induces the right emotions even if it means the uncertainties in the plot get wrapped up all too neatly.

Humble, emotional, hurtful, and touching it proves that damaged hearts have a chance at love!

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"Silver Linings Playbook" is one of those films that you could classify as a drama, love story, sports film or raw comedy and true the picture has all those mixtures. Still it's one film that's filled with emotion that when one watches they will like. And be like me just don't watch the film because your a die hard Philadelphia Eagles fan, because the picture has so much to offer in the form of a love chance and a second discovery of peace and life for two hurt young people. Based on a true story then done as a book the direction on the screen is near perfect from David Russell. Anyway set in Philadelphia, PA you have Pat Solitano(in a breakout role for Bradley Cooper)an ex school teacher who's just recently left a mental ward after being treated for bi polar disorder and it's clear he probably has no chance with his ex wife. So Pat returns home to his parents mom the laid back and soft spoken Dolores(Jacki Weaver)is still with dad that's the rough and hard nose fight you in your face Philadelphia Eagles fan Pat Sr.(in one of Rob De Niro's better roles in awhile)so is this all that Pat junior has to look forward to bleeding green on Sundays and trying to read literature. Well just when you think the expected the unexpected happens Pat meets a beautiful yet troubled still outspoken and brash young lady in Tiffany(in a mature and fine performance from Jennifer Lawrence). And along the way some relationship chemistry develops slowly but surely as it proves trust can develop between two wounded hearts with some time. Really enough words can't describe this film as one needs to watch it to feel the full emotions. It proves that damaged hearts that meet have a chance for love as time, work, and compassion can heal a damaged mind proving with anybody that love in the book can cure all as two troubled people together who love one another can produce a silver lining in the end.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-72

ur9927546

title: Humble, emotional, hurtful, and touching it proves that damaged hearts have a chance at love! review: "Silver Linings Playbook" is one of those films that you could classify as a drama, love story, sports film or raw comedy and true the picture has all those mixtures. Still it's one film that's filled with emotion that when one watches they will like. And be like me just don't watch the film because your a die hard Philadelphia Eagles fan, because the picture has so much to offer in the form of a love chance and a second discovery of peace and life for two hurt young people. Based on a true story then done as a book the direction on the screen is near perfect from David Russell. Anyway set in Philadelphia, PA you have Pat Solitano(in a breakout role for Bradley Cooper)an ex school teacher who's just recently left a mental ward after being treated for bi polar disorder and it's clear he probably has no chance with his ex wife. So Pat returns home to his parents mom the laid back and soft spoken Dolores(Jacki Weaver)is still with dad that's the rough and hard nose fight you in your face Philadelphia Eagles fan Pat Sr.(in one of Rob De Niro's better roles in awhile)so is this all that Pat junior has to look forward to bleeding green on Sundays and trying to read literature. Well just when you think the expected the unexpected happens Pat meets a beautiful yet troubled still outspoken and brash young lady in Tiffany(in a mature and fine performance from Jennifer Lawrence). And along the way some relationship chemistry develops slowly but surely as it proves trust can develop between two wounded hearts with some time. Really enough words can't describe this film as one needs to watch it to feel the full emotions. It proves that damaged hearts that meet have a chance for love as time, work, and compassion can heal a damaged mind proving with anybody that love in the book can cure all as two troubled people together who love one another can produce a silver lining in the end.

The Dialogues and Lawrence's Eyes Win This One

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Pat (Bradley Cooper) is released from a psychiatric hospital and moves back into his parents' house. He has been diagnosed as bipolar and has a restraining order against him by his ex-wife, Nikki (Brae Bee) He wants to get his life back and constantly looks for silver linings to let him know he is on track. He meets a somewhat damaged Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) but is still obsessed with Nikki and wants her back. So what we have here is troubled boy (Pat) meets troubled girl (Tiffany) and can these two negatives make a positive? What makes this work is the dialogue between the two because when one has nothing to lose one becomes brutally honest. And, that is what we have here and it was most refreshing even with numerous F-bombs flying everywhere. Bradley Cooper must have bought a Flobee (google it) as his beard is always the same length throughout, but the beard was necessary to give his face some much needed definition. Good move. He does a good job and he needs to stay with drama and leave those unfunny and raunchy HANGOVER movies behind. They made Jennifer Lawrence look a little Goth, but once you look into those eyes you instantly fall in love. When she delivers her lines it's like she is talking directly to you. The chemistry between these two works only because of her eyes. When she is on screen, you don't see anyone else. (Hey, we fell in love with her when we saw Winter's Bone. Nothing has changed.)A very good supporting cast is bolstered by Jackie Weaver (Pat's mother) and Robert DiNero (Pat Sr) who does probably his best work in years. Pat Sr is an avid Eagles fan but has lost his job and now makes book and this plays into the movie's outcome.Danny (Chris Tucker) who was also in that psychiatric hospital with Pat keeps getting released, or so he says, but the cops always find and return him. He was okay even though he was given subdued lines. What happened to the Chris Tucker we liked from those Rush Hour movies? Subdued lines and Chris Tucker don't mesh. Hey, we had Pat rant and rave when he was off his meds and everyone was afraid of him, why not Chris Tucker when he's the best at that and he does it with humor? They could have found a way. Bummer.There is a twist in here (it's a good one) and you could see it coming from miles away and this is where the love story really takes hold. The highlight of the movie is the dance contest that Tiffany talks Pat into practicing for and actually performing in. As we (and they) go along we just cannot understand why Pat cannot see that silver lining - he keeps looking for - that is before him all the time. All in all this is excellent, but the dialogues all around and Lawrence's eyes make it so.Silver Lining Playbook was nominated for Best Picture. Bradley Cooper was nominated for Best Actor. Jackie Weaver was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Robert DeNiro was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. David O. Russel was nominated for Best Director and Adapted Screenplay. Jennifer Lawrence was the only one to come away with an Oscar: Best Actress. Well deserved. (9/10)Violence: Yes, some at the football game; and Pat goes berserk a lot in the beginning. Sex: No. Nudity: Briefly a female backside only Language: Yes, mostly in the first half.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-445

ur15857362

title: The Dialogues and Lawrence's Eyes Win This One review: Pat (Bradley Cooper) is released from a psychiatric hospital and moves back into his parents' house. He has been diagnosed as bipolar and has a restraining order against him by his ex-wife, Nikki (Brae Bee) He wants to get his life back and constantly looks for silver linings to let him know he is on track. He meets a somewhat damaged Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) but is still obsessed with Nikki and wants her back. So what we have here is troubled boy (Pat) meets troubled girl (Tiffany) and can these two negatives make a positive? What makes this work is the dialogue between the two because when one has nothing to lose one becomes brutally honest. And, that is what we have here and it was most refreshing even with numerous F-bombs flying everywhere. Bradley Cooper must have bought a Flobee (google it) as his beard is always the same length throughout, but the beard was necessary to give his face some much needed definition. Good move. He does a good job and he needs to stay with drama and leave those unfunny and raunchy HANGOVER movies behind. They made Jennifer Lawrence look a little Goth, but once you look into those eyes you instantly fall in love. When she delivers her lines it's like she is talking directly to you. The chemistry between these two works only because of her eyes. When she is on screen, you don't see anyone else. (Hey, we fell in love with her when we saw Winter's Bone. Nothing has changed.)A very good supporting cast is bolstered by Jackie Weaver (Pat's mother) and Robert DiNero (Pat Sr) who does probably his best work in years. Pat Sr is an avid Eagles fan but has lost his job and now makes book and this plays into the movie's outcome.Danny (Chris Tucker) who was also in that psychiatric hospital with Pat keeps getting released, or so he says, but the cops always find and return him. He was okay even though he was given subdued lines. What happened to the Chris Tucker we liked from those Rush Hour movies? Subdued lines and Chris Tucker don't mesh. Hey, we had Pat rant and rave when he was off his meds and everyone was afraid of him, why not Chris Tucker when he's the best at that and he does it with humor? They could have found a way. Bummer.There is a twist in here (it's a good one) and you could see it coming from miles away and this is where the love story really takes hold. The highlight of the movie is the dance contest that Tiffany talks Pat into practicing for and actually performing in. As we (and they) go along we just cannot understand why Pat cannot see that silver lining - he keeps looking for - that is before him all the time. All in all this is excellent, but the dialogues all around and Lawrence's eyes make it so.Silver Lining Playbook was nominated for Best Picture. Bradley Cooper was nominated for Best Actor. Jackie Weaver was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Robert DeNiro was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. David O. Russel was nominated for Best Director and Adapted Screenplay. Jennifer Lawrence was the only one to come away with an Oscar: Best Actress. Well deserved. (9/10)Violence: Yes, some at the football game; and Pat goes berserk a lot in the beginning. Sex: No. Nudity: Briefly a female backside only Language: Yes, mostly in the first half.

Wonderful Film!

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Silver Linings Playbook is an incredible film that brings to the light the subject of bipolar disorders, one of the rare films to do so. This film is so sweet and sentimental in one way, but in another way we get to see the dark side of bipolar disorders which results in extreme mood swings. But this film features an incredible screenplay that touches up on all the emotions, fantastic acting that uses the screenplay with heart and soul, excellent directing by David O. Russell, and just a compelling story about a disorder that affects many people worldwide.O'Russell directed a film about a guy named Patrick who has just been released from a mental hospital and he moved back in with his parents. He also has a goal of reuniting with his wife despite a big incident that occurred between them. While pursuing his goals, he meets Tiffany whom ultimately has a dark past and problems of her own.This film is a haven for acting because the acting here is just incredible. The chemistry between everyone is just top-notch and it's clear that everyone was very involved with the film. Jennifer Lawrence is just amazing and she clearly steals every scene she's in and she deserves her Best Actress win. She shows awesome chemistry with Bradley Cooper, who comes into his own this movie. Cooper shows lots of range by taking this role and this was a risk that paid off handsomely. Robert De Niro gives his best role in years and Jacki Weaver does a great job as well.Overall, Silver Linings Playbook is just an excellent film that is not only funny, but is deeply touching. The first hour and fifteen minutes are the best, while the final half goes through the conventional romance stage, but it's very much worth watching thanks to the excellent acting. It's well-written, well-acted, and one of the best drama films of the year. I rate this film 9/10.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-655

ur17646017

title: Wonderful Film! review: Silver Linings Playbook is an incredible film that brings to the light the subject of bipolar disorders, one of the rare films to do so. This film is so sweet and sentimental in one way, but in another way we get to see the dark side of bipolar disorders which results in extreme mood swings. But this film features an incredible screenplay that touches up on all the emotions, fantastic acting that uses the screenplay with heart and soul, excellent directing by David O. Russell, and just a compelling story about a disorder that affects many people worldwide.O'Russell directed a film about a guy named Patrick who has just been released from a mental hospital and he moved back in with his parents. He also has a goal of reuniting with his wife despite a big incident that occurred between them. While pursuing his goals, he meets Tiffany whom ultimately has a dark past and problems of her own.This film is a haven for acting because the acting here is just incredible. The chemistry between everyone is just top-notch and it's clear that everyone was very involved with the film. Jennifer Lawrence is just amazing and she clearly steals every scene she's in and she deserves her Best Actress win. She shows awesome chemistry with Bradley Cooper, who comes into his own this movie. Cooper shows lots of range by taking this role and this was a risk that paid off handsomely. Robert De Niro gives his best role in years and Jacki Weaver does a great job as well.Overall, Silver Linings Playbook is just an excellent film that is not only funny, but is deeply touching. The first hour and fifteen minutes are the best, while the final half goes through the conventional romance stage, but it's very much worth watching thanks to the excellent acting. It's well-written, well-acted, and one of the best drama films of the year. I rate this film 9/10.

A "feel-good movie" that earns its feelings

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The romantic comedy has never been the most respected genre in film, but and I think in earnest that's because so many of them just go through the motions and don't let their characters earn the sympathy that the filmmakers expect the audience to feel for them. Silver Linings Playbook is a rarity, an ostensibly "feel-good" movie that doesn't pull punches and isn't afraid to go dark places but ends up trusting in its characters and its audience enough to see it through to the end. Bradley Cooper is solid, Jennifer Lawrence continues to reveal herself as one of the best actresses of her generation; and how refreshing is it to see Robert De Niro finally finding himself in a good movie again after years of slumming? This is his best performance in years and I hope he continues choosing better projects in the near future.David O. Russell got a bad stigma in Hollywood for a few years after I Heart Huckabees and the infamous meltdown video, but with this and The Fighter he has thankfully proved he still has the talent that made him such an interesting filmmaker early on in his career.In a year full of great movies, this is one of the better ones, and one I'd like to revisit again. It's everything a great romantic comedy should be and I'm glad audiences are starting to connect with it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-234

ur1173088

title: A "feel-good movie" that earns its feelings review: The romantic comedy has never been the most respected genre in film, but and I think in earnest that's because so many of them just go through the motions and don't let their characters earn the sympathy that the filmmakers expect the audience to feel for them. Silver Linings Playbook is a rarity, an ostensibly "feel-good" movie that doesn't pull punches and isn't afraid to go dark places but ends up trusting in its characters and its audience enough to see it through to the end. Bradley Cooper is solid, Jennifer Lawrence continues to reveal herself as one of the best actresses of her generation; and how refreshing is it to see Robert De Niro finally finding himself in a good movie again after years of slumming? This is his best performance in years and I hope he continues choosing better projects in the near future.David O. Russell got a bad stigma in Hollywood for a few years after I Heart Huckabees and the infamous meltdown video, but with this and The Fighter he has thankfully proved he still has the talent that made him such an interesting filmmaker early on in his career.In a year full of great movies, this is one of the better ones, and one I'd like to revisit again. It's everything a great romantic comedy should be and I'm glad audiences are starting to connect with it.

Thugs in perpetuity

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Pat is a man who has just been released from a mental institution after serving 8 months on a plea bargain. He was committed because after he came home early from work one day, heard his wedding song playing and found his wife banging the history teacher in the shower. In a momentary lapse of judgement and an obvious crime of passion, Pat nearly beat the guy to death. Upon getting out of the institution, his main goal is to rebuild his relationship with his wife, who now has a restraining order on him.Enter in Tiffany, who is a recent widow. Her husband got hit by a car after going to Victoria's Secret to buy lingerie for his wife in hopes of spicing up their sex life, which Tiffany had turned off after 3 years of marriage.Then you have Pat Sr. and Dolores, Pat's parents. Pat Sr. has lost his pension because of the financial crash and now runs a bookie business and his wife supports him for doing so. Pat feels that his son is a good luck charm and wants him to stay close during Eagles games as his presence helps the Eagles win.Then you have Pat's friend who has made big money because of the financial crash by flipping houses. But with the this new found wealth he feels stressed, restricted and ready to bash things at any given moment.There are other bit characters in the film as well and when you throw all this into the blender and you have one of the best films of the year.Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert DeNiro give outstanding performances and I believe all three will get Oscar nominations this year. All three of them simply own these roles. But more than just the incredible acting, this is an incredibly emotionally engaging story. In here you have two very damaged people who find ways to help each other. And even though Pat might seem to be a loose cannon, if you look at the people around him, they are no different. I have always believed that humans walk a fine line between sanity and insanity. There's a Tragically Hip song called Thugs that says, "Everyone's got their breaking point, for me it's spiders, for you it's me." Profound in that I believe this to be true. We do all have our breaking points. For Pat, walking in on his wife and seeing another man performing with his mouth on her private parts in the shower, while his wedding song was playing, was enough to push him over the edge. And if that is what it takes to send you over that precipice, how do you recover? This movie explores that journey, and it's not an easy one. Pat doesn't get better over night, or after 8 months or even after spending a few months with Tiffany. It's hard work, but eventually, the human spirit will find ways to mend itself.I have a friend who gained 150 pounds in a matter of about 18 months. He used to be model good looking. And then something or rather several things tested his mettle. And he lost. For 8 years he kept the 325 pounds on, he drank, he smoked and he was lazy. And then one day he just woke up and decided he'd had enough and he lost the 150 pounds and stopped smoking and drinking and now he's back to his old self. It's like Pat in this film. He has to work at it. The human psyche is fragile and sometimes it needs to reboot. This film is that journey to reboot.In a way, this film reminds me of Perks of Being a Wallflower....but for a different age group. Both are in my top three of the year. One is about discovering who you are at a young age and the journey that ensues. The other is discovering who you are at an older age, and the journey that ensues to make yourself better. Both are brilliant and poignant and brought a lump to my throat.Silver Linings also brought a tear to my eye. It's truly a remarkable film.One final note. There is some criticism from a vocal minority who say it goes typically predictable or cliché at the end and I disagree with this completely. It is the opposite of cliché. This is a film about a journey and to have them not end up together would be a travesty. Their courtship and ultimate pairing was part of the journey to make them whole again. That is not cliché, that is just brilliant writing.10/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-48

ur0355122

title: Thugs in perpetuity review: Pat is a man who has just been released from a mental institution after serving 8 months on a plea bargain. He was committed because after he came home early from work one day, heard his wedding song playing and found his wife banging the history teacher in the shower. In a momentary lapse of judgement and an obvious crime of passion, Pat nearly beat the guy to death. Upon getting out of the institution, his main goal is to rebuild his relationship with his wife, who now has a restraining order on him.Enter in Tiffany, who is a recent widow. Her husband got hit by a car after going to Victoria's Secret to buy lingerie for his wife in hopes of spicing up their sex life, which Tiffany had turned off after 3 years of marriage.Then you have Pat Sr. and Dolores, Pat's parents. Pat Sr. has lost his pension because of the financial crash and now runs a bookie business and his wife supports him for doing so. Pat feels that his son is a good luck charm and wants him to stay close during Eagles games as his presence helps the Eagles win.Then you have Pat's friend who has made big money because of the financial crash by flipping houses. But with the this new found wealth he feels stressed, restricted and ready to bash things at any given moment.There are other bit characters in the film as well and when you throw all this into the blender and you have one of the best films of the year.Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert DeNiro give outstanding performances and I believe all three will get Oscar nominations this year. All three of them simply own these roles. But more than just the incredible acting, this is an incredibly emotionally engaging story. In here you have two very damaged people who find ways to help each other. And even though Pat might seem to be a loose cannon, if you look at the people around him, they are no different. I have always believed that humans walk a fine line between sanity and insanity. There's a Tragically Hip song called Thugs that says, "Everyone's got their breaking point, for me it's spiders, for you it's me." Profound in that I believe this to be true. We do all have our breaking points. For Pat, walking in on his wife and seeing another man performing with his mouth on her private parts in the shower, while his wedding song was playing, was enough to push him over the edge. And if that is what it takes to send you over that precipice, how do you recover? This movie explores that journey, and it's not an easy one. Pat doesn't get better over night, or after 8 months or even after spending a few months with Tiffany. It's hard work, but eventually, the human spirit will find ways to mend itself.I have a friend who gained 150 pounds in a matter of about 18 months. He used to be model good looking. And then something or rather several things tested his mettle. And he lost. For 8 years he kept the 325 pounds on, he drank, he smoked and he was lazy. And then one day he just woke up and decided he'd had enough and he lost the 150 pounds and stopped smoking and drinking and now he's back to his old self. It's like Pat in this film. He has to work at it. The human psyche is fragile and sometimes it needs to reboot. This film is that journey to reboot.In a way, this film reminds me of Perks of Being a Wallflower....but for a different age group. Both are in my top three of the year. One is about discovering who you are at a young age and the journey that ensues. The other is discovering who you are at an older age, and the journey that ensues to make yourself better. Both are brilliant and poignant and brought a lump to my throat.Silver Linings also brought a tear to my eye. It's truly a remarkable film.One final note. There is some criticism from a vocal minority who say it goes typically predictable or cliché at the end and I disagree with this completely. It is the opposite of cliché. This is a film about a journey and to have them not end up together would be a travesty. Their courtship and ultimate pairing was part of the journey to make them whole again. That is not cliché, that is just brilliant writing.10/10

Game Plan

tt1045658

As a saying goes when the door is shut, god opens a window. Yeah we all had out down points in life, however the truth about life is it's most of the time a matter of how you get back up from troubled circumstances is what counts. This is one of those romance stories I really like because like any plan in football that works it runs toward the goal line.With any good romance stories and dramas this film has characters that I actually care about and really like. But also really love the quarky, bizarre yet down to earth nature of the film.The dialog in this film is great, it is at times a little strange and humorous but I feel that's what makes the characters seem more human. It really felt like I was hearing people talking and not just fictional characters.Pat is played well by Bradley Cooper this is probably my favorite role from him for now. Pat is a broken guy you really feel pathos for. The legal and psychological troubles he's been though, sure what it did isn't completely right, but the guy he beat up wasn't innocent; along with a painful divorce. I like how his aggressive attitude toward things which is not just a psychological problem but a quark. One really funny scene is when he does a rant on a Ernest Heminway book which he literally throws out the window, it's funny because he kinda makes a point. He wants to rejoin life again but the problem is he's calling the wrong play.I really like how the film at times has some really intense scenes. Like one where Pat was acting out a bit from the fact he couldn't find the wedding video, you can't help but feel for the guy as he has both anger and sadness combined, the fact that the wedding video is gone reflects the life he can't get back because to him that was the only times of happiness. But I really like the humanity of his character, whenever he feels he letting people down whether it's his mom, dad, or Tiffany he feels awful about it and himself; I feel it shows he's not a selfish person he really does care about other people and letting them down is the last thing he wants.However my favorite character in the film is Tiffany, played brilliantly by Jennifer Laurence whom I think is kinda hot and a more than capable actress. Her character reminds me a little of April Ludgate from "Parks and Recreation" whom is also a little similar. I really love how fiery, feisty, energetic, a little bizarre, dark, she has charisma which is black, quarky, or clever. However the best thing about her to me is the fact that she accepts that she's not perfect she has her psychological troubles but she accepts them. She also a character you feel pathos for since like with Pat had to endure a loss, with her though it was the loss of her husband. I like that she's is ambitious in a way, she loves dancing and wants to be a champion but also doesn't want to be alone wants someone in her life again.You already know in the film both really are a good match for one another. Both are somewhat the same, like with Pat she's also has aggression in an intense scene in the restaurant just seeing her exercise it makes me feel she might be more aggressive than Pat. Both are broken and are trying to get their lives back together as well have more in their life that they haven't had. And the chemistry between them is great I really love the banter between them, there are sparks whether they know it or not, and they support one another in a way; heck both of them dance well together so that ought to say something.And you want both of them together but not just yet because like with any good romance story I feel one or both have to earn it first. And both do, in a way the film is a bit like a Howard Hawks film, as the film goes on both characters grow, Pat becomes more of a man and Tiffany more of a woman. And as that happens both start connecting, say things they probably never said to anyone else.However this I don't think is just a romance about two people but it's also about love for family.The supporting characters are also really good each with quarks and trouble of their own. Robert De Nero as Pat Sr I thought was great, just like his son he's psychologically troubled. And just like his son has a humanity, really like this one touching moment when he has a talk down with Pat and admits he hasn't been the best father. And we see in the film both of them also start growing closer becoming in touch with one another again.I've said enough, Silver Linings Playbook is a touchdown.Rating: 4 stars

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-344

ur24931284

title: Game Plan review: As a saying goes when the door is shut, god opens a window. Yeah we all had out down points in life, however the truth about life is it's most of the time a matter of how you get back up from troubled circumstances is what counts. This is one of those romance stories I really like because like any plan in football that works it runs toward the goal line.With any good romance stories and dramas this film has characters that I actually care about and really like. But also really love the quarky, bizarre yet down to earth nature of the film.The dialog in this film is great, it is at times a little strange and humorous but I feel that's what makes the characters seem more human. It really felt like I was hearing people talking and not just fictional characters.Pat is played well by Bradley Cooper this is probably my favorite role from him for now. Pat is a broken guy you really feel pathos for. The legal and psychological troubles he's been though, sure what it did isn't completely right, but the guy he beat up wasn't innocent; along with a painful divorce. I like how his aggressive attitude toward things which is not just a psychological problem but a quark. One really funny scene is when he does a rant on a Ernest Heminway book which he literally throws out the window, it's funny because he kinda makes a point. He wants to rejoin life again but the problem is he's calling the wrong play.I really like how the film at times has some really intense scenes. Like one where Pat was acting out a bit from the fact he couldn't find the wedding video, you can't help but feel for the guy as he has both anger and sadness combined, the fact that the wedding video is gone reflects the life he can't get back because to him that was the only times of happiness. But I really like the humanity of his character, whenever he feels he letting people down whether it's his mom, dad, or Tiffany he feels awful about it and himself; I feel it shows he's not a selfish person he really does care about other people and letting them down is the last thing he wants.However my favorite character in the film is Tiffany, played brilliantly by Jennifer Laurence whom I think is kinda hot and a more than capable actress. Her character reminds me a little of April Ludgate from "Parks and Recreation" whom is also a little similar. I really love how fiery, feisty, energetic, a little bizarre, dark, she has charisma which is black, quarky, or clever. However the best thing about her to me is the fact that she accepts that she's not perfect she has her psychological troubles but she accepts them. She also a character you feel pathos for since like with Pat had to endure a loss, with her though it was the loss of her husband. I like that she's is ambitious in a way, she loves dancing and wants to be a champion but also doesn't want to be alone wants someone in her life again.You already know in the film both really are a good match for one another. Both are somewhat the same, like with Pat she's also has aggression in an intense scene in the restaurant just seeing her exercise it makes me feel she might be more aggressive than Pat. Both are broken and are trying to get their lives back together as well have more in their life that they haven't had. And the chemistry between them is great I really love the banter between them, there are sparks whether they know it or not, and they support one another in a way; heck both of them dance well together so that ought to say something.And you want both of them together but not just yet because like with any good romance story I feel one or both have to earn it first. And both do, in a way the film is a bit like a Howard Hawks film, as the film goes on both characters grow, Pat becomes more of a man and Tiffany more of a woman. And as that happens both start connecting, say things they probably never said to anyone else.However this I don't think is just a romance about two people but it's also about love for family.The supporting characters are also really good each with quarks and trouble of their own. Robert De Nero as Pat Sr I thought was great, just like his son he's psychologically troubled. And just like his son has a humanity, really like this one touching moment when he has a talk down with Pat and admits he hasn't been the best father. And we see in the film both of them also start growing closer becoming in touch with one another again.I've said enough, Silver Linings Playbook is a touchdown.Rating: 4 stars

It's self-aware but never smug

tt1045658

It seems over the years that all romantic comedies have been stamped with the rather dishonest label of "chick flicks" due to their fluffy nature and their schmaltzy screenplays that seem to cater only to the needs of day-dreaming women that are looking for ninety minutes of simple escapism. Not Silver Linings Playbook. This is a serious and simultaneously entertaining romantic comedy that doesn't substitute antics for characters or reality for humor.History teacher Paul Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has just been discharged from a mental hospital and can no return home to his parents' home after he catches his wife in the act of infidelity eight months ago and completely lost it. He learns that his father (Robert De Niro) is out of work, and making money off high-stakes gambling on the Philadelphia Eagles, and his wife has moved away and gotten a restraining order against him. Paul must now begin the time-consuming task of rebuilding his life and repair surrounding relationships in his life that have no been dismantled because of his bipolar disorder.Paul winds up meet his friend's wife's sister Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), who has been going through the pain of losing her husband and then committing random sex acts down at her workplace. Meeting each other, we can see they strike immediate chemistry, but their personal albatrosses, Paul with his ongoing devotion to finding his wife, and Tiffany with her inability to keep consistent with her behavior and emotions roadblock them into forming a solid, sustainable relationship together.After spending enough time together, Tiffany reveals to Paul that she could deliver a letter written by him to Nikki and be the messenger between them if he agrees to be her partner in a dance competition. One of the several subplots, which is handled mainly in the final half of the film, is Paul and Tiffany trying to make a bet on a dance competition and a football game work out in Paul's father's favor, as he is facing impending financial trouble with another gambler, and another one involves Paul's father's OCD and superstitions to try and make the Eagles win games. With all this madness and little sub-plots thrown into the blender, you wouldn't believe that they work in unison.The catch is they do and they do so in a method I can only relate to writer/director Alexander Payne and his barrage of delightful human comedies such as About Schmidt, Sideways, and most recently The Descendants. Payne constructs his characters with layers, making them relatable and easy to like, and writer/director David O. Russell (2010's Academy Award winning The Fighter) follows the same blueprint for success.It also came to my attention that this picture further leads Bradley Cooper down the path of an A-list actor. His role in The Hangover is miles away from this one, and his character Paul is far off anything he's ever done, yet it seems he was born to play the role of a conflicted men who isn't all there from a mental standpoint. After coming off of the disappointing Hunger Games and the pathetic House at the End of the Street, I feared Jennifer Lawrence was on a path to mediocrity, but it took me about five minutes of her on screen before those two films slipped my mind. She embodies Tiffany in such a divine, confident way I was sure that she will continue to do more great things along this line of work. She is too not falling prey to the typical child-star Disney conventions, where young, mostly female actresses pick G and PG rated pictures that do not test them at all as people or character actors. Lawrence seems to be too good for that schlock. And it must be said as well that Robert De Niro, after a string of dismissible performances, has finally found his second calling in the film industry aside from breakneck mobster features and that is the sly, humorous father figure that is desperately trying to keep his troubled son close.Both Pat and Tiffany wind up having some sort of complex, emotional outburst that affects them massively and the people around them also. Both sequences aren't played for laughs, but for complete seriousness which works in favor of the idea that Russell is not playing for cheap laughs but for respect for those with mental illnesses. Even in his sequences, Chris Tucker, noted comedian and actor that can take a light setup and drum it into something completely silly, is portrayed in a sincere light and is not offered up as the butt of the joke or a lame-brained, obnoxious best friend to reiterate everything Pat says (unlike Kevin Hart's role in Think Like a Man). Silver Linings Playbook is a simple, endearing exercise that is along the same line as Safety Not Guaranteed, in the idea that it's quirky and self-aware, but it has more to offer than stale fodder that passes for uniqueness.Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jacki Weaver, Robert De Niro, and Chris Tucker. Directed by: David O. Russell.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-59

ur23483288

title: It's self-aware but never smug review: It seems over the years that all romantic comedies have been stamped with the rather dishonest label of "chick flicks" due to their fluffy nature and their schmaltzy screenplays that seem to cater only to the needs of day-dreaming women that are looking for ninety minutes of simple escapism. Not Silver Linings Playbook. This is a serious and simultaneously entertaining romantic comedy that doesn't substitute antics for characters or reality for humor.History teacher Paul Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has just been discharged from a mental hospital and can no return home to his parents' home after he catches his wife in the act of infidelity eight months ago and completely lost it. He learns that his father (Robert De Niro) is out of work, and making money off high-stakes gambling on the Philadelphia Eagles, and his wife has moved away and gotten a restraining order against him. Paul must now begin the time-consuming task of rebuilding his life and repair surrounding relationships in his life that have no been dismantled because of his bipolar disorder.Paul winds up meet his friend's wife's sister Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), who has been going through the pain of losing her husband and then committing random sex acts down at her workplace. Meeting each other, we can see they strike immediate chemistry, but their personal albatrosses, Paul with his ongoing devotion to finding his wife, and Tiffany with her inability to keep consistent with her behavior and emotions roadblock them into forming a solid, sustainable relationship together.After spending enough time together, Tiffany reveals to Paul that she could deliver a letter written by him to Nikki and be the messenger between them if he agrees to be her partner in a dance competition. One of the several subplots, which is handled mainly in the final half of the film, is Paul and Tiffany trying to make a bet on a dance competition and a football game work out in Paul's father's favor, as he is facing impending financial trouble with another gambler, and another one involves Paul's father's OCD and superstitions to try and make the Eagles win games. With all this madness and little sub-plots thrown into the blender, you wouldn't believe that they work in unison.The catch is they do and they do so in a method I can only relate to writer/director Alexander Payne and his barrage of delightful human comedies such as About Schmidt, Sideways, and most recently The Descendants. Payne constructs his characters with layers, making them relatable and easy to like, and writer/director David O. Russell (2010's Academy Award winning The Fighter) follows the same blueprint for success.It also came to my attention that this picture further leads Bradley Cooper down the path of an A-list actor. His role in The Hangover is miles away from this one, and his character Paul is far off anything he's ever done, yet it seems he was born to play the role of a conflicted men who isn't all there from a mental standpoint. After coming off of the disappointing Hunger Games and the pathetic House at the End of the Street, I feared Jennifer Lawrence was on a path to mediocrity, but it took me about five minutes of her on screen before those two films slipped my mind. She embodies Tiffany in such a divine, confident way I was sure that she will continue to do more great things along this line of work. She is too not falling prey to the typical child-star Disney conventions, where young, mostly female actresses pick G and PG rated pictures that do not test them at all as people or character actors. Lawrence seems to be too good for that schlock. And it must be said as well that Robert De Niro, after a string of dismissible performances, has finally found his second calling in the film industry aside from breakneck mobster features and that is the sly, humorous father figure that is desperately trying to keep his troubled son close.Both Pat and Tiffany wind up having some sort of complex, emotional outburst that affects them massively and the people around them also. Both sequences aren't played for laughs, but for complete seriousness which works in favor of the idea that Russell is not playing for cheap laughs but for respect for those with mental illnesses. Even in his sequences, Chris Tucker, noted comedian and actor that can take a light setup and drum it into something completely silly, is portrayed in a sincere light and is not offered up as the butt of the joke or a lame-brained, obnoxious best friend to reiterate everything Pat says (unlike Kevin Hart's role in Think Like a Man). Silver Linings Playbook is a simple, endearing exercise that is along the same line as Safety Not Guaranteed, in the idea that it's quirky and self-aware, but it has more to offer than stale fodder that passes for uniqueness.Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jacki Weaver, Robert De Niro, and Chris Tucker. Directed by: David O. Russell.

Had "potential" but...

tt1045658

I am one of the viewers that enjoyed this movie and thought it's very watchable movie. But just didn't thought it was praise worthy as some of the critics are claiming it to be. This has a strong beginning and progresses on really well and had my attention most of the way through. But a little over half of this film it all just seemed too forced and just got kinda bored with it. It started out as this awkward romantic comedy movie that made me care and be interested in two main characters but it just started to become way too predictable and didn't have that intriguing and amusing psychological chemistry the beginning of this movie has. The plot is basically about two emotionally damaged and unstable people and the chemistry between the two. It has heartfelt and attention grabbing elements in this movie. Especially when it came to what the two characters are coping with and how they go around dealing with their emotional scars. Pat(Bradley Cooper) who is this guy that gets out of a mental institution, has a broken marriage and has bipolar disorder. And a Tiffany(Jennifer Lawrence) who is this girl that is going through depression and emotional scars after her husband died. And it's the awkward relationship between these two characters that drive this movie. But it just started to feel like the film goes in a direction where it tries to exploit the actor and actress in this a bit too much. This works in some movies but just didn't seem so in this one. Who knows maybe that is one of the reasons they took on these roles. Overall this is a alright watch but nothing really worth the hype over.6.8/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-459

ur22171966

title: Had "potential" but... review: I am one of the viewers that enjoyed this movie and thought it's very watchable movie. But just didn't thought it was praise worthy as some of the critics are claiming it to be. This has a strong beginning and progresses on really well and had my attention most of the way through. But a little over half of this film it all just seemed too forced and just got kinda bored with it. It started out as this awkward romantic comedy movie that made me care and be interested in two main characters but it just started to become way too predictable and didn't have that intriguing and amusing psychological chemistry the beginning of this movie has. The plot is basically about two emotionally damaged and unstable people and the chemistry between the two. It has heartfelt and attention grabbing elements in this movie. Especially when it came to what the two characters are coping with and how they go around dealing with their emotional scars. Pat(Bradley Cooper) who is this guy that gets out of a mental institution, has a broken marriage and has bipolar disorder. And a Tiffany(Jennifer Lawrence) who is this girl that is going through depression and emotional scars after her husband died. And it's the awkward relationship between these two characters that drive this movie. But it just started to feel like the film goes in a direction where it tries to exploit the actor and actress in this a bit too much. This works in some movies but just didn't seem so in this one. Who knows maybe that is one of the reasons they took on these roles. Overall this is a alright watch but nothing really worth the hype over.6.8/10

Mama weer all crazee now. 72.5+%

tt1045658

This is a very odd, unconventional movie. It's about a man, Pat (played by Bradley Cooper. Cooper seems familiar to me from somewhere...), who is released from a mental institution and who tries to win back the affections of his wife...but she has a restraining order on him! Pat had an undiagnosed mental condition which makes him violent, hence his wife's restraining order. We don't really see much of the wife in this movie. Pat is put into the path of Tiffany (played by Jennifer Lawrence), another damaged personality who also has had dealings with the medical fraternity over her mental health issues.Here's why this movie is so odd and unconventional...Pat is a very unlikeable fellow. It's hard to root for him, hence my lower score. If Cooper was going for a very unlikeable portrayal of a damaged man, then I suppose Oscar recognition is not out of the question. Pat is clueless as far as his interactions with people is concerned and he also lacks self-awareness. Jennifer Lawrence is very sexy in her role (in a Meg Tilly kind of way...but more so) but she isn't a conventional leading lady either. It's hard to imagine what Tiffany sees in Pat...perhaps it's just a case of beautiful people being attracted to each other, even though they may be abrasive personalities (to say the least, especially of Pat)? Lawrence puts together a very strong performance and deserves her Oscar for best actress (I still prefer Naomi Watt's turn in "The impossible" though, for drawing out powerful emotions from the viewer). I've bumped up my score (and maybe could have given it 75%, say) for the end game of the movie. The leading characters warm, as does the movie, as they/it become more conventional in a rom-com kind of way...you do start to root for the characters. So, eventually, this does turn into a date movie. Robert De Niro as Pat's father (Pat Sr.) is 'interesting'...you can see that Pat Jr. did inherit some of his genes from him! Jacki Weaver as Pat Jr's mother Dolores has some emoting early on in the movie and does give the occasional arch look. Her accent was good (Australians are better at American accents than Americans are at Australian accents)...I don't think she ever lost the accent but maybe once it seemed to lose its flavour. Have heard in the media (perhaps in Australia) that she was nominated for an Oscar in this movie for her performance in the great Australian movie "Animal kingdom"...which is the way of Hollywood. Chris Tucker as a fellow crazy of Pat the younger is sort of a running gag in this movie. Did find some of the early shots in the movie rather awkward...a bit too self- conscious...perhaps with Weaver, especially. Two of the subplots in this movie were rather odd too...a business sideline of Pat Sr. as well as a "Strictly ballroom" kind of turn (the Australian movie). Even when the leading actors were being abrasive (early on, especially), there was still much humour to be had in this movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-339

ur4025773

title: Mama weer all crazee now. 72.5+% review: This is a very odd, unconventional movie. It's about a man, Pat (played by Bradley Cooper. Cooper seems familiar to me from somewhere...), who is released from a mental institution and who tries to win back the affections of his wife...but she has a restraining order on him! Pat had an undiagnosed mental condition which makes him violent, hence his wife's restraining order. We don't really see much of the wife in this movie. Pat is put into the path of Tiffany (played by Jennifer Lawrence), another damaged personality who also has had dealings with the medical fraternity over her mental health issues.Here's why this movie is so odd and unconventional...Pat is a very unlikeable fellow. It's hard to root for him, hence my lower score. If Cooper was going for a very unlikeable portrayal of a damaged man, then I suppose Oscar recognition is not out of the question. Pat is clueless as far as his interactions with people is concerned and he also lacks self-awareness. Jennifer Lawrence is very sexy in her role (in a Meg Tilly kind of way...but more so) but she isn't a conventional leading lady either. It's hard to imagine what Tiffany sees in Pat...perhaps it's just a case of beautiful people being attracted to each other, even though they may be abrasive personalities (to say the least, especially of Pat)? Lawrence puts together a very strong performance and deserves her Oscar for best actress (I still prefer Naomi Watt's turn in "The impossible" though, for drawing out powerful emotions from the viewer). I've bumped up my score (and maybe could have given it 75%, say) for the end game of the movie. The leading characters warm, as does the movie, as they/it become more conventional in a rom-com kind of way...you do start to root for the characters. So, eventually, this does turn into a date movie. Robert De Niro as Pat's father (Pat Sr.) is 'interesting'...you can see that Pat Jr. did inherit some of his genes from him! Jacki Weaver as Pat Jr's mother Dolores has some emoting early on in the movie and does give the occasional arch look. Her accent was good (Australians are better at American accents than Americans are at Australian accents)...I don't think she ever lost the accent but maybe once it seemed to lose its flavour. Have heard in the media (perhaps in Australia) that she was nominated for an Oscar in this movie for her performance in the great Australian movie "Animal kingdom"...which is the way of Hollywood. Chris Tucker as a fellow crazy of Pat the younger is sort of a running gag in this movie. Did find some of the early shots in the movie rather awkward...a bit too self- conscious...perhaps with Weaver, especially. Two of the subplots in this movie were rather odd too...a business sideline of Pat Sr. as well as a "Strictly ballroom" kind of turn (the Australian movie). Even when the leading actors were being abrasive (early on, especially), there was still much humour to be had in this movie.

Was a lot better than I thought.

tt1045658

Did not know too much about this film before I saw it, and I honestly didn't hear too many good things about it. Aside from the critical acclaim from all the hot critics, and the Oscars, people I knew said it was kind of pretentious. While I'll admit it is that a little bit, I enjoyed the heck out of this film. The story is very interesting, and stays focused throughout, and the performances by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are amazing.Pat, (Bradley Cooper) leaves an institution eight months after being diagnosed bipolar, and when he nearly beat his wife's lover to death. Now free, he moves in with his parents, (Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver) and attempts to get his life in order, trying to get in contact with his wife Nikki, (Brea Bree) who has filed a restraining order against him. His life takes a drastic turn when he develops a friendship with his good friend's sister-in-law Tiffany, (Jennifer Lawrence) who has similar medical problems as him, after her husband died.Cooper's bipolar character, while being very crazy and psychotic, (shown in several scenes) makes you feel very sorry for him, and you want to see him get better. Despite what happens, I always felt for him, and cared about him. The same goes with his parents, who are worried about their son's well being, and his good friend Danny, (Chris Tucker) who has troubles leaving the institution.The performances are very amazing. Jennifer Lawrence, while being a psychotic nut, also has a lot of emotional scenes that you reach out to, as you learn of her past.The story always manages to keep you focused on what's going on, and never leaves anybody behind. The film itself is very fast-paced and quickly edited, but it slows down when it calls for an important scene. It never gets slow though, every scene is either emotionally charming, or dramatically intense.When people called this pretentious, I sort of saw what they meant, but not that much. Like I guess at the end when she sees him talking to his wife, and automatically assumes he's with her. Then he chases her, revealing that a note supposedly given to him by his wife was written by her, and that he's loved her since the day he met her, and they fall in love. I suppose that was a little pretentious, but it's not that noticeable. You don't focus on whats all ready been done. You just focus on how it all works out in this film. He loves her because they have similar problems, and they connect perfectly. You find out that he is okay without his wife, and he wants her. Nothing is really wrong with that, but at the same time, they could have done it with a little more creatively, but it's whatever. It's still beautifully written. Even though some dialogue is just thrown in for the sake of keeping the pace of the film, there were some scenes where I was literally getting goosebumps by how funny or clever the dialogue was. The film's comic parts can get really funny, just on how goofy and needlessly intense they are.So aside from a couple of pretentious plots, this film was so good. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and I would definitely see it again, not only because I laughed and was amazed by it, but also to see that Jennifer Lawrence booty shake in that dance scene...mmmmm.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-456

ur22931600

title: Was a lot better than I thought. review: Did not know too much about this film before I saw it, and I honestly didn't hear too many good things about it. Aside from the critical acclaim from all the hot critics, and the Oscars, people I knew said it was kind of pretentious. While I'll admit it is that a little bit, I enjoyed the heck out of this film. The story is very interesting, and stays focused throughout, and the performances by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are amazing.Pat, (Bradley Cooper) leaves an institution eight months after being diagnosed bipolar, and when he nearly beat his wife's lover to death. Now free, he moves in with his parents, (Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver) and attempts to get his life in order, trying to get in contact with his wife Nikki, (Brea Bree) who has filed a restraining order against him. His life takes a drastic turn when he develops a friendship with his good friend's sister-in-law Tiffany, (Jennifer Lawrence) who has similar medical problems as him, after her husband died.Cooper's bipolar character, while being very crazy and psychotic, (shown in several scenes) makes you feel very sorry for him, and you want to see him get better. Despite what happens, I always felt for him, and cared about him. The same goes with his parents, who are worried about their son's well being, and his good friend Danny, (Chris Tucker) who has troubles leaving the institution.The performances are very amazing. Jennifer Lawrence, while being a psychotic nut, also has a lot of emotional scenes that you reach out to, as you learn of her past.The story always manages to keep you focused on what's going on, and never leaves anybody behind. The film itself is very fast-paced and quickly edited, but it slows down when it calls for an important scene. It never gets slow though, every scene is either emotionally charming, or dramatically intense.When people called this pretentious, I sort of saw what they meant, but not that much. Like I guess at the end when she sees him talking to his wife, and automatically assumes he's with her. Then he chases her, revealing that a note supposedly given to him by his wife was written by her, and that he's loved her since the day he met her, and they fall in love. I suppose that was a little pretentious, but it's not that noticeable. You don't focus on whats all ready been done. You just focus on how it all works out in this film. He loves her because they have similar problems, and they connect perfectly. You find out that he is okay without his wife, and he wants her. Nothing is really wrong with that, but at the same time, they could have done it with a little more creatively, but it's whatever. It's still beautifully written. Even though some dialogue is just thrown in for the sake of keeping the pace of the film, there were some scenes where I was literally getting goosebumps by how funny or clever the dialogue was. The film's comic parts can get really funny, just on how goofy and needlessly intense they are.So aside from a couple of pretentious plots, this film was so good. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and I would definitely see it again, not only because I laughed and was amazed by it, but also to see that Jennifer Lawrence booty shake in that dance scene...mmmmm.

One of the Best Films of 2012

tt1045658

This is one of the best films of 2012. There will be awards nominations for deserved excellence. Excelsior! The Weinstein Company has become the Oscar brand name for award-winning performances, as excellence and quality seem to be the only criteria for the producers.The real surprise for me was Bradley Cooper, who always plays the funny, handsome guy in movies like "The Hangover," "The Hangover Part 2" and "The Hangover Infinite Sequel." Here, Cooper plays a disturbed man who is released from a mental facility. He has some court problems and a restraining order or two hanging over him. He plays the edgy, off-his-meds guy very convincingly. This is a good film for him. He shows us things we have never seen him do.Robert DeNiro is always interesting and fun to watch. He plays Cooper's father, an OCD Philidelphia Eagles fan who performs a series of strange rituals while watching his team. He worries about the team's Mojo constantly, and bets heavily and dangerously on them.The characters are all wonderfully quirky in this script. The question of sanity is explored in an unusual way. We know, at the outset, that Cooper's character is more than a little bit off his rocker, but as the story progresses, we see an entire cast of characters who have their own issues. Cooper plays Pat, who was sentenced to the mental hospital after an incident involving his wife. He wants desperately to get back his old life, but we see how unlikely he is to recover what was lost. We see that his obsessiveness, which caused the incident, is driving him harder to make things right. We know it will not work. His friends and family watch him make the same mistakes again and again.Jennifer Lawrence, as good as she was in "Hunger Games," really creates a new character in this film. You can't take your eyes off her when she is on the screen. She is a combination of crazy, sexy and intense. She erupts out of nowhere and virtually stalks Pat through the first half of the film. She is funny, also obsessive and equally as intense as Pat.The script is excellent, and, even though the ending is telegraphed too far in advance, the film goes where you want the story to go.This is one of the best films of 2012. There will be awards nominations for deserved excellence. Excelsior! The Weinstein Company has become the Oscar brand name for award-winning performances, as excellence and quality seem to be the only criteria for the producers.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-84

ur2754040

title: One of the Best Films of 2012 review: This is one of the best films of 2012. There will be awards nominations for deserved excellence. Excelsior! The Weinstein Company has become the Oscar brand name for award-winning performances, as excellence and quality seem to be the only criteria for the producers.The real surprise for me was Bradley Cooper, who always plays the funny, handsome guy in movies like "The Hangover," "The Hangover Part 2" and "The Hangover Infinite Sequel." Here, Cooper plays a disturbed man who is released from a mental facility. He has some court problems and a restraining order or two hanging over him. He plays the edgy, off-his-meds guy very convincingly. This is a good film for him. He shows us things we have never seen him do.Robert DeNiro is always interesting and fun to watch. He plays Cooper's father, an OCD Philidelphia Eagles fan who performs a series of strange rituals while watching his team. He worries about the team's Mojo constantly, and bets heavily and dangerously on them.The characters are all wonderfully quirky in this script. The question of sanity is explored in an unusual way. We know, at the outset, that Cooper's character is more than a little bit off his rocker, but as the story progresses, we see an entire cast of characters who have their own issues. Cooper plays Pat, who was sentenced to the mental hospital after an incident involving his wife. He wants desperately to get back his old life, but we see how unlikely he is to recover what was lost. We see that his obsessiveness, which caused the incident, is driving him harder to make things right. We know it will not work. His friends and family watch him make the same mistakes again and again.Jennifer Lawrence, as good as she was in "Hunger Games," really creates a new character in this film. You can't take your eyes off her when she is on the screen. She is a combination of crazy, sexy and intense. She erupts out of nowhere and virtually stalks Pat through the first half of the film. She is funny, also obsessive and equally as intense as Pat.The script is excellent, and, even though the ending is telegraphed too far in advance, the film goes where you want the story to go.This is one of the best films of 2012. There will be awards nominations for deserved excellence. Excelsior! The Weinstein Company has become the Oscar brand name for award-winning performances, as excellence and quality seem to be the only criteria for the producers.

Absolute involvement of star crossed characters.

tt1045658

Terrific and believable escape via troubled twosome. Life wasn't promised to be easy for Pat Solitano(Bradley Cooper), spending eight months in a mental institution following his painful divorce only to be court ordered to move back home with his parents. Pat Sr.(Robert De Niro)and Delores(Jacki Weaver)try to understand their bipolar son, who insists on trying to cope with life without his medication in pursuit of a healthy living regime with hopes of reuniting with his ex-wife. Pat is looking hard for the "silver linings" in his life, when he meets another troubled soul, Tiffany(Jennifer Lawrence),a self-proclaimed slut and woman of mystery since the death of her husband. Things really get complicated when the upbeat Tiffany offers to help the pathetic Pat reconnect with his ex. In return the fetching Tiffany wants Pat to be her partner in a dance competition. Could this be a therapeutic aid in their individual therapy or a step toward a meaningful relationship between them. Lawrence is adorable, witty and hilarious. Cooper is as confusing as De Niro is deadpan funny. And the use of Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" is brilliant. Rounding out the cast: Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, Anupam Kher, Shea Wingham and Paul Herman.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-369

ur0449021

title: Absolute involvement of star crossed characters. review: Terrific and believable escape via troubled twosome. Life wasn't promised to be easy for Pat Solitano(Bradley Cooper), spending eight months in a mental institution following his painful divorce only to be court ordered to move back home with his parents. Pat Sr.(Robert De Niro)and Delores(Jacki Weaver)try to understand their bipolar son, who insists on trying to cope with life without his medication in pursuit of a healthy living regime with hopes of reuniting with his ex-wife. Pat is looking hard for the "silver linings" in his life, when he meets another troubled soul, Tiffany(Jennifer Lawrence),a self-proclaimed slut and woman of mystery since the death of her husband. Things really get complicated when the upbeat Tiffany offers to help the pathetic Pat reconnect with his ex. In return the fetching Tiffany wants Pat to be her partner in a dance competition. Could this be a therapeutic aid in their individual therapy or a step toward a meaningful relationship between them. Lawrence is adorable, witty and hilarious. Cooper is as confusing as De Niro is deadpan funny. And the use of Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" is brilliant. Rounding out the cast: Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, Anupam Kher, Shea Wingham and Paul Herman.

Uninteresting enough

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This story of a man diagnosed as bipolar and released from psychiatric internment at a state institution after a few months there which led him to lose his job as teacher and his wife is rather uninteresting though the movie is well made, directed and acted. He was mandatorily interned because he has severely beaten his wife's lover and he was also mandatorily restricted of approaching or contacting her. Then he's got the obsession of recovering job and wife and tries do do it by somewhat awkward means. In the course of this he meets a woman with some psychological troubles also with whom he starts a supposedly friendly relationship since she apparently tries to help him to fulfill his aims. This story is weak, slack and lacks depth. The ending is too predictable to constitute a surprise. A movie to be seen for want of better only.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-559

ur1046460

title: Uninteresting enough review: This story of a man diagnosed as bipolar and released from psychiatric internment at a state institution after a few months there which led him to lose his job as teacher and his wife is rather uninteresting though the movie is well made, directed and acted. He was mandatorily interned because he has severely beaten his wife's lover and he was also mandatorily restricted of approaching or contacting her. Then he's got the obsession of recovering job and wife and tries do do it by somewhat awkward means. In the course of this he meets a woman with some psychological troubles also with whom he starts a supposedly friendly relationship since she apparently tries to help him to fulfill his aims. This story is weak, slack and lacks depth. The ending is too predictable to constitute a surprise. A movie to be seen for want of better only.

Lovely Cute Movie

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Mrs. Dolores Solano (Jacki Weaver) brings her son Pat Solano (Bradley Cooper) back home in Philadelphia from the Karel Psychiatric Facility, in Baltimore. Pat had been interned for almost nine months diagnosed with bipolar disorder after finding his wife Nikki (Brea Bee) cheating on him with her lover in their home.Pat is still in love with Nikki, but he can not get close to her since she has a restraining order against him. Pat has to go to therapy sessions and he jogs expecting to keep his shape, and his father (Robert De Niro) believes that he is a quitter.When Pat meets the widow Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), he finds that she is an unbalanced girl. Tiffany and her sister Veronica (Julia Stiles) are close to Nikki and she offers to deliver a letter from Pat to Nikki despite the restraining order. In return, he shall dance with her in a competition in the end of the year. Pat accepts the challenge and gets close to her training for the competition. On the day of the competition, Veronica unexpectedly brings Nikki to the theater, affecting Pat and Tiffany."Silver Linings Playbook" is a lovely cute movie that won 1 Oscar and was awarded with another 60 wins and 71 nominations. The gorgeous and sexy Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful and deserved the Oscar. The story is original and touching and I really loved this movie that is full of emotions, has great performances and direction, excellent screenplay and adorable characters. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "O Lado Bom da Vida" ("The Good Side of the Life")

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-504

ur2488512

title: Lovely Cute Movie review: Mrs. Dolores Solano (Jacki Weaver) brings her son Pat Solano (Bradley Cooper) back home in Philadelphia from the Karel Psychiatric Facility, in Baltimore. Pat had been interned for almost nine months diagnosed with bipolar disorder after finding his wife Nikki (Brea Bee) cheating on him with her lover in their home.Pat is still in love with Nikki, but he can not get close to her since she has a restraining order against him. Pat has to go to therapy sessions and he jogs expecting to keep his shape, and his father (Robert De Niro) believes that he is a quitter.When Pat meets the widow Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), he finds that she is an unbalanced girl. Tiffany and her sister Veronica (Julia Stiles) are close to Nikki and she offers to deliver a letter from Pat to Nikki despite the restraining order. In return, he shall dance with her in a competition in the end of the year. Pat accepts the challenge and gets close to her training for the competition. On the day of the competition, Veronica unexpectedly brings Nikki to the theater, affecting Pat and Tiffany."Silver Linings Playbook" is a lovely cute movie that won 1 Oscar and was awarded with another 60 wins and 71 nominations. The gorgeous and sexy Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful and deserved the Oscar. The story is original and touching and I really loved this movie that is full of emotions, has great performances and direction, excellent screenplay and adorable characters. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "O Lado Bom da Vida" ("The Good Side of the Life")

A thoroughly enjoyable film

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I hesitated a moment before writing, since other reviews already here seem right on target. But, I will say, briefly, that the movie kept me laughing, moved, and totally attentive for its entire length. The spontaneity moment by moment is striking to experience as a film viewer, and gives a feeling of overall vitality. Since I am studying psychology, it was refreshing to see individuals with emotional challenges portrayed coping and trying to grow. It seems portrayed in a realistic manner, neither too easy nor too depressing or defeatist. Just real.Bravo to the creators of this film. I give it a 9 not a 10 because it does not really touch on eternal existential themes of survival as the greatest classics do, but as a romantic comedy/drama it seems to be at or near the top of the category.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-10

ur12845539

title: A thoroughly enjoyable film review: I hesitated a moment before writing, since other reviews already here seem right on target. But, I will say, briefly, that the movie kept me laughing, moved, and totally attentive for its entire length. The spontaneity moment by moment is striking to experience as a film viewer, and gives a feeling of overall vitality. Since I am studying psychology, it was refreshing to see individuals with emotional challenges portrayed coping and trying to grow. It seems portrayed in a realistic manner, neither too easy nor too depressing or defeatist. Just real.Bravo to the creators of this film. I give it a 9 not a 10 because it does not really touch on eternal existential themes of survival as the greatest classics do, but as a romantic comedy/drama it seems to be at or near the top of the category.

A unique crazy love story!!!!!!!

tt1045658

Life doesn't always go according to plan. Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) has lost everything -- his house, his job, and his wife. He now finds himself living back with his mother (Jacki Weaver) and father (Robert DeNiro) after spending eight months is a state institution on a plea bargain. Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and reunite with his wife, despite the challenging circumstances of their separation. All Pat's parents want is for him to get back on his feet- and to share their family's obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated. Tiffany offers to help Pat reconnect with his wife, but only if he'll do something very important for her in return. As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-682

ur28597523

title: A unique crazy love story!!!!!!! review: Life doesn't always go according to plan. Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) has lost everything -- his house, his job, and his wife. He now finds himself living back with his mother (Jacki Weaver) and father (Robert DeNiro) after spending eight months is a state institution on a plea bargain. Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and reunite with his wife, despite the challenging circumstances of their separation. All Pat's parents want is for him to get back on his feet- and to share their family's obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated. Tiffany offers to help Pat reconnect with his wife, but only if he'll do something very important for her in return. As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives.

Lawrence and Cooper are fantastic.

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While I don't think Silver Linings Playbook was quite worthy of all the praise it got from the "experts" and the academy, it was still a very good movie. Bradley Cooper is absolutely fantastic. This is by far the best role he's ever had and he shows that he really is a very good actor. Jennifer Lawrence is also incredible. Not only is she stunning but the range of her acting abilities seems to have no bounds. A lot of that range is shown in this film and, while I can't confirm that she did in fact perform better than the competition, I can say that her role was flawless and I can't argue her winning an Oscar for it. The supporting cast was also great with Robert De Niro and Chris Tucker, among others, providing added depth to the movie. The only flaw I had was that it dragged quite a bit towards the middle/end portion. It started great and ended great and most of the middle was very entertaining but from about the 60% to 80% part of the film it did feel a bit sluggish. Nonetheless, the dialogue and character development keeps you intrigued so I think most people would appreciate the movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-457

ur23843983

title: Lawrence and Cooper are fantastic. review: While I don't think Silver Linings Playbook was quite worthy of all the praise it got from the "experts" and the academy, it was still a very good movie. Bradley Cooper is absolutely fantastic. This is by far the best role he's ever had and he shows that he really is a very good actor. Jennifer Lawrence is also incredible. Not only is she stunning but the range of her acting abilities seems to have no bounds. A lot of that range is shown in this film and, while I can't confirm that she did in fact perform better than the competition, I can say that her role was flawless and I can't argue her winning an Oscar for it. The supporting cast was also great with Robert De Niro and Chris Tucker, among others, providing added depth to the movie. The only flaw I had was that it dragged quite a bit towards the middle/end portion. It started great and ended great and most of the middle was very entertaining but from about the 60% to 80% part of the film it did feel a bit sluggish. Nonetheless, the dialogue and character development keeps you intrigued so I think most people would appreciate the movie.

Din Not Expect This

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He goes from a terrible hangover twice, to being a freak out of jail, to a bipolar man fighting for the love of his wife, way to go Bradley Cooper. Silver Linings Playbook is an Oscar nominated film for best picture for many things. Bradley Cooper for best actor, Robert DeNiro for best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best director, Jennifer Lawrence won for best Actress, and it was also nominated for best picture. This film deserved most of its nominations, but Jennifer Lawrence definitely deserved her Oscar win. Silver Linings Playbook was not something I expected to be good, good thing I was wrong.I didn't think Bradley Cooper could do this well in a lead role. His performance blew me away. His mood swings, his charisma, and his charm gave him an Oscar nomination. He went from a drinking problem to a mood disorder. He caught his wife cheating on him and he lost it. With a combination of that and his wedding song playing at the time, he beat him within an inch of his life. He was then rehabilitated in a medical facility for mood disorders and the movie kicks off with his release. In the very opening scene with his mother we see the comedic charm he brings to the movie. He helps his friend escape and they play it off like he was released as well and just needed a ride. This is a gag they play throughout the movie and the character himself is a nice touch to the movie. From the first scene to the last Cooper gives it his all. My favorite scene is when it is late at night and he is reading A Farewell to Arms and he is angered by the ending. He goes ballistic and throws the book through the window, waking up the whole neighborhood. We see him go from happy to angry to sad to sorry and it was a really well acted scene. He goes nuts, his father panics, the mother cries, and it ends with a touching moment. We also see conflict between him and his father. Robert DeNiro plays the father who has obsessions with football rituals. He is much like his son and DeNiro did do a really good job in the role but I don't think he deserved an Oscar nomination. I expected a little more from his character and I was a little disappointed. He likes to have his son there watching the game, he has three remotes a certain was, all because he believes it will help the Eagles win the game. It is little moments like these that drive the movie forward and lead to the rest of the film. Then we meet Tiffany. Jennifer Lawrence plays Tiffany and right when you see her on screen everybody knows that the story will instantly turn to the relationship between Pat and Tiffany. It did, it was a little cheesy, but it worked. Cooper and Lawrence had this natural chemistry and you could tell they liked being together and acting together. They have similar problems and similar personalities and they bounce off each other in the most entertaining way possible. At first they don't like each other. Another scene was when they are in the diner and they are both taking shots at each other and Tiffany goes nuts. It is scenes like that which got her the Oscar nomination, and she well deserved the win. Overall, Silver Linings Playbook really had it all, humor, romance, touching moments, and scenes I could watch again and again. I didn't expect to like this movie as much as I did, and that is never a bad thing. With strong acting led by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, funny humor, a strong supporting cast, and a fantastic script Silver Linings was one of the best films of 2012 and gets the WillyT Seal of Approval. It is a movie you don't judge by the cover and really need to get into. If you have a girlfriend or boyfriend, watch it with them because it is a good movie for couples. Watch it again and again and appreciate how Bradley Cooper made this transition from comedy to a film that was mainly drama. Look past the cheesy moments and the easily predictable ending and just embrace the magic of film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-380

ur26976606

title: Din Not Expect This review: He goes from a terrible hangover twice, to being a freak out of jail, to a bipolar man fighting for the love of his wife, way to go Bradley Cooper. Silver Linings Playbook is an Oscar nominated film for best picture for many things. Bradley Cooper for best actor, Robert DeNiro for best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best director, Jennifer Lawrence won for best Actress, and it was also nominated for best picture. This film deserved most of its nominations, but Jennifer Lawrence definitely deserved her Oscar win. Silver Linings Playbook was not something I expected to be good, good thing I was wrong.I didn't think Bradley Cooper could do this well in a lead role. His performance blew me away. His mood swings, his charisma, and his charm gave him an Oscar nomination. He went from a drinking problem to a mood disorder. He caught his wife cheating on him and he lost it. With a combination of that and his wedding song playing at the time, he beat him within an inch of his life. He was then rehabilitated in a medical facility for mood disorders and the movie kicks off with his release. In the very opening scene with his mother we see the comedic charm he brings to the movie. He helps his friend escape and they play it off like he was released as well and just needed a ride. This is a gag they play throughout the movie and the character himself is a nice touch to the movie. From the first scene to the last Cooper gives it his all. My favorite scene is when it is late at night and he is reading A Farewell to Arms and he is angered by the ending. He goes ballistic and throws the book through the window, waking up the whole neighborhood. We see him go from happy to angry to sad to sorry and it was a really well acted scene. He goes nuts, his father panics, the mother cries, and it ends with a touching moment. We also see conflict between him and his father. Robert DeNiro plays the father who has obsessions with football rituals. He is much like his son and DeNiro did do a really good job in the role but I don't think he deserved an Oscar nomination. I expected a little more from his character and I was a little disappointed. He likes to have his son there watching the game, he has three remotes a certain was, all because he believes it will help the Eagles win the game. It is little moments like these that drive the movie forward and lead to the rest of the film. Then we meet Tiffany. Jennifer Lawrence plays Tiffany and right when you see her on screen everybody knows that the story will instantly turn to the relationship between Pat and Tiffany. It did, it was a little cheesy, but it worked. Cooper and Lawrence had this natural chemistry and you could tell they liked being together and acting together. They have similar problems and similar personalities and they bounce off each other in the most entertaining way possible. At first they don't like each other. Another scene was when they are in the diner and they are both taking shots at each other and Tiffany goes nuts. It is scenes like that which got her the Oscar nomination, and she well deserved the win. Overall, Silver Linings Playbook really had it all, humor, romance, touching moments, and scenes I could watch again and again. I didn't expect to like this movie as much as I did, and that is never a bad thing. With strong acting led by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, funny humor, a strong supporting cast, and a fantastic script Silver Linings was one of the best films of 2012 and gets the WillyT Seal of Approval. It is a movie you don't judge by the cover and really need to get into. If you have a girlfriend or boyfriend, watch it with them because it is a good movie for couples. Watch it again and again and appreciate how Bradley Cooper made this transition from comedy to a film that was mainly drama. Look past the cheesy moments and the easily predictable ending and just embrace the magic of film.

Hey, let's be positive

tt1045658

It's hard to make a good romantic comedy. There are dozens of them every year and they (almost) all recycle the same formula: guy meets girl, they fall in love but won't admit it, encounter some obstacles, and overcome them all to live happily ever after. There's often a little drama too, added to make for some serious moments, but rarely it bares any real weight. Seeing the trailer it was obvious to me that the same is the case with director David O. Russell's new film "Silver Linings Playbook" so I wondered how can it be that the film was nominated for an Oscar in all important categories, counting the nominations to eight. I've recently watched it and stopped wondering. Sure, it has the same formula, but Russell (who also wrote the screenplay) and his cast make all the difference in the world.It's a story of Pat, a history teacher who found his wife with another man and went a little crazy. They put him in a mental institution and diagnosed him with a bipolar disorder but eight months later his mother takes him back home. He meets Tiffany, a good-looking young widow with similar problems to his, but in spite of his impulses decides to only make friends with her as the means to get his wife back. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper are simply fantastic in the roles of Tiffany and Pat. After a great turn in the "Winter's Bone" a couple of years ago, Lawrence here does completely different but equally great work showing her admirable range, and Cooper finally proves he is a serious actor after a series of comedic works of dubious quality. No less appealing are those in supporting roles. Robert De Niro (his best role in a long time) and Jacki Weaver as Pat's parents and a special treat, as Pat's friend from mental institution, Chris Tucker in his first non-Carter role in 15 years. All of them did an excellent job and it's no surprise that the film is an Oscar contender in all four acting categories.Of course, the actors needed a good material to work with as well as a guiding hand and that's were Russell strongly delivered. I didn't read the novel by Matthew Quick which the film was based on so I don't know how much of the credit goes to him but the script is great. It is rare enough seeing most of the characters in the film having some kind of mental disorder, but to see them presented so emphatically, keeping in sight that they are human beings just like the rest, but also realistically, with all their good and bad sides, was almost impossible until now. The reason for that approach is probably in the fact that Russell's son has bipolar disorder as well as OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) so he has understanding both of and for the mental disorders. His familiarity with the subject can also be felt by how he handles family relations within the film. The relations between Pat, his father and his mother are at the same time simple and complicated due to the problems they have, and they are portrayed in a way so natural and sincere you can easily imagine something like that happening just around the corner.That still leaves the clichéd love story, but in a much better position than initially. Although we've seen it a thousand times and know how it ends, it keeps us invested and make us feel the emotions of its characters. That's because, due to sincere performances by Lawrence and Cooper, it doesn't feel contrived, and the ending we've gotten used to this time feels truly deserved."Silver Linings Playbook" also has one more universal theme. Through showing us how those with some kind of disability deserve to be happy, it actually shows us that we all deserve it. And if we try real hard to be our best selves we have a chance at it. It's optimistic attitude is reinvigorating just as is Russell's take on the genre. After initially being surprised by its Oscar nominations, now I'll be surprised if it doesn't make at least some of them into an award. It's one of the best films of the year and I look forward to watching it again. Oh, and did I mention that Chris Tucker is in it?More reviews at http://onlineimpressions.blogspot.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-220

ur22197536

title: Hey, let's be positive review: It's hard to make a good romantic comedy. There are dozens of them every year and they (almost) all recycle the same formula: guy meets girl, they fall in love but won't admit it, encounter some obstacles, and overcome them all to live happily ever after. There's often a little drama too, added to make for some serious moments, but rarely it bares any real weight. Seeing the trailer it was obvious to me that the same is the case with director David O. Russell's new film "Silver Linings Playbook" so I wondered how can it be that the film was nominated for an Oscar in all important categories, counting the nominations to eight. I've recently watched it and stopped wondering. Sure, it has the same formula, but Russell (who also wrote the screenplay) and his cast make all the difference in the world.It's a story of Pat, a history teacher who found his wife with another man and went a little crazy. They put him in a mental institution and diagnosed him with a bipolar disorder but eight months later his mother takes him back home. He meets Tiffany, a good-looking young widow with similar problems to his, but in spite of his impulses decides to only make friends with her as the means to get his wife back. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper are simply fantastic in the roles of Tiffany and Pat. After a great turn in the "Winter's Bone" a couple of years ago, Lawrence here does completely different but equally great work showing her admirable range, and Cooper finally proves he is a serious actor after a series of comedic works of dubious quality. No less appealing are those in supporting roles. Robert De Niro (his best role in a long time) and Jacki Weaver as Pat's parents and a special treat, as Pat's friend from mental institution, Chris Tucker in his first non-Carter role in 15 years. All of them did an excellent job and it's no surprise that the film is an Oscar contender in all four acting categories.Of course, the actors needed a good material to work with as well as a guiding hand and that's were Russell strongly delivered. I didn't read the novel by Matthew Quick which the film was based on so I don't know how much of the credit goes to him but the script is great. It is rare enough seeing most of the characters in the film having some kind of mental disorder, but to see them presented so emphatically, keeping in sight that they are human beings just like the rest, but also realistically, with all their good and bad sides, was almost impossible until now. The reason for that approach is probably in the fact that Russell's son has bipolar disorder as well as OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) so he has understanding both of and for the mental disorders. His familiarity with the subject can also be felt by how he handles family relations within the film. The relations between Pat, his father and his mother are at the same time simple and complicated due to the problems they have, and they are portrayed in a way so natural and sincere you can easily imagine something like that happening just around the corner.That still leaves the clichéd love story, but in a much better position than initially. Although we've seen it a thousand times and know how it ends, it keeps us invested and make us feel the emotions of its characters. That's because, due to sincere performances by Lawrence and Cooper, it doesn't feel contrived, and the ending we've gotten used to this time feels truly deserved."Silver Linings Playbook" also has one more universal theme. Through showing us how those with some kind of disability deserve to be happy, it actually shows us that we all deserve it. And if we try real hard to be our best selves we have a chance at it. It's optimistic attitude is reinvigorating just as is Russell's take on the genre. After initially being surprised by its Oscar nominations, now I'll be surprised if it doesn't make at least some of them into an award. It's one of the best films of the year and I look forward to watching it again. Oh, and did I mention that Chris Tucker is in it?More reviews at http://onlineimpressions.blogspot.com/

Beautifully acted, but difficult to believe

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This is the kind of film that the Academy love and regularly shower with awards come Oscar season. Silver Linings Playbook is a story of love triumphing over mental illness that sees excellent performances across the board, but, as is the norm with these types of films, the 'serious' subject matter glosses over the cracks in the story's believability, and the happy ending rather waters down the seriousness of bipolar disorder, resulting in a somewhat insulting message that love can somehow cure mental illness. But David O. Russell, the former indie pioneer who's now a regular Oscar-botherer, is a good director, and with it's many flaws aside, Silver Linings is a funny, quite moving picture.After being released early from a mental institution, Pat (Bradley Cooper), a man brimming with anger and who has bipolar disorder, tries to win back the wife that has taken a restraining order out on him. He has a new positive outlook on life, but is still quick to anger, throwing a book through a window because he doesn't like the ending. His parents (Jacki Weaver and Robert De Niro) try to support him but find it difficult to cope. He meets the equally unstable Tiffany (the beautiful Jennifer Lawrence), and the two make a deal. She will get a letter to his wife as long as he becomes her dance partner in an upcoming contest. Russell's back catalogue shows his unique eye for comedy. I Heart Huckabees (2004) was a bizarre existential comedy full of oddball characters that really worked, and Three Kings (1999), his breakthrough, managed to squeeze many laughs out of a war-torn setting. Silver Linings Playbook is more comedy than drama, but the laughs are few and far between. De Niro is the real comic relief in the movie, but his OCD, Philadelphia Eagles-obsessed father isn't believable. In fact, the whole family setting asks a lot of the audience. For a film so seemingly grounded in reality (it takes the washed-out, shaky camera approach), the supporting characters just aren't real.It works best when its two leads are together. The movie really depends on the chemistry between Pat and Tiffany, and they do sparkle in their scenes. It's rare that a movie makes me want characters to get together, but in the moments when they dance, you can feel the connection, and you want Pat to forget his estranged wife and open his eyes to what's in front of him. Cooper brings a likability to a occasionally despicable character, but Lawrence steals the film. Tiffany is a force of nature, damaged by the death of her husband and now finds herself labelled a slut after many a one-night stand. With Lawrence at the helm, it's impossible not to fall in love with her.The rom-com clichés are followed very much to the T, with eccentric minor characters that somehow all end up in the same place at the end, the will-they-or-won't-they climax, but it does them well. It also avoids any real upsets in Pat and Tiffany's journey, instead opting for a much more light-hearted, easy-going approach. But, like Pat says, isn't their enough f*****g misery in the world already? Maybe he's right, but I feel the movie took an easy path opposed to a more serious study of the effects of mental illness.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-591

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title: Beautifully acted, but difficult to believe review: This is the kind of film that the Academy love and regularly shower with awards come Oscar season. Silver Linings Playbook is a story of love triumphing over mental illness that sees excellent performances across the board, but, as is the norm with these types of films, the 'serious' subject matter glosses over the cracks in the story's believability, and the happy ending rather waters down the seriousness of bipolar disorder, resulting in a somewhat insulting message that love can somehow cure mental illness. But David O. Russell, the former indie pioneer who's now a regular Oscar-botherer, is a good director, and with it's many flaws aside, Silver Linings is a funny, quite moving picture.After being released early from a mental institution, Pat (Bradley Cooper), a man brimming with anger and who has bipolar disorder, tries to win back the wife that has taken a restraining order out on him. He has a new positive outlook on life, but is still quick to anger, throwing a book through a window because he doesn't like the ending. His parents (Jacki Weaver and Robert De Niro) try to support him but find it difficult to cope. He meets the equally unstable Tiffany (the beautiful Jennifer Lawrence), and the two make a deal. She will get a letter to his wife as long as he becomes her dance partner in an upcoming contest. Russell's back catalogue shows his unique eye for comedy. I Heart Huckabees (2004) was a bizarre existential comedy full of oddball characters that really worked, and Three Kings (1999), his breakthrough, managed to squeeze many laughs out of a war-torn setting. Silver Linings Playbook is more comedy than drama, but the laughs are few and far between. De Niro is the real comic relief in the movie, but his OCD, Philadelphia Eagles-obsessed father isn't believable. In fact, the whole family setting asks a lot of the audience. For a film so seemingly grounded in reality (it takes the washed-out, shaky camera approach), the supporting characters just aren't real.It works best when its two leads are together. The movie really depends on the chemistry between Pat and Tiffany, and they do sparkle in their scenes. It's rare that a movie makes me want characters to get together, but in the moments when they dance, you can feel the connection, and you want Pat to forget his estranged wife and open his eyes to what's in front of him. Cooper brings a likability to a occasionally despicable character, but Lawrence steals the film. Tiffany is a force of nature, damaged by the death of her husband and now finds herself labelled a slut after many a one-night stand. With Lawrence at the helm, it's impossible not to fall in love with her.The rom-com clichés are followed very much to the T, with eccentric minor characters that somehow all end up in the same place at the end, the will-they-or-won't-they climax, but it does them well. It also avoids any real upsets in Pat and Tiffany's journey, instead opting for a much more light-hearted, easy-going approach. But, like Pat says, isn't their enough f*****g misery in the world already? Maybe he's right, but I feel the movie took an easy path opposed to a more serious study of the effects of mental illness.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

About what you'd expect

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Pat(Cooper, the barely repressed anger of other of his performances) with bipolar disorder is released from psychiatric care and moves back with his parents. He can't get along with anyone, until he meets Tiffany(Lawrence, confident, using sex to avoid her emotions, amazing as usual. Solid chemistry between the two. She alone is worth watching this for. It would be nice if the role wasn't still a manic pixie dream girl), and they can share about each other's issues, and examine their relationships with each other. She offers to help him get back with his ex-wife if he enters a dance competition with her. But will they develop feelings for each other?I'm told there are differences from the novel, I have not read it. There are themes of dark and light, looking on the bright side. The ending really doesn't work, both as a sort of climax and the note it ends on. It became clear as this progressed that that's where it was going. Still, this does show, somewhat realistically, people who need help, and portray them as human beings. There are jokes about it, and there's drama with it, and they also get to be more than a diagnosis, have things going on that aren't about their issues. This is filmed in an interesting way.There is a lot of strong language, violence including some bloody, and a bit of sexuality, as well as a little nudity, in this. I recommend this to fans of romantic comedies. 7/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-698

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title: About what you'd expect review: Pat(Cooper, the barely repressed anger of other of his performances) with bipolar disorder is released from psychiatric care and moves back with his parents. He can't get along with anyone, until he meets Tiffany(Lawrence, confident, using sex to avoid her emotions, amazing as usual. Solid chemistry between the two. She alone is worth watching this for. It would be nice if the role wasn't still a manic pixie dream girl), and they can share about each other's issues, and examine their relationships with each other. She offers to help him get back with his ex-wife if he enters a dance competition with her. But will they develop feelings for each other?I'm told there are differences from the novel, I have not read it. There are themes of dark and light, looking on the bright side. The ending really doesn't work, both as a sort of climax and the note it ends on. It became clear as this progressed that that's where it was going. Still, this does show, somewhat realistically, people who need help, and portray them as human beings. There are jokes about it, and there's drama with it, and they also get to be more than a diagnosis, have things going on that aren't about their issues. This is filmed in an interesting way.There is a lot of strong language, violence including some bloody, and a bit of sexuality, as well as a little nudity, in this. I recommend this to fans of romantic comedies. 7/10

De Niro is back

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While the big headlines might be taken by the Oscar nominated lead actors (and also Oscar winner, regarding Jennifer Lawrence), the other good news is that De Niro finally had a role he could relish in again. And a role we as viewers would actually like to see him in too. There have been a few lesser roles he played over the past couple of years. And while he is never able to completely disappoint, you won't remember him for a movie called "Freelancers" and others in that vain.But back to the leading couple. A couple that is really so far apart, that you know what that ultimately means for them. But Bradley Coopers character has a lot more going on than that. There are relationships that went wrong and it's really tough sometimes to watch him destroying himself or at least attempting to. A very good movie, with great dialog

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-543

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title: De Niro is back review: While the big headlines might be taken by the Oscar nominated lead actors (and also Oscar winner, regarding Jennifer Lawrence), the other good news is that De Niro finally had a role he could relish in again. And a role we as viewers would actually like to see him in too. There have been a few lesser roles he played over the past couple of years. And while he is never able to completely disappoint, you won't remember him for a movie called "Freelancers" and others in that vain.But back to the leading couple. A couple that is really so far apart, that you know what that ultimately means for them. But Bradley Coopers character has a lot more going on than that. There are relationships that went wrong and it's really tough sometimes to watch him destroying himself or at least attempting to. A very good movie, with great dialog

Excelsior! Cooper & Lawrence's scary/good intense chemistry is worth the ticket price alone; one of the year's best.

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SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012) **** Bradley Cooper Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, John Ortiz, Julia Stiles, Dash Mihok, Anupam Kher, Brea Bee. Cooper gives a superlative career high best turn as a recently released mental patient whose near-breakdown spurs him to come up with a 'game plan' to get his estranged, unfaithful wife (Bee) back and re-enforcing his family ties with his bettor father (De Niro, in a comeback return to form) and loving mother (wonderful Weaver) with one major new element to his tenacious life - the younger sister-in-law (an incredible Lawrence) of his supportive friend (Ortiz) , whose own unsteadiness remains to be balanced. Heartbreaking at times this best realized account of mental health pic cum life affirming dramedy is the best of its kind since ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST which doesn't coddle or push away its underpinnings for self-help and self-discovery. Thanks to impressively focused acting (Cooper should seriously get an Oscar nod as well as the aforementioned leads), a somewhat loosey-goosey direction by David O. Russell (who adapted loosely form Matthew Quick's novel) and emotional clarity that has been neglected for some time from the medium of film. The give- and-take friendship/relationship between the laser-beam intensity of Cooper and the wild- card desperation-bubbling-under-the-surface of scary/good Lawrence is truly worth the price of admission. One of the year's best films. Period.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-17

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title: Excelsior! Cooper & Lawrence's scary/good intense chemistry is worth the ticket price alone; one of the year's best. review: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012) **** Bradley Cooper Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, John Ortiz, Julia Stiles, Dash Mihok, Anupam Kher, Brea Bee. Cooper gives a superlative career high best turn as a recently released mental patient whose near-breakdown spurs him to come up with a 'game plan' to get his estranged, unfaithful wife (Bee) back and re-enforcing his family ties with his bettor father (De Niro, in a comeback return to form) and loving mother (wonderful Weaver) with one major new element to his tenacious life - the younger sister-in-law (an incredible Lawrence) of his supportive friend (Ortiz) , whose own unsteadiness remains to be balanced. Heartbreaking at times this best realized account of mental health pic cum life affirming dramedy is the best of its kind since ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST which doesn't coddle or push away its underpinnings for self-help and self-discovery. Thanks to impressively focused acting (Cooper should seriously get an Oscar nod as well as the aforementioned leads), a somewhat loosey-goosey direction by David O. Russell (who adapted loosely form Matthew Quick's novel) and emotional clarity that has been neglected for some time from the medium of film. The give- and-take friendship/relationship between the laser-beam intensity of Cooper and the wild- card desperation-bubbling-under-the-surface of scary/good Lawrence is truly worth the price of admission. One of the year's best films. Period.

An Instant Classic that will be Remembered for its Outstanding Performances,

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Silver Linings Playbook is a fantastic movie with a very well developed storyline and an impressive cast that all really suit their characters. Bradley Cooper,Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro all delivered outstanding performances and Lawrence definitely deserved the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Although, personally, I preferred Cooper's performance, he really put all his heart in to this character and delivered some very intense dialogue with pure passion, it was also a very unique role and I don't think he had a lot to work with in regards to rehearsing. It's definitely a romantic comedy but the cast and the different characters are very refreshing. At times very dramatic and other times quite funny, there is no other movie like Silver Linings Playbook and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good drama or romance film. A man moves back in with his parents after spending time in a mental institution, and decides to become a new man to impress his ex-wife, but everything changes when he meets Tiffany, who shares many of the similar crazy traits he has.Best Performance: Bradley Cooper Worst Performance: Anupam Kher If you have any recommendations on films/TV series I should watch or review,or any questions to ask me,just tweet me @DillonTheHarris

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-575

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title: An Instant Classic that will be Remembered for its Outstanding Performances, review: Silver Linings Playbook is a fantastic movie with a very well developed storyline and an impressive cast that all really suit their characters. Bradley Cooper,Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro all delivered outstanding performances and Lawrence definitely deserved the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Although, personally, I preferred Cooper's performance, he really put all his heart in to this character and delivered some very intense dialogue with pure passion, it was also a very unique role and I don't think he had a lot to work with in regards to rehearsing. It's definitely a romantic comedy but the cast and the different characters are very refreshing. At times very dramatic and other times quite funny, there is no other movie like Silver Linings Playbook and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good drama or romance film. A man moves back in with his parents after spending time in a mental institution, and decides to become a new man to impress his ex-wife, but everything changes when he meets Tiffany, who shares many of the similar crazy traits he has.Best Performance: Bradley Cooper Worst Performance: Anupam Kher If you have any recommendations on films/TV series I should watch or review,or any questions to ask me,just tweet me @DillonTheHarris

family world

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David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" is not a romantic comedy in the general sense of the term. Far from the movies featuring crazy situations while it's obvious how everything will turn out, this movie looks at the problems that have affected the main characters. The behavior of the bipolar Pat (Bradley Cooper) gives one a sense of how hard it must be to be around bipolar people, while it is understood that his behavior is unintentional. Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) has also had problems in her life but is looking for a change. Pat Sr. (Robert DeNiro) is the character that really caught my eye: he comes across as a damaged individual who just does what he thinks is best.The movie adds up to a really good look at what Pat has to go through to reach his full potential. It was also interesting seeing Chris Tucker in this movie, since we've gotten used to him playing silly roles. He's very believable in this serious role. Really good film. I'd say that Jennifer Lawrence deserved her Oscar win (although I didn't see every nominated movie).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-466

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title: family world review: David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" is not a romantic comedy in the general sense of the term. Far from the movies featuring crazy situations while it's obvious how everything will turn out, this movie looks at the problems that have affected the main characters. The behavior of the bipolar Pat (Bradley Cooper) gives one a sense of how hard it must be to be around bipolar people, while it is understood that his behavior is unintentional. Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) has also had problems in her life but is looking for a change. Pat Sr. (Robert DeNiro) is the character that really caught my eye: he comes across as a damaged individual who just does what he thinks is best.The movie adds up to a really good look at what Pat has to go through to reach his full potential. It was also interesting seeing Chris Tucker in this movie, since we've gotten used to him playing silly roles. He's very believable in this serious role. Really good film. I'd say that Jennifer Lawrence deserved her Oscar win (although I didn't see every nominated movie).

Silver Linings Playbook

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I had seen the trailer for this film and in awards season the leading actress went on to win the big ones, so I had to see if she deserved it, and if the film was any good, from Oscar nominated director David O. Russell (Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, The Fighter). Basically Pat Solitano Jr. (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Bradley Cooper) is returning home from a mental health facility where he was getting eight months treatment for bipolar disorder, he is being put in the care of his parents, father Patrizio 'Pat Sr.' (Oscar nominated Robert De Niro) who has nothing to do but bookmaking to make money, and mother Dolores (Oscar nominated Jacki Weaver). Pat is determined to get his life back on track and he is also hoping to reconcile with his wife Nikki (Brea Bee), but she has taken out a restraining order on him after his violent episode that caused his involuntary commitment, and he attends sessions with court-mandated therapist Dr. Cliff Patel (Anupam Kher). He recalls that he became violent because Nikki was sleeping with another man who he nearly beat to death, and while they were making love the music that was playing at the time was the song at their wedding, so this triggers a bad reaction if he hears it, but apparently he does not need medication to keep himself under control. He forms a good friendship with fellow facility patient Danny McDaniels (Chris Tucker), and one night at dinner with his friend Ronnie (John Ortiz) he meets the sister of Ronnie's wife Veronica (Julia Stiles), Ronnie's sister-in-law Tiffany (Oscar and Golden Globe winning, and BAFTA nominated Jennifer Lawrence) has been recently widowed and lost her job. Pat and Tiffany become friends through their discussions talking about their personal problems, and then she mentions that she get him a letter to Nikki through her, but in return he must partner with her in an upcoming dancing competition, he reluctantly agrees and they arduously practise. He comes to believe that helping Tiffany and proving he can better himself will be told to Nikki and it will help him reconcile with her, and he does get a reply which gives him hope and more determination, but his father may stop the good fortune. His father wants him to attend a Philadelphia Eagles game he has put all his money on, and skipping practise for the game Pat also ends up in a fight with racist thugs beating his psychiatrist and brother Jake (Shea Whigham) and he is arrested, and the Eagles lose the game making his father furious. After Pat is released and there is an argument with the family and the young woman, Tiffany confronts Pat Sr. and points out that his treasured team had good success when she and his son were rehearsing together, she has a good knowledge for their scores and schedules. Convinced she is a "good luck charm" the father makes a bet with his fellow gambling friend that if the Eagles win the game against Dallas, and if Pat and Tiffany score an average of 5 out of 10 at the dance competition, then he will get the money back he made on the first bet, Pat is only persuaded by a lie that Nikki will be in the audience at the competition. Pat does get a letter from Nikki and reads it to himself, he notices a phrase Tiffany used is in it, "reading the signs", and when it comes to the night of both the football game and the dance competition Tiffany is upset to see that Nikki really is coming to watch the performance, so she starts drinking at the bar with a man trying to pick her up. Pat finds her and they perform their routine together on the dance floor with everyone watching, as they dance the Eagles do win their game against Dallas, and the conclusion of the competition sees them score the needed 5 point average for Pat Sr. to win the bet, the dancing couple are ecstatic. After the win Pat goes to have a short conversation with Nikki who is happy for him, Tiffany storms off seeing this, his father tells him when he goes after her that life has given him something good and it would be a sin not to reach for it, he tells his father he loves him and follows his advice. Pat catches up to Tiffany and explains that he knows she forged the letter from Nikki, but he confesses he has loved her ever since the day they met and it has taken him so long to realise it, and they share their first kiss, and the film ends with all the family reunited and happy. Also starring Paul Herman as Randy, Dash Mihok as Officer Keogh, Matthew Russell as Ricky D'Angelo, Cheryl Williams as Tiffany's Mother and Patrick McDade as Tiffany's Father. Lawrence, who famously tripped on her dress going up the stairs to get her Oscar, certainly deserved it being a terrifically feisty character with a brainy and troubled personality, Cooper is also very appealing as the man emotionally struggling but wanting to learn from his mistakes and improve, De Niro is good support as the father obsessed with his football and trying to help his son in any way he can, the story is a good simple insight into how helping someone and finding a purpose can clear your head and make you a better feeling and acting person, it is feel good, it is funny, it is snappy when it needs to be, and it is a worthwhile comedy drama. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Editing and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published for Russell, it won the BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and Best Screenplay. Good!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-454

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title: Silver Linings Playbook review: I had seen the trailer for this film and in awards season the leading actress went on to win the big ones, so I had to see if she deserved it, and if the film was any good, from Oscar nominated director David O. Russell (Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, The Fighter). Basically Pat Solitano Jr. (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Bradley Cooper) is returning home from a mental health facility where he was getting eight months treatment for bipolar disorder, he is being put in the care of his parents, father Patrizio 'Pat Sr.' (Oscar nominated Robert De Niro) who has nothing to do but bookmaking to make money, and mother Dolores (Oscar nominated Jacki Weaver). Pat is determined to get his life back on track and he is also hoping to reconcile with his wife Nikki (Brea Bee), but she has taken out a restraining order on him after his violent episode that caused his involuntary commitment, and he attends sessions with court-mandated therapist Dr. Cliff Patel (Anupam Kher). He recalls that he became violent because Nikki was sleeping with another man who he nearly beat to death, and while they were making love the music that was playing at the time was the song at their wedding, so this triggers a bad reaction if he hears it, but apparently he does not need medication to keep himself under control. He forms a good friendship with fellow facility patient Danny McDaniels (Chris Tucker), and one night at dinner with his friend Ronnie (John Ortiz) he meets the sister of Ronnie's wife Veronica (Julia Stiles), Ronnie's sister-in-law Tiffany (Oscar and Golden Globe winning, and BAFTA nominated Jennifer Lawrence) has been recently widowed and lost her job. Pat and Tiffany become friends through their discussions talking about their personal problems, and then she mentions that she get him a letter to Nikki through her, but in return he must partner with her in an upcoming dancing competition, he reluctantly agrees and they arduously practise. He comes to believe that helping Tiffany and proving he can better himself will be told to Nikki and it will help him reconcile with her, and he does get a reply which gives him hope and more determination, but his father may stop the good fortune. His father wants him to attend a Philadelphia Eagles game he has put all his money on, and skipping practise for the game Pat also ends up in a fight with racist thugs beating his psychiatrist and brother Jake (Shea Whigham) and he is arrested, and the Eagles lose the game making his father furious. After Pat is released and there is an argument with the family and the young woman, Tiffany confronts Pat Sr. and points out that his treasured team had good success when she and his son were rehearsing together, she has a good knowledge for their scores and schedules. Convinced she is a "good luck charm" the father makes a bet with his fellow gambling friend that if the Eagles win the game against Dallas, and if Pat and Tiffany score an average of 5 out of 10 at the dance competition, then he will get the money back he made on the first bet, Pat is only persuaded by a lie that Nikki will be in the audience at the competition. Pat does get a letter from Nikki and reads it to himself, he notices a phrase Tiffany used is in it, "reading the signs", and when it comes to the night of both the football game and the dance competition Tiffany is upset to see that Nikki really is coming to watch the performance, so she starts drinking at the bar with a man trying to pick her up. Pat finds her and they perform their routine together on the dance floor with everyone watching, as they dance the Eagles do win their game against Dallas, and the conclusion of the competition sees them score the needed 5 point average for Pat Sr. to win the bet, the dancing couple are ecstatic. After the win Pat goes to have a short conversation with Nikki who is happy for him, Tiffany storms off seeing this, his father tells him when he goes after her that life has given him something good and it would be a sin not to reach for it, he tells his father he loves him and follows his advice. Pat catches up to Tiffany and explains that he knows she forged the letter from Nikki, but he confesses he has loved her ever since the day they met and it has taken him so long to realise it, and they share their first kiss, and the film ends with all the family reunited and happy. Also starring Paul Herman as Randy, Dash Mihok as Officer Keogh, Matthew Russell as Ricky D'Angelo, Cheryl Williams as Tiffany's Mother and Patrick McDade as Tiffany's Father. Lawrence, who famously tripped on her dress going up the stairs to get her Oscar, certainly deserved it being a terrifically feisty character with a brainy and troubled personality, Cooper is also very appealing as the man emotionally struggling but wanting to learn from his mistakes and improve, De Niro is good support as the father obsessed with his football and trying to help his son in any way he can, the story is a good simple insight into how helping someone and finding a purpose can clear your head and make you a better feeling and acting person, it is feel good, it is funny, it is snappy when it needs to be, and it is a worthwhile comedy drama. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Editing and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published for Russell, it won the BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and Best Screenplay. Good!

A Nutshell Review: Silver Linings Playbook

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One of the films that received the largest number of Oscar nominations for this year's edition of the Academy Awards, Silver Linings Playbook is one uplifting film in a long while, centered around a bipolar disorder sufferer released from an institution after eight months, to reunite with family and friends. Director David O. Russell trades the boxing gloves in The Fighter for romance, keeping the triumph of the human spirit as one of the themes in this film filled with hope that all good things come to those who persevere.While some may balk at the lead pairing of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence for their age gap, they blow away their critics sharing great chemistry and acting craft opposite each other, that you'd root for their characters to overcome several obstacles placed in their way that threatens to tear apart the good things they share, despite spending most of the time bickering with one another, sometimes due to the fact of their bluntness and directnessBradley Cooper plays Pat, who suffers from bipolar disorder and got into trouble with the law when he discovers his wife's infidelity, Now out of a mental institution, he has a loose strategy of gaining back his life based on constant exercise and therapy, while finding himself having to spend time with his dad Pat Sr (Robert De Niro) who is trying his best to reconnect with his son through football, and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), the sister of his friend's wife (Julia Stiles), who has the means to serve as his conduit to wife Nikki (Brea Bee), who had served a restraining order on him.Much of the scenes here naturally gravitate toward the broken souls of Pat and Tiffany, which forms the main bulk of the story given their awkward nature toward each other, that slowly grows on you. With Pat, we witness his manic attacks when the right buttons and triggers get pushed, trying his best to keep some sane semblance of a life without inconveniencing his family, while Tiffany battles from depression, as well as a rotten reputation of being the village bicycle of sorts after losing her husband. It's a tale about two broken people having to find strength in each other, and to continue identify and acknowledge the good in the people who have hurt them, and it grows on you emotionally.What made David O. Russell's work stand out, boiled down to the excellent casting, and eventual delivery by the actors involved. Bradley Cooper shows off his acting chops here without needing to be overly melodramatic, playing a man obsessed with getting back at his wife, and may be missing the forest for the tree if continue to be obviously blindsided to the attention of another. Jennifer Lawrence had proved before with Winter's Bone that she can handle smaller, more personal roles rather than the commonly rote, big budgeted blockbuster ones from First Class to The Hunger Games, and continues to show why her star is rising, and is one of the best actresses of her generation.The rest of the ensemble also chipped in with wonderful performances of their own. Robert De Niro is probably the go-to man to play fatherly roles these days, and he doesn't disappoint with his Pat Sr having shown favouritism to his other more successful son. Trying his best to re-connect with Pat Jr, he does so in the only way he knows how, through that of a football game, with stakes raised when he becomes the bookmaker in order to save enough for the opening of a restaurant. Chris Tucker also came in now and then to work his motor-mouth and spew some of the best comical lines in the film, while Jacki Weaver as Pat's mom brings a little touch as any mother character would toward the son, wishing for him to be better, and playing the key role in getting him discharged, to be taken care by family instead.Cinematography by Japanese Masanobu Takayanagi made Silver Linings Playbook seem a little bit like a documentary with plenty of hand-held scenes, while the soundtrack boasts an eclectic selection, with a score thrown in by Danny Elfman. Then let your heart be charmed by troubled people each seeking out a renewed chance to pick up the pieces in their lives, as well as the underlying romance in the movie. A definite recommendation, and clearly one of the highlights as best film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-138

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title: A Nutshell Review: Silver Linings Playbook review: One of the films that received the largest number of Oscar nominations for this year's edition of the Academy Awards, Silver Linings Playbook is one uplifting film in a long while, centered around a bipolar disorder sufferer released from an institution after eight months, to reunite with family and friends. Director David O. Russell trades the boxing gloves in The Fighter for romance, keeping the triumph of the human spirit as one of the themes in this film filled with hope that all good things come to those who persevere.While some may balk at the lead pairing of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence for their age gap, they blow away their critics sharing great chemistry and acting craft opposite each other, that you'd root for their characters to overcome several obstacles placed in their way that threatens to tear apart the good things they share, despite spending most of the time bickering with one another, sometimes due to the fact of their bluntness and directnessBradley Cooper plays Pat, who suffers from bipolar disorder and got into trouble with the law when he discovers his wife's infidelity, Now out of a mental institution, he has a loose strategy of gaining back his life based on constant exercise and therapy, while finding himself having to spend time with his dad Pat Sr (Robert De Niro) who is trying his best to reconnect with his son through football, and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), the sister of his friend's wife (Julia Stiles), who has the means to serve as his conduit to wife Nikki (Brea Bee), who had served a restraining order on him.Much of the scenes here naturally gravitate toward the broken souls of Pat and Tiffany, which forms the main bulk of the story given their awkward nature toward each other, that slowly grows on you. With Pat, we witness his manic attacks when the right buttons and triggers get pushed, trying his best to keep some sane semblance of a life without inconveniencing his family, while Tiffany battles from depression, as well as a rotten reputation of being the village bicycle of sorts after losing her husband. It's a tale about two broken people having to find strength in each other, and to continue identify and acknowledge the good in the people who have hurt them, and it grows on you emotionally.What made David O. Russell's work stand out, boiled down to the excellent casting, and eventual delivery by the actors involved. Bradley Cooper shows off his acting chops here without needing to be overly melodramatic, playing a man obsessed with getting back at his wife, and may be missing the forest for the tree if continue to be obviously blindsided to the attention of another. Jennifer Lawrence had proved before with Winter's Bone that she can handle smaller, more personal roles rather than the commonly rote, big budgeted blockbuster ones from First Class to The Hunger Games, and continues to show why her star is rising, and is one of the best actresses of her generation.The rest of the ensemble also chipped in with wonderful performances of their own. Robert De Niro is probably the go-to man to play fatherly roles these days, and he doesn't disappoint with his Pat Sr having shown favouritism to his other more successful son. Trying his best to re-connect with Pat Jr, he does so in the only way he knows how, through that of a football game, with stakes raised when he becomes the bookmaker in order to save enough for the opening of a restaurant. Chris Tucker also came in now and then to work his motor-mouth and spew some of the best comical lines in the film, while Jacki Weaver as Pat's mom brings a little touch as any mother character would toward the son, wishing for him to be better, and playing the key role in getting him discharged, to be taken care by family instead.Cinematography by Japanese Masanobu Takayanagi made Silver Linings Playbook seem a little bit like a documentary with plenty of hand-held scenes, while the soundtrack boasts an eclectic selection, with a score thrown in by Danny Elfman. Then let your heart be charmed by troubled people each seeking out a renewed chance to pick up the pieces in their lives, as well as the underlying romance in the movie. A definite recommendation, and clearly one of the highlights as best film.

Maybe I am missing something?

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I really wanted to LOVE this movie, as I rarely get out to watch movies so I am very selective about the ones I will go watch. I love both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and the reviews have been so overwhelmingly positive I was sure I couldn't lose!To me, this film is a typical clichéd rom com with some mental illness and character twists thrown in. Boy meets girl, boy and girl pretend to just be friends for a while, boy and girl get thrown into a situation where they have intense prolonged contact, boy and girl fall in love and end up together. YAWN. THIS is what is getting so much hype? I found Bradley Cooper to be magnetic and intense. Great work. I have enjoyed him since his small role in Wedding Crashers and thought he was just superb in Limitless. He is the best part of this movie. The guy is super talented! I really was not that impressed with the other performances despite the fact I thought I should be. To be fair, no one stunk it up or ruined the movie. But I thought anyone could have played the other roles. I like Jennifer Lawrence but I didn't think she was that great in this. I thought the parents were played well but again, I didn't think De Niro was that special in this. I'm not really sure I'd recommend this. I'd probably either wait for DVD or even cable. It's OK.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-69

ur10615203

title: Maybe I am missing something? review: I really wanted to LOVE this movie, as I rarely get out to watch movies so I am very selective about the ones I will go watch. I love both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and the reviews have been so overwhelmingly positive I was sure I couldn't lose!To me, this film is a typical clichéd rom com with some mental illness and character twists thrown in. Boy meets girl, boy and girl pretend to just be friends for a while, boy and girl get thrown into a situation where they have intense prolonged contact, boy and girl fall in love and end up together. YAWN. THIS is what is getting so much hype? I found Bradley Cooper to be magnetic and intense. Great work. I have enjoyed him since his small role in Wedding Crashers and thought he was just superb in Limitless. He is the best part of this movie. The guy is super talented! I really was not that impressed with the other performances despite the fact I thought I should be. To be fair, no one stunk it up or ruined the movie. But I thought anyone could have played the other roles. I like Jennifer Lawrence but I didn't think she was that great in this. I thought the parents were played well but again, I didn't think De Niro was that special in this. I'm not really sure I'd recommend this. I'd probably either wait for DVD or even cable. It's OK.

Every Cloud Must Have A Silver Lining-Silver Lining Playbook ***1/2

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The old song that every cloud must have a silver lining is so very much appropriate to this 2012 film.Bradley Cooper, as a bipolar man recently discharged from a mental institution, gives a stellar performance in trying to reconnect with his unfaithful wife, the latter driving him to his outrageous behavior and subsequent institutionalization. He meets up with Tiffany, played in a sparkling way by the perky Jennifer Lawrence. They are both tremendous in their emotional outbursts and find through their multitude of problems that they're the perfect couple.Robert De Niro had his best part in years as Cooper's book-making father who wants to use watching television football with his son as a means of therapy. As the mother, Jacki Weaver received a totally undeserved Oscar nomination in the supporting category. Note that the above 3 thespians were all nominated with Lawrence winning and they were all deserved for Oscar consideration.Anyone suggest that Cooper and Miss Lawrence dance in Dancing with the Stars?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/reviews-606

ur2542703

title: Every Cloud Must Have A Silver Lining-Silver Lining Playbook ***1/2 review: The old song that every cloud must have a silver lining is so very much appropriate to this 2012 film.Bradley Cooper, as a bipolar man recently discharged from a mental institution, gives a stellar performance in trying to reconnect with his unfaithful wife, the latter driving him to his outrageous behavior and subsequent institutionalization. He meets up with Tiffany, played in a sparkling way by the perky Jennifer Lawrence. They are both tremendous in their emotional outbursts and find through their multitude of problems that they're the perfect couple.Robert De Niro had his best part in years as Cooper's book-making father who wants to use watching television football with his son as a means of therapy. As the mother, Jacki Weaver received a totally undeserved Oscar nomination in the supporting category. Note that the above 3 thespians were all nominated with Lawrence winning and they were all deserved for Oscar consideration.Anyone suggest that Cooper and Miss Lawrence dance in Dancing with the Stars?

You don't have to smoke to like this

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Okay going into this movie I had no idea what this was going to be. All I knew is it was a stoner movie. Little did I know this movie was going to be absolutely hilarious. Cheech and Chong are brilliant in their "protrayals" of stoners. Completely oblivious to their surroundings Cheech and Chong relax and smoke weed while the world unfold around them. This is movie contains brilliant lowbrow humor that you can laugh at completely sober. The weed jokes are there but they are not needed to keep this movie rolling. This movie unfolds itself while you watch Cheech and Chong try to have a good time. From the opening scenes where you learn about each character to the classic stage scene finale this movie will have u laughing all over.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-66

ur9972684

title: You don't have to smoke to like this review: Okay going into this movie I had no idea what this was going to be. All I knew is it was a stoner movie. Little did I know this movie was going to be absolutely hilarious. Cheech and Chong are brilliant in their "protrayals" of stoners. Completely oblivious to their surroundings Cheech and Chong relax and smoke weed while the world unfold around them. This is movie contains brilliant lowbrow humor that you can laugh at completely sober. The weed jokes are there but they are not needed to keep this movie rolling. This movie unfolds itself while you watch Cheech and Chong try to have a good time. From the opening scenes where you learn about each character to the classic stage scene finale this movie will have u laughing all over.

The Start To Stoner Comedies

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Cheech and Chong meet up by chance on the highway somewhere in California. They go in search of some dope and are accidentally deported to Mexico where in their desperation to get home they agree to drive a van back to the States so they can get back in time for a gig they are due to play. Unaware of the properties from which the van is constructed they make their way back having acquired a couple of female hitch-hikers whilst all the time avoiding the cops whom they are not even aware are following them. Tonight I Decided To Give The Mother Of All Stoner Comedies A Go. This Is Not Just The Mother Of Stoner Comedies...Its The Father Of Dumb Comedies. I Loved Every Minute Of It...I Was Adimant Not To Turn The TV Off When Cheech & Chong Smoked Dog Crap That Came From A Dog That Ate Chong's Marjuana...I'm Laughing Now As I Type It Up.I Also Have Some Of Their Recordings Like "Dave", "Up In Smoke"(I Was Familiar With The Movie Before Tonight), I Even Had "Earache My Eye" Which Is My Personal Favourite So I Didn't Mind Hearing It In This Film But I Would've Loved It Even More If After The End Credits The Sketch That Goes With Earache My Eye Would Play. I Also Loved The Fact That They Were So Dumb That They Had No Idea The "Hard Hat" Cops Were After Them. Overall If You Like Stoner Comedies In The Same Vein As The Kevin Smith Comedies Of...Well His Entire Career Than This Movie Is Definitely One To Buy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-76

ur20815663

title: The Start To Stoner Comedies review: Cheech and Chong meet up by chance on the highway somewhere in California. They go in search of some dope and are accidentally deported to Mexico where in their desperation to get home they agree to drive a van back to the States so they can get back in time for a gig they are due to play. Unaware of the properties from which the van is constructed they make their way back having acquired a couple of female hitch-hikers whilst all the time avoiding the cops whom they are not even aware are following them. Tonight I Decided To Give The Mother Of All Stoner Comedies A Go. This Is Not Just The Mother Of Stoner Comedies...Its The Father Of Dumb Comedies. I Loved Every Minute Of It...I Was Adimant Not To Turn The TV Off When Cheech & Chong Smoked Dog Crap That Came From A Dog That Ate Chong's Marjuana...I'm Laughing Now As I Type It Up.I Also Have Some Of Their Recordings Like "Dave", "Up In Smoke"(I Was Familiar With The Movie Before Tonight), I Even Had "Earache My Eye" Which Is My Personal Favourite So I Didn't Mind Hearing It In This Film But I Would've Loved It Even More If After The End Credits The Sketch That Goes With Earache My Eye Would Play. I Also Loved The Fact That They Were So Dumb That They Had No Idea The "Hard Hat" Cops Were After Them. Overall If You Like Stoner Comedies In The Same Vein As The Kevin Smith Comedies Of...Well His Entire Career Than This Movie Is Definitely One To Buy.

Holy Cow...

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Now here's a good time thats not waiting to happened. Their off and running, my two favorite stoner's, Pedro and the man, on the first and most fun of their adventures together. For the reference sake, these two should and probably did 'Win' awards for this full firing token express moving toward 'band' greatness! Getting ready for F.M. radio and plenty of women!!! But first they got to make it over to Strawberry's place, so they can score some mean smoke, man. Strawberry (Tom Skarrett ) was a strange dude himself, you know? He just needed to be a little more mellow, for sure. But the real up-tight dude was that policeman guy, Sgt. Stedankko. His brave crew of ' rookies ' by his side looking and looking all over for those out landish dope fiend's. They hardly work and when they do it's almost disastrous! But at least they are good at their jobs, getting' high, by the wayside. Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin made everyone enjoy the hippie and Mexican experience. Since Dave's not ever home anyway, these two are out on a road trip to nowhere, via or should we say 'Viva' Mexico! Upholstry has a 'hole' new line of business now, with our fearless, but somewhat freaked-out pot heads in the driver's seat. Chong isn't going to stay and live off his mom and dad anymore...-because he can't, they have kicked him out after him defying every last job offer they have made to him. And as far as Pedro is concerned he's just a hard working' guy living with relatives sleeping on the couch. But again, now Pedro is the Man with that 'heavy' Chevy impala with custom etching on the side window, just behind his head. And they could cruise all day Tom, that is if they aren't parked on the side of the road, wasted and small-eyed laughing at each-others wacky antics. All in everything, these two may make it yet, with a little help from the last whole brain cell. that together they possess. This is off the wall and crazed fun, one of the funniest I've ever seen... They have a 'crack' team of officers following and surveying them. "Follow the freak, the freak with the basketball. Which basketball??" And let's face another fact, the cops have just not been this fun in a long time.Recommended for comedic pleasure, of the far-out, tune in mellow out then laugh, till you gag, then get the munchies and do it all over kind of time. (***)Thx--IMDb.com

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-61

ur7529200

title: Holy Cow... review: Now here's a good time thats not waiting to happened. Their off and running, my two favorite stoner's, Pedro and the man, on the first and most fun of their adventures together. For the reference sake, these two should and probably did 'Win' awards for this full firing token express moving toward 'band' greatness! Getting ready for F.M. radio and plenty of women!!! But first they got to make it over to Strawberry's place, so they can score some mean smoke, man. Strawberry (Tom Skarrett ) was a strange dude himself, you know? He just needed to be a little more mellow, for sure. But the real up-tight dude was that policeman guy, Sgt. Stedankko. His brave crew of ' rookies ' by his side looking and looking all over for those out landish dope fiend's. They hardly work and when they do it's almost disastrous! But at least they are good at their jobs, getting' high, by the wayside. Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin made everyone enjoy the hippie and Mexican experience. Since Dave's not ever home anyway, these two are out on a road trip to nowhere, via or should we say 'Viva' Mexico! Upholstry has a 'hole' new line of business now, with our fearless, but somewhat freaked-out pot heads in the driver's seat. Chong isn't going to stay and live off his mom and dad anymore...-because he can't, they have kicked him out after him defying every last job offer they have made to him. And as far as Pedro is concerned he's just a hard working' guy living with relatives sleeping on the couch. But again, now Pedro is the Man with that 'heavy' Chevy impala with custom etching on the side window, just behind his head. And they could cruise all day Tom, that is if they aren't parked on the side of the road, wasted and small-eyed laughing at each-others wacky antics. All in everything, these two may make it yet, with a little help from the last whole brain cell. that together they possess. This is off the wall and crazed fun, one of the funniest I've ever seen... They have a 'crack' team of officers following and surveying them. "Follow the freak, the freak with the basketball. Which basketball??" And let's face another fact, the cops have just not been this fun in a long time.Recommended for comedic pleasure, of the far-out, tune in mellow out then laugh, till you gag, then get the munchies and do it all over kind of time. (***)Thx--IMDb.com

Classic

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Cheech and Chong movies will honestly never get old. This is the original movie that started it all and it is honestly the funniest of all they're films. This movie is entirely what the comedy of Cheech and Chong always was. This movie is the only movie in which Cheech and Chong do not play themselves as the titles characters, but still this movie is a laugh riot. A definite classic for all comedy genre fans to see. It may seem old school and not all teen sex related like todays comedies, but this is really what comedy is all about. This movie really hit it big and is still enjoyed today. Now that Cheech and Chong have reunited are we in for Up in Smoke 2 soon? Hopefully so.10/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-68

ur8248521

title: Classic review: Cheech and Chong movies will honestly never get old. This is the original movie that started it all and it is honestly the funniest of all they're films. This movie is entirely what the comedy of Cheech and Chong always was. This movie is the only movie in which Cheech and Chong do not play themselves as the titles characters, but still this movie is a laugh riot. A definite classic for all comedy genre fans to see. It may seem old school and not all teen sex related like todays comedies, but this is really what comedy is all about. This movie really hit it big and is still enjoyed today. Now that Cheech and Chong have reunited are we in for Up in Smoke 2 soon? Hopefully so.10/10

"Everybody must get stoned"

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I added to my collection the Double Feature DVD with Up in Smoke and Still Smokin like two months ago but just last night I finally saw the first one so also last night was my very first "encounter" with Cheech and Chong and for sure won't be the last. So here Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong are Pedro and Anthony (his father call him Anthony yet in the credits Tommy Chong is just "man") respectively and basically they will meet just by pure causality. We have the sort of introduction and we see a moment with each one, we see the first funny moment with Pedro pissing and on the other hand we have the classic situation of a guy who at the age of what 30 or something still lives with his parents, certainly the father is just tired of having his lazy son doing about nothing during the entire day. Both Pedro and Anthony are out with cars yet only Pedro will be able to continue driving, to continue looking for a lost babe or maybe babes but he will have only kind of a really big disappointment but after all there he meets who will be his best friend. Certainly these two have a lot in common but mainly two things will keep them together: drugs and rock and roll. Is just amazing and hilarious the first joint they smoke together, Pedro was like "I been smoking since always, I can smoke anything" but the Led Zeppelin is something else, heavy s***, dog s***! And that s*** will give them some troubles and certainly we will laugh and laugh. Up in Smoke is one of those movies that are just so damn enjoyable since the very first second till the very last, essentially Pedro and Anthony are just looking out for some s*** but of course things will happen. The police play here a big role, they will be close to Pedro, Anthony and company and they deliver also a lot of fun. We have the police chief and three of his "sons" (is also a great "show" with this guys, of course the one who will suffer most is the chief, he even loses his dog that was the best cop he ever saw!), they are after those who are transporting a really big quantity of drug from Mexico to the US, they will be after "two hippies with a van". And certainly we know who those hippies are, we know that the van they are driving would be a damn treasure for them but they don't know, actually they don't know a damn thing. Is really funny what Pedro's cousin (not sure is his cousin but sure is a relative) do to get a free ride to Tijuana, very funny and Pedro and Anthony will be in Mexico also and in THE van they will return to the US. At one point we know what will happen with the van if the police finds it, actually is not that different to what will happen with the van if Pedro and Anthony realize about the truth. By this time our dudes have company, finally the company of women and now they have another thing in mind: the battle of the bands at the Roxy. And will be for a moment like a little Monterey or Woodstock, every single soul in the place was connected! Those like me who saw first the great Coen brothers film The Big Lebowski (that is my second favourite Coen bros film) certainly will remember it. Terrific fun with these two DUDES!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-71

ur14207038

title: "Everybody must get stoned" review: I added to my collection the Double Feature DVD with Up in Smoke and Still Smokin like two months ago but just last night I finally saw the first one so also last night was my very first "encounter" with Cheech and Chong and for sure won't be the last. So here Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong are Pedro and Anthony (his father call him Anthony yet in the credits Tommy Chong is just "man") respectively and basically they will meet just by pure causality. We have the sort of introduction and we see a moment with each one, we see the first funny moment with Pedro pissing and on the other hand we have the classic situation of a guy who at the age of what 30 or something still lives with his parents, certainly the father is just tired of having his lazy son doing about nothing during the entire day. Both Pedro and Anthony are out with cars yet only Pedro will be able to continue driving, to continue looking for a lost babe or maybe babes but he will have only kind of a really big disappointment but after all there he meets who will be his best friend. Certainly these two have a lot in common but mainly two things will keep them together: drugs and rock and roll. Is just amazing and hilarious the first joint they smoke together, Pedro was like "I been smoking since always, I can smoke anything" but the Led Zeppelin is something else, heavy s***, dog s***! And that s*** will give them some troubles and certainly we will laugh and laugh. Up in Smoke is one of those movies that are just so damn enjoyable since the very first second till the very last, essentially Pedro and Anthony are just looking out for some s*** but of course things will happen. The police play here a big role, they will be close to Pedro, Anthony and company and they deliver also a lot of fun. We have the police chief and three of his "sons" (is also a great "show" with this guys, of course the one who will suffer most is the chief, he even loses his dog that was the best cop he ever saw!), they are after those who are transporting a really big quantity of drug from Mexico to the US, they will be after "two hippies with a van". And certainly we know who those hippies are, we know that the van they are driving would be a damn treasure for them but they don't know, actually they don't know a damn thing. Is really funny what Pedro's cousin (not sure is his cousin but sure is a relative) do to get a free ride to Tijuana, very funny and Pedro and Anthony will be in Mexico also and in THE van they will return to the US. At one point we know what will happen with the van if the police finds it, actually is not that different to what will happen with the van if Pedro and Anthony realize about the truth. By this time our dudes have company, finally the company of women and now they have another thing in mind: the battle of the bands at the Roxy. And will be for a moment like a little Monterey or Woodstock, every single soul in the place was connected! Those like me who saw first the great Coen brothers film The Big Lebowski (that is my second favourite Coen bros film) certainly will remember it. Terrific fun with these two DUDES!

Good stoner jokes

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Anthony Stoner (Tommy Chong) is an unemployed slacker who is his father's disappointment and threatened with military school. He drives off with his VW Beetle with the Rolls grill but his car breaks down. He is stranded until fellow weed smoker Pedro de Pacas (Cheech Marin) picks him up. Pedro is tripping on acid with his car parked on a traffic median. The cops arrest them. The guys get released when the judge is found to be drinking vodka. They visit Strawberry (Tom Skerritt) and barely escape the cops (Stacy Keach). Immigration comes to take Pedro's cousin and his wedding party to Mexico after he called them himself. His cousin just wanted a free ride to his wedding. The boys get deported as well. They stumble onto a secret weed factory and wrongly picks up a van constructed with weed.This is filled with stoner jokes and some of them are hilarious. The guys are good together. I wish the movie is just the two guys hanging out together. The best scene is when the guys are out of their mind alone in their car. They don't actually need an outlandish plot. They really only need each other. The meandering plot is actually quite tiring. It's a downer to keep track of the story. I would think that their target audience shouldn't be asked to keep track of such a rambling mess. The movie devolves into a mess instead of simply having fun with the two guys.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-83

ur2898520

title: Good stoner jokes review: Anthony Stoner (Tommy Chong) is an unemployed slacker who is his father's disappointment and threatened with military school. He drives off with his VW Beetle with the Rolls grill but his car breaks down. He is stranded until fellow weed smoker Pedro de Pacas (Cheech Marin) picks him up. Pedro is tripping on acid with his car parked on a traffic median. The cops arrest them. The guys get released when the judge is found to be drinking vodka. They visit Strawberry (Tom Skerritt) and barely escape the cops (Stacy Keach). Immigration comes to take Pedro's cousin and his wedding party to Mexico after he called them himself. His cousin just wanted a free ride to his wedding. The boys get deported as well. They stumble onto a secret weed factory and wrongly picks up a van constructed with weed.This is filled with stoner jokes and some of them are hilarious. The guys are good together. I wish the movie is just the two guys hanging out together. The best scene is when the guys are out of their mind alone in their car. They don't actually need an outlandish plot. They really only need each other. The meandering plot is actually quite tiring. It's a downer to keep track of the story. I would think that their target audience shouldn't be asked to keep track of such a rambling mess. The movie devolves into a mess instead of simply having fun with the two guys.

Hey, Man! Like, Get Legally High, Man, With Cheech & Chong, Man!

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Hey, man!... (uh)... You know, man, like, Up In Smoke, man, is, like, actually so bad, man, that it's, like, you know, man, almost good, man!... Yeah, man!I'd say that Up In Smoke is probably the one and only one-note-joke movie out there that actually doesn't even try to pretend to be anything else, but just that - A One-Note-Joke.And as a one-note-joke (some of it funny, some of it not), Cheech & Chong sure got plenty of mileage out of being 2 of the biggest and most bungling dope-heads you're ever going to encounter in any blinding cloud of marijuana smoke.From smoking dog crap, to picking up jail-bait, to snorting Ajax, to being hotly pursued by the laughable Sargent Stedenko & his narcotics squad, Cheech & Chong (as those 2 bong-headed bozos, Pedro & Stoner) ultimately become a rock'n'roll sensation when they appear live on stage in "The Battle of the Bands" at the Roxy Theater.And, hey, man, you don't have to be stoned, man (but it might help), to enjoy this nearly plot-less movie. But, hey, try to be at least in a fairly good frame of mind and don't expect anything Oscar-worthy from Up In Smoke and that way its disappointment-factor won't amount to too much.You know, this is actually a kinda tough movie to rate - The best way that I can describe Cheech & Chong is to say that they were the Beavis & Butthead of the late 1970s and Up In Smoke is certainly a prime example of their bad-ass brand of stoner-comedy that boasts no rivals.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-81

ur27361979

title: Hey, Man! Like, Get Legally High, Man, With Cheech & Chong, Man! review: Hey, man!... (uh)... You know, man, like, Up In Smoke, man, is, like, actually so bad, man, that it's, like, you know, man, almost good, man!... Yeah, man!I'd say that Up In Smoke is probably the one and only one-note-joke movie out there that actually doesn't even try to pretend to be anything else, but just that - A One-Note-Joke.And as a one-note-joke (some of it funny, some of it not), Cheech & Chong sure got plenty of mileage out of being 2 of the biggest and most bungling dope-heads you're ever going to encounter in any blinding cloud of marijuana smoke.From smoking dog crap, to picking up jail-bait, to snorting Ajax, to being hotly pursued by the laughable Sargent Stedenko & his narcotics squad, Cheech & Chong (as those 2 bong-headed bozos, Pedro & Stoner) ultimately become a rock'n'roll sensation when they appear live on stage in "The Battle of the Bands" at the Roxy Theater.And, hey, man, you don't have to be stoned, man (but it might help), to enjoy this nearly plot-less movie. But, hey, try to be at least in a fairly good frame of mind and don't expect anything Oscar-worthy from Up In Smoke and that way its disappointment-factor won't amount to too much.You know, this is actually a kinda tough movie to rate - The best way that I can describe Cheech & Chong is to say that they were the Beavis & Butthead of the late 1970s and Up In Smoke is certainly a prime example of their bad-ass brand of stoner-comedy that boasts no rivals.

The original stoner flick(I think)

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Throughout film history, there have been plenty of films involving the use or talk of marijuana.Because of marijuana, there have been plenty of hilarious films such as Harold & Kumar showing the misadventures of people who smoke it.I believe that Cheech and Chong's Up In Smoke, was the first film to portray the positive use of marijuana.There have been other movies beforehand such as the 1936 "Reefer Madness".This is the first of a series of films which continued on into the 1980's.Before this film, they were comedians/musicians.Anyway, this movie is about two guys who try to smuggle a van made out of marijuana across the Mexican border while the narc cops led by Sgt Stedeko are hot on their trail.The duo gets into many misadventures during the film, while they must win the battle of the bands contest.Overall this is a great stoner film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-70

ur11358734

title: The original stoner flick(I think) review: Throughout film history, there have been plenty of films involving the use or talk of marijuana.Because of marijuana, there have been plenty of hilarious films such as Harold & Kumar showing the misadventures of people who smoke it.I believe that Cheech and Chong's Up In Smoke, was the first film to portray the positive use of marijuana.There have been other movies beforehand such as the 1936 "Reefer Madness".This is the first of a series of films which continued on into the 1980's.Before this film, they were comedians/musicians.Anyway, this movie is about two guys who try to smuggle a van made out of marijuana across the Mexican border while the narc cops led by Sgt Stedeko are hot on their trail.The duo gets into many misadventures during the film, while they must win the battle of the bands contest.Overall this is a great stoner film.

Mellow Californian Gold

tt0078446

I finally got to see the definitive stoner comedy, and I wasn't disappointed. No, sir. This 'un has it all, two dudes in a haze, some equally hazy babes, and the fuzz in hot pursuit. Generally, the use of recreational drugs is depicted in a warm, glowing sort of light. Unlike many movies of the same ilk that followed, there is a barrage of good jokes, excellent acting and dialogue ("Hey, double bubble!"), and real chemistry between the actors (modern movies of this genre would have all the same trimmings -- there'd be some dudes, some babes and the supersized comical joints, but would be just gimmicky and have none of the humour). Also the production is excellent, this movie was filmed on a surprisingly huge budget (for example, there is a brief but very elaborate scene which shows us how an entire car is made from -- weed, man!). The plot is very ambling but also very suited if you happen, for whatever reason, to have temporarily acquired an attention span of about five minutes. Warning, you will find yourself using the epithets "dude" and "man" a lot more often after watching this movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078446/reviews-67

ur1061889

title: Mellow Californian Gold review: I finally got to see the definitive stoner comedy, and I wasn't disappointed. No, sir. This 'un has it all, two dudes in a haze, some equally hazy babes, and the fuzz in hot pursuit. Generally, the use of recreational drugs is depicted in a warm, glowing sort of light. Unlike many movies of the same ilk that followed, there is a barrage of good jokes, excellent acting and dialogue ("Hey, double bubble!"), and real chemistry between the actors (modern movies of this genre would have all the same trimmings -- there'd be some dudes, some babes and the supersized comical joints, but would be just gimmicky and have none of the humour). Also the production is excellent, this movie was filmed on a surprisingly huge budget (for example, there is a brief but very elaborate scene which shows us how an entire car is made from -- weed, man!). The plot is very ambling but also very suited if you happen, for whatever reason, to have temporarily acquired an attention span of about five minutes. Warning, you will find yourself using the epithets "dude" and "man" a lot more often after watching this movie.

Let's put it this way...

tt1045655

After this painful movie, I drank, I did illegal substances, I even beat myself with a shovel, and still I was in pain from watching this horrible movie! The Haunting of Molly Hartley or as I'm going to call it from this point on "pretty white kids with satanic problems", where do I eve begin on how awful this film was? OK, let's start with the actors, horrible horrible actors that only got their roles because they were just too beautiful to pass up on. The editing/scare tactics: let's make loud noise constantly, that'll make the audience jump. The script: let's make up a non-sense story about a teenage girl who has powers from Satan and we'll put her in high school with other pretty people and while she has to go through the hardships of being a teenager. Even though the story in no way makes sense, we have a Zac Efron look a like, so we're going to get a huge female teen audience and they'll love this film. Oh, boy, I'm rambling, OK, let's just say this, if you were, you'd see all the bruises on my head from banging it on the wall after watching this movie that I'll never know how it got green lighted.Molly Hartley is the new girl at school who is very subtle about her strange side, she has headaches that lead to disillusions about her mother who tried to kill her a few years ago, she automatically stays away from people and is getting hit on by the most pretty rich boy in the whole school, but she is absolutely refusing to do anything until her father takes her to the hospital and they find a brain tumor, so it seems like everything will be all good after they remove it, but things are obviously not getting better when her mother escapes the insane asylum to kill Molly before she hits her 18th birthday to gain full powers of the devil... yeah, wow.Oh, boy, I wish there was a rating lower than 1, because honestly this film is one of the worst I've ever seen in my life. It's just so odd to me that there are some films that people absolutely refuse to give a fair chance, yet this movie that has no right to be called a horror movie has a 3.4 rating? Come on, this belongs in the bottom 100 here on IMDb, I'm going to be a good citizen, please, stay away from this movie, save yourself the pain I had to endure. I had to take my cousin to see this, now I feel that I can never let her pick a film again, because for my health's sake, I just can never see a movie like this again, I'll go insane. Just trust me, this is a very very bad film, film? Why did I say that? This is trash, just trust me, the only thing horrific about this is that I wasted 90 minutes of my life that I will never get back... I could have watched paint dry, that has more meaning than this stupid movie ever will.1/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-31

ur1293485

title: Let's put it this way... review: After this painful movie, I drank, I did illegal substances, I even beat myself with a shovel, and still I was in pain from watching this horrible movie! The Haunting of Molly Hartley or as I'm going to call it from this point on "pretty white kids with satanic problems", where do I eve begin on how awful this film was? OK, let's start with the actors, horrible horrible actors that only got their roles because they were just too beautiful to pass up on. The editing/scare tactics: let's make loud noise constantly, that'll make the audience jump. The script: let's make up a non-sense story about a teenage girl who has powers from Satan and we'll put her in high school with other pretty people and while she has to go through the hardships of being a teenager. Even though the story in no way makes sense, we have a Zac Efron look a like, so we're going to get a huge female teen audience and they'll love this film. Oh, boy, I'm rambling, OK, let's just say this, if you were, you'd see all the bruises on my head from banging it on the wall after watching this movie that I'll never know how it got green lighted.Molly Hartley is the new girl at school who is very subtle about her strange side, she has headaches that lead to disillusions about her mother who tried to kill her a few years ago, she automatically stays away from people and is getting hit on by the most pretty rich boy in the whole school, but she is absolutely refusing to do anything until her father takes her to the hospital and they find a brain tumor, so it seems like everything will be all good after they remove it, but things are obviously not getting better when her mother escapes the insane asylum to kill Molly before she hits her 18th birthday to gain full powers of the devil... yeah, wow.Oh, boy, I wish there was a rating lower than 1, because honestly this film is one of the worst I've ever seen in my life. It's just so odd to me that there are some films that people absolutely refuse to give a fair chance, yet this movie that has no right to be called a horror movie has a 3.4 rating? Come on, this belongs in the bottom 100 here on IMDb, I'm going to be a good citizen, please, stay away from this movie, save yourself the pain I had to endure. I had to take my cousin to see this, now I feel that I can never let her pick a film again, because for my health's sake, I just can never see a movie like this again, I'll go insane. Just trust me, this is a very very bad film, film? Why did I say that? This is trash, just trust me, the only thing horrific about this is that I wasted 90 minutes of my life that I will never get back... I could have watched paint dry, that has more meaning than this stupid movie ever will.1/10

It's not terrible—it's just not very original.

tt1045655

Beautiful, intelligent, rich, popular: Molly Hartley (Haley Bennett) has it all—except for the fact that her mother intends to kill her before she becomes a servant of Satan on her 18th birthday.Light on genuine horror, heavy on cheap jump scares, packed with emotional teen drama, and boasting an attractive young cast that has been predominantly plucked from popular TV series, The Haunting of Molly Hartley is clearly aimed at a younger horror audience. It's predictable, undemanding stuff from start to finish, being a mix-and-match of tried and tested elements from classics of the genre such as Rosemary's Baby and The Omen—but it's not nearly as bad as some of the IMDb reviews suggest.I've no arguments with the overall themes of the film ('trust no-one, including Christians' and 'the rich and powerful are in league with the devil'), Bennett makes for a likable lead and is very easy on the eye (as are 99% of the girls who attend her posh prep school), the supporting cast are decent enough, and the direction is slick; if anything, the film is guilty of playing things too safe, and would have benefited from more outrageous action... something really off-the-wall to take the audience by surprise.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-113

ur0945066

title: It's not terrible—it's just not very original. review: Beautiful, intelligent, rich, popular: Molly Hartley (Haley Bennett) has it all—except for the fact that her mother intends to kill her before she becomes a servant of Satan on her 18th birthday.Light on genuine horror, heavy on cheap jump scares, packed with emotional teen drama, and boasting an attractive young cast that has been predominantly plucked from popular TV series, The Haunting of Molly Hartley is clearly aimed at a younger horror audience. It's predictable, undemanding stuff from start to finish, being a mix-and-match of tried and tested elements from classics of the genre such as Rosemary's Baby and The Omen—but it's not nearly as bad as some of the IMDb reviews suggest.I've no arguments with the overall themes of the film ('trust no-one, including Christians' and 'the rich and powerful are in league with the devil'), Bennett makes for a likable lead and is very easy on the eye (as are 99% of the girls who attend her posh prep school), the supporting cast are decent enough, and the direction is slick; if anything, the film is guilty of playing things too safe, and would have benefited from more outrageous action... something really off-the-wall to take the audience by surprise.

this isn't what I would call a haunting

tt1045655

There wasn't anything scary about this movie. And it didn't have a good ending. It was too vague. The movie starts 10 years earlier when a man kills his daughter right before she turns 18. It is now in the present and we meet Molly Hartley, a 17 year old, that hears things and has strange dreams, like the other girl. She has emotional issues since her mother tried to kill her, saying she was saving her. Molly has panic attacks and has visions of her mother. She gets diagnosed with a nasal tumor, so she thinks she really isn't crazy. But the strange things still happen and at the end she finds out the people she met in the new town aren't whom they seem to be.The problem was at the end, we don't know what Molly becomes. I was disappointed.FINAL VERDICT: Nothing great.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-77

ur1773414

title: this isn't what I would call a haunting review: There wasn't anything scary about this movie. And it didn't have a good ending. It was too vague. The movie starts 10 years earlier when a man kills his daughter right before she turns 18. It is now in the present and we meet Molly Hartley, a 17 year old, that hears things and has strange dreams, like the other girl. She has emotional issues since her mother tried to kill her, saying she was saving her. Molly has panic attacks and has visions of her mother. She gets diagnosed with a nasal tumor, so she thinks she really isn't crazy. But the strange things still happen and at the end she finds out the people she met in the new town aren't whom they seem to be.The problem was at the end, we don't know what Molly becomes. I was disappointed.FINAL VERDICT: Nothing great.

not bad.could have used a more convincing ending

tt1045655

this is an interesting psychological suspense thriller.not really scary though.and watchable for the most part.but i'm not sold on that ending it felt kind of tacked on.at the very least it isn't the conventional way to end this type of movie.besides,it was just way too easy.i'd be interested to see if there was actually an alternate ending at one point.there were some positive things,though.for one thing,there were no cheap jump scares,and no ghostly figure hiding behind the door or in the mirror.i didn't find the acting that bad either.it's a short movie too,clocking in at less than ninety minutes before the end credits roll.all in all,it's entertaining and passes the time.a different ending and i might have rated a bit higher.as it is,The Haunting of Molly Hartley is a 6/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-85

ur11423174

title: not bad.could have used a more convincing ending review: this is an interesting psychological suspense thriller.not really scary though.and watchable for the most part.but i'm not sold on that ending it felt kind of tacked on.at the very least it isn't the conventional way to end this type of movie.besides,it was just way too easy.i'd be interested to see if there was actually an alternate ending at one point.there were some positive things,though.for one thing,there were no cheap jump scares,and no ghostly figure hiding behind the door or in the mirror.i didn't find the acting that bad either.it's a short movie too,clocking in at less than ninety minutes before the end credits roll.all in all,it's entertaining and passes the time.a different ending and i might have rated a bit higher.as it is,The Haunting of Molly Hartley is a 6/10

why? Why? WHY!!

tt1045655

OK, I was invited by a few friends to see this movie on Halloween. I new it wasn't going to be anything special, but the commercials made it look a little bit scary. Man was I ever wrong. To start things off I would like to say that the storyline in this seemed like it was written by a four year old boy. Apparently when she turns 18 something will happen to her. At the end off the movie nothing different happened to her when she turned 18. She stayed the same except for one scene were she see's her father at a mental hospital and just walks away. What I'm saying here is that in this movie so many things happened that didn't need to happen! The Acting was fare for the most part, but that sure didn't help the movie at all! The movie wasn't even about anything haunting her! The first 3/4 of the movie was her getting nose bleeds and just seeing her mom in her head. It was filled with so many flaws, like how they just let her mother escape so easily. MAN! this is what i call a bad attempt of trying to get some extra cash by releasing this crap on Halloween.Please don't see this movie, I warned you. , Lukas M.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-5

ur19559241

title: why? Why? WHY!! review: OK, I was invited by a few friends to see this movie on Halloween. I new it wasn't going to be anything special, but the commercials made it look a little bit scary. Man was I ever wrong. To start things off I would like to say that the storyline in this seemed like it was written by a four year old boy. Apparently when she turns 18 something will happen to her. At the end off the movie nothing different happened to her when she turned 18. She stayed the same except for one scene were she see's her father at a mental hospital and just walks away. What I'm saying here is that in this movie so many things happened that didn't need to happen! The Acting was fare for the most part, but that sure didn't help the movie at all! The movie wasn't even about anything haunting her! The first 3/4 of the movie was her getting nose bleeds and just seeing her mom in her head. It was filled with so many flaws, like how they just let her mother escape so easily. MAN! this is what i call a bad attempt of trying to get some extra cash by releasing this crap on Halloween.Please don't see this movie, I warned you. , Lukas M.

A pretty good horror movie for a rainy night

tt1045655

The Haunting Of Molly Hartley was a very good horror movie. I thought it did a great job explaining the story. It takes a while to figure out the whole story and piece it all together but you do eventually. It was entertaining for the most part. I think many teens would like this movie and it is a great movie for Halloween time. It was pretty good acting for the most part. The movie makes you think twice about Jesus and getting saved. It wasn't that predictable except for a few scenes. As the movie goes on it gets more and more intense. It did keep me on the edge of my seat in the last few scenes of the movie. In ways it was kind of a sad ending. It had a few corny and cheesy scenes but for the most part was a pretty well filmed and directed movie. Overall I would say go see this one it is worth your time.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-36

ur19005144

title: A pretty good horror movie for a rainy night review: The Haunting Of Molly Hartley was a very good horror movie. I thought it did a great job explaining the story. It takes a while to figure out the whole story and piece it all together but you do eventually. It was entertaining for the most part. I think many teens would like this movie and it is a great movie for Halloween time. It was pretty good acting for the most part. The movie makes you think twice about Jesus and getting saved. It wasn't that predictable except for a few scenes. As the movie goes on it gets more and more intense. It did keep me on the edge of my seat in the last few scenes of the movie. In ways it was kind of a sad ending. It had a few corny and cheesy scenes but for the most part was a pretty well filmed and directed movie. Overall I would say go see this one it is worth your time.

Beyond "awful"

tt1045655

Okay, I will try my very best to make this a somewhat "fair" review. I wanted to like this movie. And I'm not just saying that either. I love teen horror movies, I'm a big fan of such fare as The Craft and The Covenant, and I sometimes even like questionable fare like I Know Who Killed Me and The Eye. The Haunting of Molly Hartley, however, was equally as bad being drowned in a vat of holy water, like one of the characters in the movie. It stings the eyes and the soul and it's void of any sort of real emotion. The only scenes that were even worth watching were those which involved heartthrob Chace Crawford, but more on that later. The Haunting of Molly Hartley is directed by first-timer Mickey Liddell, and has a cast which consists of (from best to worst) Chace Crawford, Shannon Marie Woodward, Haley Bennett, AnnaLynne McCord, Shanna Collins, and Jake Weber.Molly Hartley has had a tough life. Her mother tried to kill her, but she survived, and now she's trying to put her troubled past behind her by starting anew. As the theatrical trailer tells you, Molly's parents made a deal with the devil to save her life, but the day she turns 18, her soul will belong to him.Okay, so the plot wasn't the best thing in the world, but it could have easily evolved into a semi-decent Halloween flick. Instead, for the entirety of the film, the script remains stuck in the mud. It would all make sense, had things led anywhere. Instead, the movie's last fifteen minutes make everything else seem random. Things are thrown constantly at you nonstop, and you expect them to make sense or be explained at a later time, as is the formula for most movies. For instance, Molly's mother appears in the bathroom once, and she says "The nurse believed me, so she let me out." We are never given any explanation for this. No funeral for the mother, no mourning from the father or daughter, no arrest of the nurse, no glimpse of the mental hospital which could have been a potentially terrifying setup. Everywhere there's potential, it is simply squandered in favor of moving quickly.That leads me to another complaint. The film is literally 87 minutes long. With movies like Saw V, a fast pace is warmly welcomed, as we already know most of the characters. With something like Molly Hartley, if we had more time for characters, setup, everything basically, then it would become an exponentially better film. Honestly, at its best, Haunting of Molly Hartley is a teen drama. The scenes at Joseph's house work so well because they aren't trying to hard to scare us, they are genuinely interesting. In some scenes, there are echoes of great teen shows like Gossip Girl and 90210, but then the very next it completely falls apart.At its worst, this film fails as a "scary" movie. If the long, drawn-out scare scenes that lead to nothing were stripped away, we would be left (at most) with a half-hour long film. There was literally nothing to this movie. There's a mother with scissors, a ghost with no explanation who appears for a fraction of a second in one scene, and a "devil" who is better left in made-for-TV movies. Halloween: H20 was the perfect scare formula. At first, it would fake the audience out a couple times with a few "false" scares, but then it got into the really terrifying stuff and didn't let up. The Haunting of Molly Hartley takes the opposite route. It supplies the audience with an endless supply of "false" scares and never gets in to the good stuff. It tried to have plot twists, but they made no sense when coupled with the rest of the movie.Even with all these complaints (and I could go on for a very, very long time), I kept watching the movie just for Chace Crawford and in the hopes that it would get better and that the end of the movie would leave me breathless. While Crawford tries really, really hard, he simply cannot overcome the terrible script or even the absolutely ridiculous twists and turns of the plot. As if the movie wasn't bad enough already, the final fifteen minutes alone make The Haunting of Molly Hartley one of the worst movies of the year. It tries to have a Saw-esquire ending, and it tried to be clever about it, but the end leaves so many major characters and events in the movie in the dust that it's almost something a kindergartener could have written.If it's not obvious enough, this movie was absolutely, positively, one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Don't waste your money on it, whatever you do. It was absolutely awful. In the end, you feel empty, as if you have wasted time in your life that you will NEVER get back. It's a shame, too. This movie had such wasted potential. It could have been great. Instead, it ended up about as scary as a towel.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-22

ur7752337

title: Beyond "awful" review: Okay, I will try my very best to make this a somewhat "fair" review. I wanted to like this movie. And I'm not just saying that either. I love teen horror movies, I'm a big fan of such fare as The Craft and The Covenant, and I sometimes even like questionable fare like I Know Who Killed Me and The Eye. The Haunting of Molly Hartley, however, was equally as bad being drowned in a vat of holy water, like one of the characters in the movie. It stings the eyes and the soul and it's void of any sort of real emotion. The only scenes that were even worth watching were those which involved heartthrob Chace Crawford, but more on that later. The Haunting of Molly Hartley is directed by first-timer Mickey Liddell, and has a cast which consists of (from best to worst) Chace Crawford, Shannon Marie Woodward, Haley Bennett, AnnaLynne McCord, Shanna Collins, and Jake Weber.Molly Hartley has had a tough life. Her mother tried to kill her, but she survived, and now she's trying to put her troubled past behind her by starting anew. As the theatrical trailer tells you, Molly's parents made a deal with the devil to save her life, but the day she turns 18, her soul will belong to him.Okay, so the plot wasn't the best thing in the world, but it could have easily evolved into a semi-decent Halloween flick. Instead, for the entirety of the film, the script remains stuck in the mud. It would all make sense, had things led anywhere. Instead, the movie's last fifteen minutes make everything else seem random. Things are thrown constantly at you nonstop, and you expect them to make sense or be explained at a later time, as is the formula for most movies. For instance, Molly's mother appears in the bathroom once, and she says "The nurse believed me, so she let me out." We are never given any explanation for this. No funeral for the mother, no mourning from the father or daughter, no arrest of the nurse, no glimpse of the mental hospital which could have been a potentially terrifying setup. Everywhere there's potential, it is simply squandered in favor of moving quickly.That leads me to another complaint. The film is literally 87 minutes long. With movies like Saw V, a fast pace is warmly welcomed, as we already know most of the characters. With something like Molly Hartley, if we had more time for characters, setup, everything basically, then it would become an exponentially better film. Honestly, at its best, Haunting of Molly Hartley is a teen drama. The scenes at Joseph's house work so well because they aren't trying to hard to scare us, they are genuinely interesting. In some scenes, there are echoes of great teen shows like Gossip Girl and 90210, but then the very next it completely falls apart.At its worst, this film fails as a "scary" movie. If the long, drawn-out scare scenes that lead to nothing were stripped away, we would be left (at most) with a half-hour long film. There was literally nothing to this movie. There's a mother with scissors, a ghost with no explanation who appears for a fraction of a second in one scene, and a "devil" who is better left in made-for-TV movies. Halloween: H20 was the perfect scare formula. At first, it would fake the audience out a couple times with a few "false" scares, but then it got into the really terrifying stuff and didn't let up. The Haunting of Molly Hartley takes the opposite route. It supplies the audience with an endless supply of "false" scares and never gets in to the good stuff. It tried to have plot twists, but they made no sense when coupled with the rest of the movie.Even with all these complaints (and I could go on for a very, very long time), I kept watching the movie just for Chace Crawford and in the hopes that it would get better and that the end of the movie would leave me breathless. While Crawford tries really, really hard, he simply cannot overcome the terrible script or even the absolutely ridiculous twists and turns of the plot. As if the movie wasn't bad enough already, the final fifteen minutes alone make The Haunting of Molly Hartley one of the worst movies of the year. It tries to have a Saw-esquire ending, and it tried to be clever about it, but the end leaves so many major characters and events in the movie in the dust that it's almost something a kindergartener could have written.If it's not obvious enough, this movie was absolutely, positively, one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Don't waste your money on it, whatever you do. It was absolutely awful. In the end, you feel empty, as if you have wasted time in your life that you will NEVER get back. It's a shame, too. This movie had such wasted potential. It could have been great. Instead, it ended up about as scary as a towel.

Horrifyingly mediocre....

tt1045655

...this little number is make-work cinema of the lowest common denominator. With a script by John "I'm new at this" Travis and Rebecca "Happily Even After" Sonnenshine that only barely attains the level of made-for-TV dullness, and tyro direction from Mickey "I'm really a producer" Liddell (who should *stick* with producing, thank you very much), the film might be better titled, "The boredom of Molly Hartley." Despite what others have opined, the only real fault in the acting is the banal and lifeless dialogue the actors are forced to speak. A few are up-and-coming names like Chace "The Covenant" Crawford, Shannon "The Quiet" Woodward, and Haley "Music and Lyrics" Bennett, while others are mostly stock prettyfaces (and absolutely ALL of them are quite apparently too old for their roles), and there's even an established character actor in there (Jake "Dawn of the Dead" Weber), but none can overcome the glaring faults of the pitiful script and Liddell's leaden direction. The only scares are a few "boo!" moments, while any and all opportunities for suspense or tension are utterly dissipated in overly long builds that continually fail to pay off. Spare yourself the wasted time; this one is absolutely not worth the bother.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-80

ur0431565

title: Horrifyingly mediocre.... review: ...this little number is make-work cinema of the lowest common denominator. With a script by John "I'm new at this" Travis and Rebecca "Happily Even After" Sonnenshine that only barely attains the level of made-for-TV dullness, and tyro direction from Mickey "I'm really a producer" Liddell (who should *stick* with producing, thank you very much), the film might be better titled, "The boredom of Molly Hartley." Despite what others have opined, the only real fault in the acting is the banal and lifeless dialogue the actors are forced to speak. A few are up-and-coming names like Chace "The Covenant" Crawford, Shannon "The Quiet" Woodward, and Haley "Music and Lyrics" Bennett, while others are mostly stock prettyfaces (and absolutely ALL of them are quite apparently too old for their roles), and there's even an established character actor in there (Jake "Dawn of the Dead" Weber), but none can overcome the glaring faults of the pitiful script and Liddell's leaden direction. The only scares are a few "boo!" moments, while any and all opportunities for suspense or tension are utterly dissipated in overly long builds that continually fail to pay off. Spare yourself the wasted time; this one is absolutely not worth the bother.

This was a haunting...?

tt1045655

"The Haunting of Molly Hartley" was a fairly mediocre horror / thriller movie, without any major rush of thrills or adrenaline.The story told in the movie is about Molly Hartley (played by Haley Bennett) who moves to a new town with her father (played by Jake Weber). However, Molly can't escape the dread of her past, where her mother (played by Marin Hinkle) tried to kill her. Now locked up in a mental institute, the mother is under care and supervision, but Molly keeps seeing her and hearing her wherever she goes. There is a darkness lurking in Molly's past, and that darkness is now closing in on her.Essentially the storyline was fairly good, it wasn't groundbreaking or jawdropping in any way, but it was entertaining enough. The storyline was predictable, yes, but still director Mickey Liddell managed to make the movie work out well enough.As for the people playing the various roles and characters in the movie, well they were doing good jobs. Though, sadly so, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary here. That being said, I am not inclining that it was bad, not at all.For a thriller / horror movie, then "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" was quite devoid of scares and creepy moments. And the title was actually what lured me in, as I thought it was going to be a ghost movie - which it isn't! So don't get suckered in by that pretense.The movie was nicely paced and had a good flow to it, right up to the very end, where it just shattered into countless pieces. The ending of the movie was really, and I emphasize heavily on really, ludicrous. It was really a horrible way to end an otherwise adequate movie. I am not going to say what it is, it just has to be experienced and seen.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-117

ur22654354

title: This was a haunting...? review: "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" was a fairly mediocre horror / thriller movie, without any major rush of thrills or adrenaline.The story told in the movie is about Molly Hartley (played by Haley Bennett) who moves to a new town with her father (played by Jake Weber). However, Molly can't escape the dread of her past, where her mother (played by Marin Hinkle) tried to kill her. Now locked up in a mental institute, the mother is under care and supervision, but Molly keeps seeing her and hearing her wherever she goes. There is a darkness lurking in Molly's past, and that darkness is now closing in on her.Essentially the storyline was fairly good, it wasn't groundbreaking or jawdropping in any way, but it was entertaining enough. The storyline was predictable, yes, but still director Mickey Liddell managed to make the movie work out well enough.As for the people playing the various roles and characters in the movie, well they were doing good jobs. Though, sadly so, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary here. That being said, I am not inclining that it was bad, not at all.For a thriller / horror movie, then "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" was quite devoid of scares and creepy moments. And the title was actually what lured me in, as I thought it was going to be a ghost movie - which it isn't! So don't get suckered in by that pretense.The movie was nicely paced and had a good flow to it, right up to the very end, where it just shattered into countless pieces. The ending of the movie was really, and I emphasize heavily on really, ludicrous. It was really a horrible way to end an otherwise adequate movie. I am not going to say what it is, it just has to be experienced and seen.

Abominable Immoral Ending

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I did not know anyone in the cast, yet the horror genre certainly appealed more to me than the chick flick "Bride Wars". So I ended up watching this even though this is horror of the teen kind. Molly Hartley (pretty newcomer Haley Bennett, who can sure wear a mean school uniform) has just survived a murder attempt by her own mother. Her father transfers he to a new private school for a fresh start as her mom was brought to an asylum. But she is constantly being haunted by nose bleeds, visual and aural hallucinations and as her 18th birthday draws near. Diabolical revelations were eventually made to explain what was going on.Of note here for me was the inclusion of a sequence showing her consultation with an ENT that revealed an angiofibroma inside her sinus cavity causing her headaches and hallucinations. She even underwent endoscopic surgery to excise it! Of course, we all saw that that was a red herring a mile away.OK, the horror was not that scary. It relied on a lot of sudden jumps in the soundtrack to create the scare. The generic young all-American good looking cast was well like so OC or some random TV teen drama series. There are moral problems with this film as there was a disturbing depiction of the Molly's Christian classmate as a weird fanatic and an attempted murderer. The story was further marred by the apparent triumph of evil at the end. Watch at your own risk.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-47

ur4294858

title: Abominable Immoral Ending review: I did not know anyone in the cast, yet the horror genre certainly appealed more to me than the chick flick "Bride Wars". So I ended up watching this even though this is horror of the teen kind. Molly Hartley (pretty newcomer Haley Bennett, who can sure wear a mean school uniform) has just survived a murder attempt by her own mother. Her father transfers he to a new private school for a fresh start as her mom was brought to an asylum. But she is constantly being haunted by nose bleeds, visual and aural hallucinations and as her 18th birthday draws near. Diabolical revelations were eventually made to explain what was going on.Of note here for me was the inclusion of a sequence showing her consultation with an ENT that revealed an angiofibroma inside her sinus cavity causing her headaches and hallucinations. She even underwent endoscopic surgery to excise it! Of course, we all saw that that was a red herring a mile away.OK, the horror was not that scary. It relied on a lot of sudden jumps in the soundtrack to create the scare. The generic young all-American good looking cast was well like so OC or some random TV teen drama series. There are moral problems with this film as there was a disturbing depiction of the Molly's Christian classmate as a weird fanatic and an attempted murderer. The story was further marred by the apparent triumph of evil at the end. Watch at your own risk.

The failing Halloween movie

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So yesterday I saw The Haunting of Molly Hartley and normally I really don't like giving bad reviews because I love all movies. Although in this case I really, really, really, did not like this movie. ""Spoiler Alert"" The is about Molly Hartley being haunted by something. Actually she was being haunted by nothing except a bad past. This movie was so badly written that I could take the same story and make it better. The movie never fully explains anything to you. Your pratically clueless all the time. The movie should've been at least 2 1/2 hours long instead of an hour and 10 minutes or so. Upon that the beginning is never fully explained either.The only good thing about this movie is the acting. I liked the actors in this movie. So my advice to you is not to see this movie. I fell asleep during it because it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo boring.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-23

ur2134014

title: The failing Halloween movie review: So yesterday I saw The Haunting of Molly Hartley and normally I really don't like giving bad reviews because I love all movies. Although in this case I really, really, really, did not like this movie. ""Spoiler Alert"" The is about Molly Hartley being haunted by something. Actually she was being haunted by nothing except a bad past. This movie was so badly written that I could take the same story and make it better. The movie never fully explains anything to you. Your pratically clueless all the time. The movie should've been at least 2 1/2 hours long instead of an hour and 10 minutes or so. Upon that the beginning is never fully explained either.The only good thing about this movie is the acting. I liked the actors in this movie. So my advice to you is not to see this movie. I fell asleep during it because it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo boring.

Lame...at least everyone in the movie is good looking

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Well, I didn't really want to see this movie at all. I work at a theater, and I was forced to watch this with my boss so I could talk with her about the promotion I've wanted for a very long time. By the time the credits rolled, "Molly Hartley" had injected me with insane predictability, zero plot, and good looking people to the point where I almost didn't want said promotion anymore.Like I've already mentioned twice, the film's best and only strong point is the amount of good looking people in the movie. Even the geeky character is good looking. Haley Bennett manages to carry the movie in decent fashion, avoiding becoming laughable as most PG-13 horror movie heroines do *glares at Camilla Belle*. Chace Crawford was a presence I could have done without, while Shannon Woodward was the best performer (and had the best character) in the movie as Leah.I will give this movie a bit of credit for not being formulaic for about 75% of the movie...while it avoids typical clichés most of the time, it arrives at a conclusion so obvious, stupid, rushed, and unfinished that you can't help but wonder who allowed this movie to be made. It doesn't go for cheap jump scares, which I appreciated, and is more of a satanic thriller than a straight up horror movie. Of course, it's my feeling that PG-13 horror movies not named "The Ring" are just as bad as the Disaster/Date/Superhero Movie franchise, but Molly Hartley manages to barely avoid being as disastrous as Prom Night or When A Stranger Calls. Don't take that as a compliment. It's very easy to beat those movies.My biggest complaint would be the fact that the movie basically has no plot. We just follow Molly Hartley around aimlessly as the evidence of her being the hottest devil child ever builds up, and then "BAM", an epic fail of an ending comes, scroll goes the credits, and SMACK goes the sound of heads hitting desks. Whoever greenlit this movie is on crack, and I'm not joking.Please don't waste your time.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-24

ur4506876

title: Lame...at least everyone in the movie is good looking review: Well, I didn't really want to see this movie at all. I work at a theater, and I was forced to watch this with my boss so I could talk with her about the promotion I've wanted for a very long time. By the time the credits rolled, "Molly Hartley" had injected me with insane predictability, zero plot, and good looking people to the point where I almost didn't want said promotion anymore.Like I've already mentioned twice, the film's best and only strong point is the amount of good looking people in the movie. Even the geeky character is good looking. Haley Bennett manages to carry the movie in decent fashion, avoiding becoming laughable as most PG-13 horror movie heroines do *glares at Camilla Belle*. Chace Crawford was a presence I could have done without, while Shannon Woodward was the best performer (and had the best character) in the movie as Leah.I will give this movie a bit of credit for not being formulaic for about 75% of the movie...while it avoids typical clichés most of the time, it arrives at a conclusion so obvious, stupid, rushed, and unfinished that you can't help but wonder who allowed this movie to be made. It doesn't go for cheap jump scares, which I appreciated, and is more of a satanic thriller than a straight up horror movie. Of course, it's my feeling that PG-13 horror movies not named "The Ring" are just as bad as the Disaster/Date/Superhero Movie franchise, but Molly Hartley manages to barely avoid being as disastrous as Prom Night or When A Stranger Calls. Don't take that as a compliment. It's very easy to beat those movies.My biggest complaint would be the fact that the movie basically has no plot. We just follow Molly Hartley around aimlessly as the evidence of her being the hottest devil child ever builds up, and then "BAM", an epic fail of an ending comes, scroll goes the credits, and SMACK goes the sound of heads hitting desks. Whoever greenlit this movie is on crack, and I'm not joking.Please don't waste your time.

Predictable "haunting" movie.

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Pretty miserable, but watchable...just don't expect a lot. Predictable "haunting" flick. Brutal violence and unnerving inner fears with nail biting anxiety. Molly Hartley(Haley Bennett)is looking forward to a fresh start with her mother locked away in a mental ward. Trying to forget a violent past; maybe a new school, a new boyfriend and becoming popular would make her life worth living. But still there is that fear of inheriting her mother's psychosis. Molly visits a secret more harrowing than anything anyone could ever imagine...a destiny to avoid. Also starring are: Shanna Collins, Chance Crawford, Jake Weber and Annalynne McCord.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-61

ur0449021

title: Predictable "haunting" movie. review: Pretty miserable, but watchable...just don't expect a lot. Predictable "haunting" flick. Brutal violence and unnerving inner fears with nail biting anxiety. Molly Hartley(Haley Bennett)is looking forward to a fresh start with her mother locked away in a mental ward. Trying to forget a violent past; maybe a new school, a new boyfriend and becoming popular would make her life worth living. But still there is that fear of inheriting her mother's psychosis. Molly visits a secret more harrowing than anything anyone could ever imagine...a destiny to avoid. Also starring are: Shanna Collins, Chance Crawford, Jake Weber and Annalynne McCord.

Seen worse but seen better.

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Do not go out and see the Haunting of Molly Hartly. Predictable, boring and anti climatic is the traits of the H of M H. Acted OK, and directed OK. I will not say the movie was made bad, but the movie makers had bad material to work with. The movie got across as a 70's low budget, made for TV movie of the week, which the audience would see on late night TV. I get the ending where Molly is evil. Not scary, or even a shock with the ending. Everyone was evil in this film. I still thinks Molly had a choice in the end free will. I give this film a 4 out of 10. I think maybe me spending money on this stinker is the scariest part of the movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-35

ur0453228

title: Seen worse but seen better. review: Do not go out and see the Haunting of Molly Hartly. Predictable, boring and anti climatic is the traits of the H of M H. Acted OK, and directed OK. I will not say the movie was made bad, but the movie makers had bad material to work with. The movie got across as a 70's low budget, made for TV movie of the week, which the audience would see on late night TV. I get the ending where Molly is evil. Not scary, or even a shock with the ending. Everyone was evil in this film. I still thinks Molly had a choice in the end free will. I give this film a 4 out of 10. I think maybe me spending money on this stinker is the scariest part of the movie.

Scare free occult thriller with echoes of CARRIE & THE OMEN

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THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY (2008) * Haley Bennett, Jake Weber, Chace Crawford, Shannon Marie Woodward, Shanna Collins, AnnaLynne McCord, Marin Hinkle, Nina Siemaszko. Laughable occult thriller with echoes of "Carrie" and "The Omen" about a teen girl (Bennett) who begins to realize she may be a satanic presence as she attempts to fit in her new high school. The young cast is pretty lame overall despite a relatively plucky Bennett as the titular character. Large gaping holes in the story are only the least of this film's troubles (the opening teaser for example is never explained and the 'boo' factor of having birds suddenly thrust into view is cheap) ; the other being largely not scary in the least! (Dir: John Travis)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045655/reviews-32

ur0937743

title: Scare free occult thriller with echoes of CARRIE & THE OMEN review: THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY (2008) * Haley Bennett, Jake Weber, Chace Crawford, Shannon Marie Woodward, Shanna Collins, AnnaLynne McCord, Marin Hinkle, Nina Siemaszko. Laughable occult thriller with echoes of "Carrie" and "The Omen" about a teen girl (Bennett) who begins to realize she may be a satanic presence as she attempts to fit in her new high school. The young cast is pretty lame overall despite a relatively plucky Bennett as the titular character. Large gaping holes in the story are only the least of this film's troubles (the opening teaser for example is never explained and the 'boo' factor of having birds suddenly thrust into view is cheap) ; the other being largely not scary in the least! (Dir: John Travis)

Sophie, are we a family?

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Hayao Miyazaki's "Howl's Moving Castle" revolves around Sophie, an insecure young woman who is transformed into an old lady by a spiteful witch. An outcast before her transformation, Sophie takes to her new body like a fish to water; she leaves her bustling town for the anonymity of life in the mountains. Here she gets a job working for Howl, a powerful wizard.As is typical of Miyazaki, "Castle" is filled with loving details, picturesque towns, interesting machines, beautiful landscapes and that fusion of steam-punk and retro-art which Miyazaki so adores. More interesting is the way all of Miyazaki's major characters go through a physical metamorphosis. Sophie's outward appearance, for example, seems to fluctuate based on self-esteem and mood. Howl is similarly preoccupied with "how he looks", using potions and magic to create the illusion of a handsome wizard.These themes dovetail into the film's thoughts of war and conflict. Here Howl's gradually tainted by partaking in a war between two rival cultures. The more he fights, the more his body becomes black and monstrous. He also literally "loses his heart". For Miyazaki, deeds and actions affect beauty as strongly as private perceptions. You are what you do."Howl's Moving Castle" was based on a novel by British author Diana Wynee Jones. Miyazaki has altered Jones' tale slightly, however, and included vast air wars which he says were designed to evoke the Western invasion of Iraq. "The film was profoundly impacted by the war in Iraq," Miyazaki would later reveal. "The reason I didn't attend the Academy Awards was because I didn't want to visit a country that was bombing Iraq." In this regard, the film moves slowly from peace to chaos. When propaganda fliers fall from the sky (perhaps echoing the 2002 dropping of 500,000 pamphlets on Iraq by US airships), Miyazaki's landscapes begin their slow slide toward smoke and flame. For Miyazaki, peace with oneself forestalls conflict, but more importantly, those who pretend to oppose "evil" often partake in the very "evils" they denounce. By the film's climax, all sides are responsible, even Howl, who spends his days and nights catching the bombs which threaten to fall on innocent civilians. When he retaliates against those who drop them, his hands become overrun with black feathers; he begins to turn into the very monsters he decries."Which is who?" Sophia asks, looking up as armadas swirl. "What difference does it make?" comes the reply. Throughout the film, divisions between "us" and "them" seem irrelevant. There can be no "good" and "bad", no "love" and "hate" when the sheer act of partaking in violence makes everyone indistinguishable. Such a stance is reductive and at times false - one can oppose evil and violence, even with violence, and not be "evil" - but nevertheless offers an interesting contrast when we consider how wars are actually mis-sold ("We're under attack because we love freedom, and our enemy hates freedom. They hate and we love. We differ from our enemy because we love. Our enemy hates." - George Bush).Whilst "Howls" first three acts are strong, its final act overwhelms its audience with confusing subplots which make little sense upon first viewing. Only with re-watches do Miyazaki's intentions become clear. Indeed, the film becomes more tragic with familiarity. Howl, for example, is revealed to have "caught falling stars" as a child, saving them from impact and so death. One of these "falling stars" he "gives his heart to" in order to "save its life". As Howl grows up, this desire to "catch falling stars" stays with him; like the infamous dream in The Catcher in the Rye, Howl's preoccupied with preserving life.The "castle" of Miyazaki's title refers to Howl's home, a bulbous walking machine which epitomises Howl's rootlessness. As the film progresses, this castle falls apart, until it is reborn with wings. Howl and Sophie then fly off into the horizon, recalling an early, charming scene in which he quite literally sweeps the girl off her feet. The film climaxes with conventional light-shows of the kind you don't usually associate with Miyazaki. Howl's also designed to resemble traditional Manga heroes (sharp hair, big eyes, triangular jaw), lending some of the film's visuals a familiar feel. Still, the film's early moments, aided by composer Joe Hisaishi, are as good as Miyazaki at his best.8/10 – Multiple viewings required.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-326

ur4130201

title: Sophie, are we a family? review: Hayao Miyazaki's "Howl's Moving Castle" revolves around Sophie, an insecure young woman who is transformed into an old lady by a spiteful witch. An outcast before her transformation, Sophie takes to her new body like a fish to water; she leaves her bustling town for the anonymity of life in the mountains. Here she gets a job working for Howl, a powerful wizard.As is typical of Miyazaki, "Castle" is filled with loving details, picturesque towns, interesting machines, beautiful landscapes and that fusion of steam-punk and retro-art which Miyazaki so adores. More interesting is the way all of Miyazaki's major characters go through a physical metamorphosis. Sophie's outward appearance, for example, seems to fluctuate based on self-esteem and mood. Howl is similarly preoccupied with "how he looks", using potions and magic to create the illusion of a handsome wizard.These themes dovetail into the film's thoughts of war and conflict. Here Howl's gradually tainted by partaking in a war between two rival cultures. The more he fights, the more his body becomes black and monstrous. He also literally "loses his heart". For Miyazaki, deeds and actions affect beauty as strongly as private perceptions. You are what you do."Howl's Moving Castle" was based on a novel by British author Diana Wynee Jones. Miyazaki has altered Jones' tale slightly, however, and included vast air wars which he says were designed to evoke the Western invasion of Iraq. "The film was profoundly impacted by the war in Iraq," Miyazaki would later reveal. "The reason I didn't attend the Academy Awards was because I didn't want to visit a country that was bombing Iraq." In this regard, the film moves slowly from peace to chaos. When propaganda fliers fall from the sky (perhaps echoing the 2002 dropping of 500,000 pamphlets on Iraq by US airships), Miyazaki's landscapes begin their slow slide toward smoke and flame. For Miyazaki, peace with oneself forestalls conflict, but more importantly, those who pretend to oppose "evil" often partake in the very "evils" they denounce. By the film's climax, all sides are responsible, even Howl, who spends his days and nights catching the bombs which threaten to fall on innocent civilians. When he retaliates against those who drop them, his hands become overrun with black feathers; he begins to turn into the very monsters he decries."Which is who?" Sophia asks, looking up as armadas swirl. "What difference does it make?" comes the reply. Throughout the film, divisions between "us" and "them" seem irrelevant. There can be no "good" and "bad", no "love" and "hate" when the sheer act of partaking in violence makes everyone indistinguishable. Such a stance is reductive and at times false - one can oppose evil and violence, even with violence, and not be "evil" - but nevertheless offers an interesting contrast when we consider how wars are actually mis-sold ("We're under attack because we love freedom, and our enemy hates freedom. They hate and we love. We differ from our enemy because we love. Our enemy hates." - George Bush).Whilst "Howls" first three acts are strong, its final act overwhelms its audience with confusing subplots which make little sense upon first viewing. Only with re-watches do Miyazaki's intentions become clear. Indeed, the film becomes more tragic with familiarity. Howl, for example, is revealed to have "caught falling stars" as a child, saving them from impact and so death. One of these "falling stars" he "gives his heart to" in order to "save its life". As Howl grows up, this desire to "catch falling stars" stays with him; like the infamous dream in The Catcher in the Rye, Howl's preoccupied with preserving life.The "castle" of Miyazaki's title refers to Howl's home, a bulbous walking machine which epitomises Howl's rootlessness. As the film progresses, this castle falls apart, until it is reborn with wings. Howl and Sophie then fly off into the horizon, recalling an early, charming scene in which he quite literally sweeps the girl off her feet. The film climaxes with conventional light-shows of the kind you don't usually associate with Miyazaki. Howl's also designed to resemble traditional Manga heroes (sharp hair, big eyes, triangular jaw), lending some of the film's visuals a familiar feel. Still, the film's early moments, aided by composer Joe Hisaishi, are as good as Miyazaki at his best.8/10 – Multiple viewings required.

cartoon magic

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From the Oscar winning director of 'spirited away' comes this fine Japanese animation. It tell the story of a girl who is turned into an old woman by an evil witch and then seeks refuge in the castle of a wizard, howl, disguised as a cleaning lady. This has all the magical and fantastical elements you would expect from the mind of a mad Japanese animator. It pure fantasy and freedom the kind you can only do in a cartoon. It looks great the style is amazing and it's the attention to detail that stands out as far as the graphics go, howl's castle as it walks round the land wobbling and creaking like a huge engine. It is just a delight that adults and kids alike can sit together and enjoy this film for all sorts of different reasons. From wildly bizarre to oddly strange the story twists so many times you never know where it's going to end up and by the end I still had no idea. I think that is where some of this films charms are, in that it doesn't have to make sense to be enjoyed its just so mystical and aesthetically pleasing. Disney and Pixar have very good looking computer generated films that are funny but if you want to see a film with a real soul and old school animation right at its heart then you can't go far wrong with howl's.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-162

ur4995240

title: cartoon magic review: From the Oscar winning director of 'spirited away' comes this fine Japanese animation. It tell the story of a girl who is turned into an old woman by an evil witch and then seeks refuge in the castle of a wizard, howl, disguised as a cleaning lady. This has all the magical and fantastical elements you would expect from the mind of a mad Japanese animator. It pure fantasy and freedom the kind you can only do in a cartoon. It looks great the style is amazing and it's the attention to detail that stands out as far as the graphics go, howl's castle as it walks round the land wobbling and creaking like a huge engine. It is just a delight that adults and kids alike can sit together and enjoy this film for all sorts of different reasons. From wildly bizarre to oddly strange the story twists so many times you never know where it's going to end up and by the end I still had no idea. I think that is where some of this films charms are, in that it doesn't have to make sense to be enjoyed its just so mystical and aesthetically pleasing. Disney and Pixar have very good looking computer generated films that are funny but if you want to see a film with a real soul and old school animation right at its heart then you can't go far wrong with howl's.

Amazing Film

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Another great film from Hayao Miyazaki(Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,Princess Mononoke,Spirited Away) like all of his films they are very imaginative and creative. I never read the book it was based on not yet anyway. My favorite scene is the where Sophie and Howl are flying through the air and is actually my favorite scene in any Miyazaki film. The English dub has the voices of:Emily Mortimer(Dear Frankie,Lars and the Real Girl,Shutter Island,Hugo) Christian Bale(American Psycho,Batman Begins,The Prestige,The Dark Knight) and Lauren Bacall(To Have and Have Not,The Big Sleep,Key Largo,Dogville). I recommend this film to anybody

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-296

ur24580299

title: Amazing Film review: Another great film from Hayao Miyazaki(Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,Princess Mononoke,Spirited Away) like all of his films they are very imaginative and creative. I never read the book it was based on not yet anyway. My favorite scene is the where Sophie and Howl are flying through the air and is actually my favorite scene in any Miyazaki film. The English dub has the voices of:Emily Mortimer(Dear Frankie,Lars and the Real Girl,Shutter Island,Hugo) Christian Bale(American Psycho,Batman Begins,The Prestige,The Dark Knight) and Lauren Bacall(To Have and Have Not,The Big Sleep,Key Largo,Dogville). I recommend this film to anybody

Miyazaki's most confounding and least compelling film to date

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I don't have much to say about the movie reiterating the points of the plot as already explained by comments below, other than the fact that I thought it cannot be possible to top or even equal the top-notch quality and subliminally emotional power of the magic fantasy hybrid of the Grimm Brothers, Lewis Carroll & Japanese folklore in Spirited Away.Howl's Moving Castle retains some of Hayao Miyazaki's magic in storytelling and animation but it's not certainly his best. In fact, it's his worst since the embarrassingly contrived Kiki's Delivery Service.It seems to me that the strange mess of Howl's Moving Castle confirms there is a theoretical pattern that Miyazaki does his best when he creates original stories inspired by the fantastic works of European & Asian literature and turn out fantastic animated films and manga, but his skills do not translate well in the attempted adaptation of previous published works.Don't get me wrong; I have a great deal of admiration for Mr. Miyazaki. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind comic book series is a worthy companion piece to C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien's famous epic literacy works. He has an incredibly imaginary mind with the penchant for telling outlandish stories reminiscent of Aesop and Hans Christian Anderson. That's the only positive compliment I have for Howl's Moving Castle in spite of its mind-bendingly glaring story and character development flaws.The story as written by Mr. Miyazaki (I watched the Japanese version with English subtitles instead of awful-sounding English dub) starts all right. . .then it became a confounding mess leading to the bizarre ending that feels rushed as though the production schedule had to be fulfilled on time in time for a projected theatrical release. Tim Burton's horrible 2001 re-make of Planet of the Apes suffered the same "rushed production" effect and this lesson remains unlearned.A further production delay with Miyazaki's storyboard revision to iron out the problems might have improved the ending and clarify some plot points and character development to keep the story consistent, but that wasn't the option. Studio Ghibli and its subcontractors came close to missing the production deadline for Spirited Away (as tensely explained in a documentary as an extra on Region 1 DVD) but miraculously turned out a masterpiece right on schedule.So Howl's Moving Castle, however visually pleasant, falters in the second and third act in terms of marginal storytelling. The film resorts to Miyazaki's scenarios that border on the incomprehensibly bizarre towards the closing. Not to mention the fact the movie carry the sledgehammer approach to delivering the main theme. It's better to be subliminal than to be so screeningly obvious it becomes annoying that may inspire "who cares?" apathy at the end when the two-hour ordeal is over.I get the point, Studio Ghibli. Try to be coherent and subtle in the next Miyazaki production, please.The last third of the movie embodies the term "deus ex machina". Look the phrase up in a dictionary. That's why the movie is an abominable mess that render the plot incomprehensible that rely on overactive imagination to move the movie along to unsustainable and unnecessarily overlong length. The Neverending Story this movie ain't. It probably isn't faithful to the source material, either.* out of four, courtesy of a very disappointed Miyazaki fan.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-144

ur0089164

title: Miyazaki's most confounding and least compelling film to date review: I don't have much to say about the movie reiterating the points of the plot as already explained by comments below, other than the fact that I thought it cannot be possible to top or even equal the top-notch quality and subliminally emotional power of the magic fantasy hybrid of the Grimm Brothers, Lewis Carroll & Japanese folklore in Spirited Away.Howl's Moving Castle retains some of Hayao Miyazaki's magic in storytelling and animation but it's not certainly his best. In fact, it's his worst since the embarrassingly contrived Kiki's Delivery Service.It seems to me that the strange mess of Howl's Moving Castle confirms there is a theoretical pattern that Miyazaki does his best when he creates original stories inspired by the fantastic works of European & Asian literature and turn out fantastic animated films and manga, but his skills do not translate well in the attempted adaptation of previous published works.Don't get me wrong; I have a great deal of admiration for Mr. Miyazaki. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind comic book series is a worthy companion piece to C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien's famous epic literacy works. He has an incredibly imaginary mind with the penchant for telling outlandish stories reminiscent of Aesop and Hans Christian Anderson. That's the only positive compliment I have for Howl's Moving Castle in spite of its mind-bendingly glaring story and character development flaws.The story as written by Mr. Miyazaki (I watched the Japanese version with English subtitles instead of awful-sounding English dub) starts all right. . .then it became a confounding mess leading to the bizarre ending that feels rushed as though the production schedule had to be fulfilled on time in time for a projected theatrical release. Tim Burton's horrible 2001 re-make of Planet of the Apes suffered the same "rushed production" effect and this lesson remains unlearned.A further production delay with Miyazaki's storyboard revision to iron out the problems might have improved the ending and clarify some plot points and character development to keep the story consistent, but that wasn't the option. Studio Ghibli and its subcontractors came close to missing the production deadline for Spirited Away (as tensely explained in a documentary as an extra on Region 1 DVD) but miraculously turned out a masterpiece right on schedule.So Howl's Moving Castle, however visually pleasant, falters in the second and third act in terms of marginal storytelling. The film resorts to Miyazaki's scenarios that border on the incomprehensibly bizarre towards the closing. Not to mention the fact the movie carry the sledgehammer approach to delivering the main theme. It's better to be subliminal than to be so screeningly obvious it becomes annoying that may inspire "who cares?" apathy at the end when the two-hour ordeal is over.I get the point, Studio Ghibli. Try to be coherent and subtle in the next Miyazaki production, please.The last third of the movie embodies the term "deus ex machina". Look the phrase up in a dictionary. That's why the movie is an abominable mess that render the plot incomprehensible that rely on overactive imagination to move the movie along to unsustainable and unnecessarily overlong length. The Neverending Story this movie ain't. It probably isn't faithful to the source material, either.* out of four, courtesy of a very disappointed Miyazaki fan.

Hah! Forget computers! ...CGI is so last year.

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I remember when I saw Red's Dream. That's one of Pixar's first shorts along with Luxor Junior, and I remember it because I was working in a computer graphics company in the UK and it was about 1986 ish. We all huddled round a small TV and watched awed as raindrops fell outside the bike shop (Red is a unicycle) and hit the puddles, rippling out and distorting the reflection of the shop lights. It was a magical moment where we first saw that never seen before water effect and all went "Wow"....Hey mac. What about Howl's Moving Castle - What's your point? Move it along! Ahem, well... The animation in Howl's is of frankly awesome quality. I'm bleating about CGI water above and then I go and see Howl's and there are waves coming up the beach in one scene and they are translucent, perfect and get this ...hand drawn! There is just something about the craft involved in replicating an effect like that with a pencil and some colourists. No it's not CGI style realistic. It's better than that. There is sometimes a thing about CGI in that it is too perfect. That's why companies try hard to top Toy Story. Great movie but everything is so round, hard and shiny.The water in Howl's is like a poem about water rather than a slavish copy and therein lies the difference. ...Something like the essential difference between a painting and a photograph.That's just one item in one scene and things like that go on throughout the movie and my eyes just basically got wider and wider. I find the whole thing just astonishing and really must look up the other movies like Spitited Away and Princess Mononoke. To paraphrase another reviewer. (This ain't CGI) "This is Art".Ah... but you wanted to watch a film really didn't you? It works well enough but I'm going to have to give it an 8 instead of a 10. Quite simply there is something that probably makes sense in Japanese that goes wrong here and makes the story a little puzzling and disjointed in English in places. Other than that it's great. You'll continue to see some scenes in your mind's eye for months afterwards. This movie is not easily forgotten. (And my 12 year old daughter thought it was great too!)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-138

ur5375354

title: Hah! Forget computers! ...CGI is so last year. review: I remember when I saw Red's Dream. That's one of Pixar's first shorts along with Luxor Junior, and I remember it because I was working in a computer graphics company in the UK and it was about 1986 ish. We all huddled round a small TV and watched awed as raindrops fell outside the bike shop (Red is a unicycle) and hit the puddles, rippling out and distorting the reflection of the shop lights. It was a magical moment where we first saw that never seen before water effect and all went "Wow"....Hey mac. What about Howl's Moving Castle - What's your point? Move it along! Ahem, well... The animation in Howl's is of frankly awesome quality. I'm bleating about CGI water above and then I go and see Howl's and there are waves coming up the beach in one scene and they are translucent, perfect and get this ...hand drawn! There is just something about the craft involved in replicating an effect like that with a pencil and some colourists. No it's not CGI style realistic. It's better than that. There is sometimes a thing about CGI in that it is too perfect. That's why companies try hard to top Toy Story. Great movie but everything is so round, hard and shiny.The water in Howl's is like a poem about water rather than a slavish copy and therein lies the difference. ...Something like the essential difference between a painting and a photograph.That's just one item in one scene and things like that go on throughout the movie and my eyes just basically got wider and wider. I find the whole thing just astonishing and really must look up the other movies like Spitited Away and Princess Mononoke. To paraphrase another reviewer. (This ain't CGI) "This is Art".Ah... but you wanted to watch a film really didn't you? It works well enough but I'm going to have to give it an 8 instead of a 10. Quite simply there is something that probably makes sense in Japanese that goes wrong here and makes the story a little puzzling and disjointed in English in places. Other than that it's great. You'll continue to see some scenes in your mind's eye for months afterwards. This movie is not easily forgotten. (And my 12 year old daughter thought it was great too!)

Nice anime movie...

tt0347149

"Howl's Moving Castle" is an another masterpiece made and directed by Hayao Miyazaki who was the director of other great movies such as "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro".I really enjoyed this movie because I compare it with the movie "Spirited Away" and I found it very interesting. In this movie we watch a young woman who is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch trying to break this spell, but she has only one way to do this."Howl's Moving Castle" is a movie that I think that if you like this style of movies you will love it. I also want to tell you that if you liked the other movies made by Hayao Miyazaki then "Howl's Moving Castle" is your film and you have to see it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-327

ur33907744

title: Nice anime movie... review: "Howl's Moving Castle" is an another masterpiece made and directed by Hayao Miyazaki who was the director of other great movies such as "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro".I really enjoyed this movie because I compare it with the movie "Spirited Away" and I found it very interesting. In this movie we watch a young woman who is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch trying to break this spell, but she has only one way to do this."Howl's Moving Castle" is a movie that I think that if you like this style of movies you will love it. I also want to tell you that if you liked the other movies made by Hayao Miyazaki then "Howl's Moving Castle" is your film and you have to see it.

Bittersweet movie about romance and old age

tt0347149

I think many people are complaining about Miyazake because his movies are starting to look alike and their plots are beginning to get very similar. I don't have problems with that. The elderly Sofi here looks a little like Yubaba in Spirited Away and Dola in Castle in the Sky. However, you can generalize that all anime women look alike with their huge eyes and we can even go racist and say all black people look alike to Asians and Asians look alike to Americans and Mexicans, Spaniards and Argentinians look alike to Asians.Miyazake is animating and he's doing what he knows best. His Nausicaa looks like they borrowed clothes from his TV series, Conan, Boy of the Future (and his son's upcoming film, Gedo Senki, looks like they borrowed production and costume designs from Nausicaa). I look at it this way, they are riffs of the same theme, similar yet different, and each riff is a gift for humanity and I have no cause for complaint. Miyazake has white hair and I would want him to work on forever but I'm going to break my heart over him one day so I'm grateful for every film he makes. He will never do less than his best anyway.Despite this apology for his work (which does not need excuses anyway), Howl's Moving Castle has many virtues that makes it stand out from Miyazake's body of outstanding films. The movie has a tender eye for the elderly. It's a better version of the tale told in the Freaky Friday movies and 18 Again, because it's really told by an old man.And again, Miyazake repeats his refusal to make true villains out of his characters. A villain at the start will appear again in a wilted, helpless form, then still later as a supplicant, then finally as a friend.By the end of the film, Miyazake, that old master, has made me half in love with Sofi myself, whether she's the old lady with creaking bones, or the young girl with severe, conservative clothes, or the old lady with quick thinking and lightning reflexes or the young girl with hair like starlight, she's a complex creation, golden hearted yet not maudlin, plain in looks yet beautiful whether young or old.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-158

ur0488912

title: Bittersweet movie about romance and old age review: I think many people are complaining about Miyazake because his movies are starting to look alike and their plots are beginning to get very similar. I don't have problems with that. The elderly Sofi here looks a little like Yubaba in Spirited Away and Dola in Castle in the Sky. However, you can generalize that all anime women look alike with their huge eyes and we can even go racist and say all black people look alike to Asians and Asians look alike to Americans and Mexicans, Spaniards and Argentinians look alike to Asians.Miyazake is animating and he's doing what he knows best. His Nausicaa looks like they borrowed clothes from his TV series, Conan, Boy of the Future (and his son's upcoming film, Gedo Senki, looks like they borrowed production and costume designs from Nausicaa). I look at it this way, they are riffs of the same theme, similar yet different, and each riff is a gift for humanity and I have no cause for complaint. Miyazake has white hair and I would want him to work on forever but I'm going to break my heart over him one day so I'm grateful for every film he makes. He will never do less than his best anyway.Despite this apology for his work (which does not need excuses anyway), Howl's Moving Castle has many virtues that makes it stand out from Miyazake's body of outstanding films. The movie has a tender eye for the elderly. It's a better version of the tale told in the Freaky Friday movies and 18 Again, because it's really told by an old man.And again, Miyazake repeats his refusal to make true villains out of his characters. A villain at the start will appear again in a wilted, helpless form, then still later as a supplicant, then finally as a friend.By the end of the film, Miyazake, that old master, has made me half in love with Sofi myself, whether she's the old lady with creaking bones, or the young girl with severe, conservative clothes, or the old lady with quick thinking and lightning reflexes or the young girl with hair like starlight, she's a complex creation, golden hearted yet not maudlin, plain in looks yet beautiful whether young or old.

Taken Back to being a 'tween' again

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For foreign films, I find that watching a film first in its original language is more insightful than seeing it first in an English language dubbed version. I saw both versions of Hauru no ugoku shiro/Howl's Moving Castle and loved this lovely piece of animation.I've always been a fan of pacific rim animation and was exposed to it at an early age, at its early age. Some of the best characters and stories as a child and pre-teen came from many of these artists, so I am always interested in looking at recent animations and animes. If I were 6 again, I would love the heck out of Howl's Moving castle as I did those pieces of animation and anime. Even now that I am older, I think this is just a wonderful whimsy piece of animation.The images/the animation in this film are remarkable especially: Howl's Moving Castle. You cannot deny how much work was placed into just this piece. Every time it came on screen, it catches your attention. Just wonderful. The story was whimsical and as with many pieces of animation and anime of this kind, you have to suspend your belief and just be taken away by the entertainment. The story is simple: a very shy unconfident girl (Sophie) gets cursed by a vengeful witch who turns her into a 90 year old. She hides in Howl's moving castle until she can find a solution to her problem - hoping that elusive Howl can also find a solution to her problem.Once in Howl's very strange castle, you do keep hearing: "How can you help me when you can't solve your own problem?" Even when Sophie finds the witch who cast the spell on her the witch relies, "I can only cast spells, I cannot take them back." How odd! But that tells you much about this film as well.And then there is Howl. Why is he elusive? What is he trying to do? Is he good or bad, or just trying to escape both to find out exactly who he is? You actually watch Howl's transformations as he himself battles this out. It's quite interesting to see.As in much animation and anime of this kind, nothing is tied up nicely-neatly and there are a few things that make you think about it afterward. But this is a story of sorcery, of change, of strength, of war, of peace and finding enough love within yourself to love others.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-186

ur0874373

title: Taken Back to being a 'tween' again review: For foreign films, I find that watching a film first in its original language is more insightful than seeing it first in an English language dubbed version. I saw both versions of Hauru no ugoku shiro/Howl's Moving Castle and loved this lovely piece of animation.I've always been a fan of pacific rim animation and was exposed to it at an early age, at its early age. Some of the best characters and stories as a child and pre-teen came from many of these artists, so I am always interested in looking at recent animations and animes. If I were 6 again, I would love the heck out of Howl's Moving castle as I did those pieces of animation and anime. Even now that I am older, I think this is just a wonderful whimsy piece of animation.The images/the animation in this film are remarkable especially: Howl's Moving Castle. You cannot deny how much work was placed into just this piece. Every time it came on screen, it catches your attention. Just wonderful. The story was whimsical and as with many pieces of animation and anime of this kind, you have to suspend your belief and just be taken away by the entertainment. The story is simple: a very shy unconfident girl (Sophie) gets cursed by a vengeful witch who turns her into a 90 year old. She hides in Howl's moving castle until she can find a solution to her problem - hoping that elusive Howl can also find a solution to her problem.Once in Howl's very strange castle, you do keep hearing: "How can you help me when you can't solve your own problem?" Even when Sophie finds the witch who cast the spell on her the witch relies, "I can only cast spells, I cannot take them back." How odd! But that tells you much about this film as well.And then there is Howl. Why is he elusive? What is he trying to do? Is he good or bad, or just trying to escape both to find out exactly who he is? You actually watch Howl's transformations as he himself battles this out. It's quite interesting to see.As in much animation and anime of this kind, nothing is tied up nicely-neatly and there are a few things that make you think about it afterward. But this is a story of sorcery, of change, of strength, of war, of peace and finding enough love within yourself to love others.

A great animated film

tt0347149

Howl's Moving Castle is another Miyazaki film and thus at least partially nostalgic and environmentally conscious in its nature. This film is actually less concerned with how we treat nature than how we treat ourselves. It's an antiwar film, showing the horrors that can happen when people fight senseless battles. The conflict with Sophie vacillating between youth and old age depending on her feelings toward Howl is a visual metaphor for one's state of mind. In the end, when she looks young but still has the silvered hair of old age, it represents a coming together of energy and wisdom.Like most modern Ghibli output, it mixes hand drawn and computer animation in a very subtle way, and has that distinct look and feel of wonderment that makes them very naturally enjoyable. The environment is a little blander than some of Miyazaki's other work but the Castle itself and some of the characters are imaginative as ever. Sophie is another in a long line of young female protagonists in Miyazaki films and Howl is another in the line of supporting male counterparts. Their relationship doesn't have the normal twists and turns you might expect, but that's part of what makes it interesting. The supporting cast is a little more broadly drawn but does well to serve the needs of the story and some comic relief. It wasn't the best thing he's done but still quite above average.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-271

ur13538926

title: A great animated film review: Howl's Moving Castle is another Miyazaki film and thus at least partially nostalgic and environmentally conscious in its nature. This film is actually less concerned with how we treat nature than how we treat ourselves. It's an antiwar film, showing the horrors that can happen when people fight senseless battles. The conflict with Sophie vacillating between youth and old age depending on her feelings toward Howl is a visual metaphor for one's state of mind. In the end, when she looks young but still has the silvered hair of old age, it represents a coming together of energy and wisdom.Like most modern Ghibli output, it mixes hand drawn and computer animation in a very subtle way, and has that distinct look and feel of wonderment that makes them very naturally enjoyable. The environment is a little blander than some of Miyazaki's other work but the Castle itself and some of the characters are imaginative as ever. Sophie is another in a long line of young female protagonists in Miyazaki films and Howl is another in the line of supporting male counterparts. Their relationship doesn't have the normal twists and turns you might expect, but that's part of what makes it interesting. The supporting cast is a little more broadly drawn but does well to serve the needs of the story and some comic relief. It wasn't the best thing he's done but still quite above average.

Miyazaki is an anime genius; This is perfect proof

tt0347149

I have just begun my quest for Miyazaki films. The first one I saw was Spirited Away. After this being more than excellent, I immediately began searching for his other so called animation masterpieces. This, was the second I found. Since Spirited Away was such a beautiful, mesmerizing piece of artwork and it stuck and connected with me, I expected nonetheless from Howl's Moving Castle, but I got so much more than I bargained for, even going in thinking I was going to love it!This movie has got to be one of the greatest and most magical animation films I have seen to this day, and one of the most beautiful, enchantingly haunting and marvelously assembled work of arts that I have seen in general! The things that Miyazaki did with this movie were so much better than what tons of animation filmmakers out there are doing today and in my honest opinion, he made the characters, plot and scenes way more lovable than they already were. I mean, I absolutely adored Sophie, Howl, Calcifer, Turniphead and even the Witch of the Waste because Miyazaki does such an incredibly impressive job with his characters and gives them such depth and likability! He makes them so simple yet gives them life, personality and charm, making us fall in love with them every time we watch the movie! Seriously, I believe that this has some of the best animation characters of all time, just because I can fall so in love with them over and over and they never get old and always make me smile and care for them with their overall attitudes and lines.Another thing is he just made this movie so wonderfully intense and complex while still being mellow and easy to understand all the way through, as well. I know that sounds weird and probably doesn't make sense to you, but what I'm trying to say is that it seemed to me like he put in his best effort on this movie, as he probably does with all his movies, and made it so breathtakingly powerful, but still being straightforward to our eyes and mind, and we can understand it's ingenious complexity through simple characatures. I love the way Miyazaki's mind works! This movie also is ever so entertaining and surreally pensive, joyful and yet wistful from start to finish, and you can just get so into the plot and characters up until it's at a point where you can't look away because all you want to do is just sit right where you are and enjoy this mouthwateringly spectacular film! That's exactly what happened with me! Once I got in my spot I was stuck there through the entire film, and almost forgot I was even breathing that I was so in the feeling of this masterpiece.There were scenes where I chuckled, because this movie has a lot of cute, random humor that you can't help but smile at. There were points where I wanted to cry for how incredibly passionate it gets, and there are points where I wish I could just jump right into the movie myself and see and feel what the characters see and feel, such as some of the landscape scenes with soothing music, which are just beautiful as well as the main message it tries to get through and the movie Howl's Moving Castle overall as a whole! This movie completely stunned me with it's magnificent animation, plot, characters and intensity. I loved every second and even though it got slightly rushed for a minor amount of time near the end, Miyazaki makes it to where you really don't care about the minor problem and makes Howl's Moving Castle completely worth the watch any day and I have already watched it 4 times in a week! I can't even fully describe how much I love and cherish this movie, but take my word for it, it is brilliant, bravura, unimaginably superb and I will certainly be watching more of Miyazaki's work very soon.If you enjoy Miyazaki and you have not seen this yet, I recommend you do as soon as possible for you will of course fall in love with it, as well, for it is an anime masterpiece and a force to be reckoned with! I could go on and on about this film, but I'm going to end by saying that I am so happy this movie is loved as much as I love it; It is so far the best of Miyazaki's I've seen, though I admit Spirited Away was more professional in some distinct ways, but Howl's Moving Castle is just so much more enjoyable, for me; That it is implausibly and poetically dreamy with insanely adorable characters, an outstanding plot and non-stop fun, and that it is total rapture from the very beginning until the very last second.Okay, now I have just been going on about how wonderful it is over and over again, so I think you get the point I'm trying to make by now. See it, it's really as amazing as I'm making it out to be! I love it!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-261

ur18374320

title: Miyazaki is an anime genius; This is perfect proof review: I have just begun my quest for Miyazaki films. The first one I saw was Spirited Away. After this being more than excellent, I immediately began searching for his other so called animation masterpieces. This, was the second I found. Since Spirited Away was such a beautiful, mesmerizing piece of artwork and it stuck and connected with me, I expected nonetheless from Howl's Moving Castle, but I got so much more than I bargained for, even going in thinking I was going to love it!This movie has got to be one of the greatest and most magical animation films I have seen to this day, and one of the most beautiful, enchantingly haunting and marvelously assembled work of arts that I have seen in general! The things that Miyazaki did with this movie were so much better than what tons of animation filmmakers out there are doing today and in my honest opinion, he made the characters, plot and scenes way more lovable than they already were. I mean, I absolutely adored Sophie, Howl, Calcifer, Turniphead and even the Witch of the Waste because Miyazaki does such an incredibly impressive job with his characters and gives them such depth and likability! He makes them so simple yet gives them life, personality and charm, making us fall in love with them every time we watch the movie! Seriously, I believe that this has some of the best animation characters of all time, just because I can fall so in love with them over and over and they never get old and always make me smile and care for them with their overall attitudes and lines.Another thing is he just made this movie so wonderfully intense and complex while still being mellow and easy to understand all the way through, as well. I know that sounds weird and probably doesn't make sense to you, but what I'm trying to say is that it seemed to me like he put in his best effort on this movie, as he probably does with all his movies, and made it so breathtakingly powerful, but still being straightforward to our eyes and mind, and we can understand it's ingenious complexity through simple characatures. I love the way Miyazaki's mind works! This movie also is ever so entertaining and surreally pensive, joyful and yet wistful from start to finish, and you can just get so into the plot and characters up until it's at a point where you can't look away because all you want to do is just sit right where you are and enjoy this mouthwateringly spectacular film! That's exactly what happened with me! Once I got in my spot I was stuck there through the entire film, and almost forgot I was even breathing that I was so in the feeling of this masterpiece.There were scenes where I chuckled, because this movie has a lot of cute, random humor that you can't help but smile at. There were points where I wanted to cry for how incredibly passionate it gets, and there are points where I wish I could just jump right into the movie myself and see and feel what the characters see and feel, such as some of the landscape scenes with soothing music, which are just beautiful as well as the main message it tries to get through and the movie Howl's Moving Castle overall as a whole! This movie completely stunned me with it's magnificent animation, plot, characters and intensity. I loved every second and even though it got slightly rushed for a minor amount of time near the end, Miyazaki makes it to where you really don't care about the minor problem and makes Howl's Moving Castle completely worth the watch any day and I have already watched it 4 times in a week! I can't even fully describe how much I love and cherish this movie, but take my word for it, it is brilliant, bravura, unimaginably superb and I will certainly be watching more of Miyazaki's work very soon.If you enjoy Miyazaki and you have not seen this yet, I recommend you do as soon as possible for you will of course fall in love with it, as well, for it is an anime masterpiece and a force to be reckoned with! I could go on and on about this film, but I'm going to end by saying that I am so happy this movie is loved as much as I love it; It is so far the best of Miyazaki's I've seen, though I admit Spirited Away was more professional in some distinct ways, but Howl's Moving Castle is just so much more enjoyable, for me; That it is implausibly and poetically dreamy with insanely adorable characters, an outstanding plot and non-stop fun, and that it is total rapture from the very beginning until the very last second.Okay, now I have just been going on about how wonderful it is over and over again, so I think you get the point I'm trying to make by now. See it, it's really as amazing as I'm making it out to be! I love it!

Loose Ends Ruined It For Me

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Having little experience in the Anime realm, I have to admit I'm probably not the most knowledgeable reviewer to examine a film such as this. But what I DO feel I'm fairly qualified to do is to evaluate stories. Animated or not, films are a valued method of reaching out to viewers and creating entertainment.Although HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE had some great animation and interesting concepts, the story was so nonsensical in so many places that I found myself shaking my head wondering why I was watching it.The story (if I'm not mistaken) is about Sophie, a young milliner (hatmaker) who lives a mundane life until she's afflicted by a curse put upon her by the (initially) evil Witch of the Waste. The curse comes in the form of age, turning Sophie instantly from a vibrant young girl into a ancient old hag. In order to break the spell, she must find Howl and his moving castle. But with the curse comes the added insult that she cannot tell anyone about it. So once our heroine meets up with Howl, she's unable to tell him what she needs and instead becomes the moving castle's housekeeper.Within the house she finds a young boy who wants to be just like Howl. She also meets and befriends the power that helps keep Howl's castle constantly on the go: a type of fire called Calcifer. And with the castle comes a multitude of problems: Howl's carelessness and difficulties of "the heart", a war against outside forces, and the threat of the Witch of the Waste.Again, the animation in the film was great. It was excellently colored and moved in an almost Van Goghish fashion across the screen. But oh the story! There's never an explanation given as to the war that is constantly circling this strange land. Why and how it got started are never fully explained, even though much screen time is given to the machines of war. Why and how the young boy who lives in Howl's castle came to be there are never explained either. Nor is any explanation given to the powers of Calcifer, the fire that drives the castle (the ending touches on it slightly but very ineffectually.) There are plenty of other non-sequiturs but those are the biggest. Too bad, really, as there were some great voices amongst the cast ...from Christian Bale, Billy Crystal and Lauren Bacall just to name a few.I don't mind films that leave a certain amount of exposition up to the viewers interpretation, but there needs to be some rhyme and/or reason for the basic constructs of a movie. HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE left me howling for too many explanations.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-174

ur7704831

title: Loose Ends Ruined It For Me review: Having little experience in the Anime realm, I have to admit I'm probably not the most knowledgeable reviewer to examine a film such as this. But what I DO feel I'm fairly qualified to do is to evaluate stories. Animated or not, films are a valued method of reaching out to viewers and creating entertainment.Although HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE had some great animation and interesting concepts, the story was so nonsensical in so many places that I found myself shaking my head wondering why I was watching it.The story (if I'm not mistaken) is about Sophie, a young milliner (hatmaker) who lives a mundane life until she's afflicted by a curse put upon her by the (initially) evil Witch of the Waste. The curse comes in the form of age, turning Sophie instantly from a vibrant young girl into a ancient old hag. In order to break the spell, she must find Howl and his moving castle. But with the curse comes the added insult that she cannot tell anyone about it. So once our heroine meets up with Howl, she's unable to tell him what she needs and instead becomes the moving castle's housekeeper.Within the house she finds a young boy who wants to be just like Howl. She also meets and befriends the power that helps keep Howl's castle constantly on the go: a type of fire called Calcifer. And with the castle comes a multitude of problems: Howl's carelessness and difficulties of "the heart", a war against outside forces, and the threat of the Witch of the Waste.Again, the animation in the film was great. It was excellently colored and moved in an almost Van Goghish fashion across the screen. But oh the story! There's never an explanation given as to the war that is constantly circling this strange land. Why and how it got started are never fully explained, even though much screen time is given to the machines of war. Why and how the young boy who lives in Howl's castle came to be there are never explained either. Nor is any explanation given to the powers of Calcifer, the fire that drives the castle (the ending touches on it slightly but very ineffectually.) There are plenty of other non-sequiturs but those are the biggest. Too bad, really, as there were some great voices amongst the cast ...from Christian Bale, Billy Crystal and Lauren Bacall just to name a few.I don't mind films that leave a certain amount of exposition up to the viewers interpretation, but there needs to be some rhyme and/or reason for the basic constructs of a movie. HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE left me howling for too many explanations.

Cool but weird

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I've wanted to see this ever since I saw clips of it on Jonathon Ross's "Japanorama" show on BBC3 several years ago. I guess you'd class it as Anime but it was clearly made with a Western audience in mind as most signs and numbers are written in English (Although I did see a poster written in German & some boxes labelled in what looked like French).You don't need the subtitles switched on as there is English dialogue but the subtitles were clearly translated from Japanese as they do differ from the spoken English dialogue in grammar and structure, not all translations are exact either.The look of the movie is very much like something from the mind of animator Terry Gilliam, especially the castle on legs striding across the rural countryside. Its very much like something he'd have thought of. It's difficult to know what time period the movie is supposed to be set in seeing Cavalrymen on Horses but steam powered Trams, Trains, Steam Cars & Sedan Chairs too.It appears the lead character of the film is Sophie who works in a millinery shop (thats hats to you philistines) and we start off meeting her leaving work, being rescued from the over amourous attention of 2 soldiers by a chap who not only seems to know Jedi Mind tricks but can also fly and is being chased by evil black ectoplasmic creatures.Sophie discusses her encounter with her sister Lettie and they also discuss Howl (he's clearly a Wizard and everyone thinks he's evil and eats womens hearts), returning to the Shop Sophie has a spell cast on her by The Witch Of The Wastes which turns her into an old women. She avoids her mother and leaves town rescuing a scarecrow which repays her with a walking cane and helps her to find shelter, inside Howls Moving Castle. A bit like the Tardis, even though its moving the inside of the castle always remains stationary as though it were a normal static dwelling.This is obviously a world where magic is totally normal (as Sophie wasn't surprised by a magical scarecrow) as meeting a Fire Demon called Calciifer didn't even seem to phase her, it seems Howls Castle is even more like the Stargate as it is able to be static yet its front door and exterior can be in many different locations at once (Actually it seems to be based on the Terry Pratchett idea of Wandering Shops).All of the callers seem to think different Wizards live there but none think it is Howl. We discover the man who saved Sophie is of course Howl (who can't be that great a wizard if he doesn't recognise someone under an spell) and to remain close to him she pretends she is his new cleaning lady.We also discover (thanks to Howl) that Sophie appears as a normal girl when she sleeps. One thing can be said for certain, this is a world where several cities or countries are involved in a war (with flying battleships and iron ships that look like US Civil War steamers) but even the Witch Of The Waste seems to have a Tardis-like Sedan chair, definitely bigger on the inside.It's rather strange that whilst talking to the Kings Head Sorceror Sulliman (a mistranslation surely as she is clearly female) that Sophie briefly transforms into her younger self whilst making an impassioned speech on Howls behalf. Sulliman had also taken all the magic from The Witch Of The Waste and tried to trap Howl who saves Sophie.Sophie escapes back to the castle and wakes up but is still young, checking on Howl she tells him she loves him. When he rejects her she becomes old again but it is difficult to know if that was a dream or not. Afer using Calcifer to move the Castle it also completely reconfigures and repairs the interior (again like another aspect of the Tardis, able to add new rooms), Sophie also appears to get younger again when Howl takes her into his secret garden.From what I could understand Sophie gets younger when she acknowledges her feelings of love for Howl. Sophie is visited by her mother (who was forced to leave a spying bug by Sulliman) but it is destroyed by The Witch Of The Wastes using Calcifer to burn it but it leaves him weakened and unable to protect the house from invasion and bombing.So many of the images of flying ships and burning birds remind of Battle Of The Planets (Gatchaman) it made me wonder if the maker of this had seen the cartoon as a child. Trying to help Howl Sophie removes Calcifer from the castle which destroys it but he is able to reconfigure it only smaller when she returns him and gives him her hair.The magical scarecrow saves them from certain death and she kisses him which releases him from a spell, he turns out to be a missing Prince who can stop the war. Sulliman also stops the war using her royal contacts and calcifer repairs the castle and Sophie and Howl fly off into the sky.It's an odd ending to an odd but sweet film which is apparently very loosely based on a novel by Diana Wynne Jones, the film is just under 2 hours long but I think it could be cut by about 20 minutes as it is just too long in places.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-246

ur0727639

title: Cool but weird review: I've wanted to see this ever since I saw clips of it on Jonathon Ross's "Japanorama" show on BBC3 several years ago. I guess you'd class it as Anime but it was clearly made with a Western audience in mind as most signs and numbers are written in English (Although I did see a poster written in German & some boxes labelled in what looked like French).You don't need the subtitles switched on as there is English dialogue but the subtitles were clearly translated from Japanese as they do differ from the spoken English dialogue in grammar and structure, not all translations are exact either.The look of the movie is very much like something from the mind of animator Terry Gilliam, especially the castle on legs striding across the rural countryside. Its very much like something he'd have thought of. It's difficult to know what time period the movie is supposed to be set in seeing Cavalrymen on Horses but steam powered Trams, Trains, Steam Cars & Sedan Chairs too.It appears the lead character of the film is Sophie who works in a millinery shop (thats hats to you philistines) and we start off meeting her leaving work, being rescued from the over amourous attention of 2 soldiers by a chap who not only seems to know Jedi Mind tricks but can also fly and is being chased by evil black ectoplasmic creatures.Sophie discusses her encounter with her sister Lettie and they also discuss Howl (he's clearly a Wizard and everyone thinks he's evil and eats womens hearts), returning to the Shop Sophie has a spell cast on her by The Witch Of The Wastes which turns her into an old women. She avoids her mother and leaves town rescuing a scarecrow which repays her with a walking cane and helps her to find shelter, inside Howls Moving Castle. A bit like the Tardis, even though its moving the inside of the castle always remains stationary as though it were a normal static dwelling.This is obviously a world where magic is totally normal (as Sophie wasn't surprised by a magical scarecrow) as meeting a Fire Demon called Calciifer didn't even seem to phase her, it seems Howls Castle is even more like the Stargate as it is able to be static yet its front door and exterior can be in many different locations at once (Actually it seems to be based on the Terry Pratchett idea of Wandering Shops).All of the callers seem to think different Wizards live there but none think it is Howl. We discover the man who saved Sophie is of course Howl (who can't be that great a wizard if he doesn't recognise someone under an spell) and to remain close to him she pretends she is his new cleaning lady.We also discover (thanks to Howl) that Sophie appears as a normal girl when she sleeps. One thing can be said for certain, this is a world where several cities or countries are involved in a war (with flying battleships and iron ships that look like US Civil War steamers) but even the Witch Of The Waste seems to have a Tardis-like Sedan chair, definitely bigger on the inside.It's rather strange that whilst talking to the Kings Head Sorceror Sulliman (a mistranslation surely as she is clearly female) that Sophie briefly transforms into her younger self whilst making an impassioned speech on Howls behalf. Sulliman had also taken all the magic from The Witch Of The Waste and tried to trap Howl who saves Sophie.Sophie escapes back to the castle and wakes up but is still young, checking on Howl she tells him she loves him. When he rejects her she becomes old again but it is difficult to know if that was a dream or not. Afer using Calcifer to move the Castle it also completely reconfigures and repairs the interior (again like another aspect of the Tardis, able to add new rooms), Sophie also appears to get younger again when Howl takes her into his secret garden.From what I could understand Sophie gets younger when she acknowledges her feelings of love for Howl. Sophie is visited by her mother (who was forced to leave a spying bug by Sulliman) but it is destroyed by The Witch Of The Wastes using Calcifer to burn it but it leaves him weakened and unable to protect the house from invasion and bombing.So many of the images of flying ships and burning birds remind of Battle Of The Planets (Gatchaman) it made me wonder if the maker of this had seen the cartoon as a child. Trying to help Howl Sophie removes Calcifer from the castle which destroys it but he is able to reconfigure it only smaller when she returns him and gives him her hair.The magical scarecrow saves them from certain death and she kisses him which releases him from a spell, he turns out to be a missing Prince who can stop the war. Sulliman also stops the war using her royal contacts and calcifer repairs the castle and Sophie and Howl fly off into the sky.It's an odd ending to an odd but sweet film which is apparently very loosely based on a novel by Diana Wynne Jones, the film is just under 2 hours long but I think it could be cut by about 20 minutes as it is just too long in places.

Imaginative two-dimensional film-making may live on after all

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Witches and wizards under curses living in harmony in a world of humans in a more futuristic spin on WWII-era England -- let's just say the knowledge that Hayao Miyazaki merely adapted this story from a book (by Diana Wynne Jones) is surprising yet incredibly encouraging for those who love the fantasy genre, that there are artists out there with such free imaginations."Howl's Moving Castle" is another incredible Miyazaki film that captures your imagination in every frame and its teaming up with Disney for the U.S. release proves that there is still some dedication to the animated fantasy genre and that we aren't just enjoying the last few jewels falling out of an old 2D treasure chest.In what seems like a classic Miyazaki story, a girl named Sophie is put under a curse by a witch that turns her into an old woman. Seeking a cure, she ventures out to where the witches and wizards live, only to get swooped up by a mechanical castle owned by a young wizard named Howl (voiced perfectly by Christian Bale in the American version) and powered by a fire demon named Calcifer (Billy Crystal, another fantastic move by Disney). In the background, the country they are from is at war and Howl is on the run from being called into duty. It's a fairytale with romance and action to boot.Imagination abounds in this movie as one would expect. Just when you think you have an understanding of the universe that's been created, there's another something magical to grasp. It can get a bit tough to make sense of as you go along, but fantasy-lovers will be captivated by how vast of a world of possibility the story creates while still sticking to the fairytale conventions that have grounded the genre throughout time: stolen hearts, curses, beastly transformation, etc. Unlike some Miyazaki movies, "Howl" is also more accessible through its in innocent human character living in a world much like ours that gets swept off into unfamiliar territory -- a lot like his last film, the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away."Like its predecessor, "Howl" will excite you in ways you generally don't experience at the movies these days. It is escapism at its finest but not entirely out of touch with our world, a true delight from the master of imaginative film-making.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-254

ur2496397

title: Imaginative two-dimensional film-making may live on after all review: Witches and wizards under curses living in harmony in a world of humans in a more futuristic spin on WWII-era England -- let's just say the knowledge that Hayao Miyazaki merely adapted this story from a book (by Diana Wynne Jones) is surprising yet incredibly encouraging for those who love the fantasy genre, that there are artists out there with such free imaginations."Howl's Moving Castle" is another incredible Miyazaki film that captures your imagination in every frame and its teaming up with Disney for the U.S. release proves that there is still some dedication to the animated fantasy genre and that we aren't just enjoying the last few jewels falling out of an old 2D treasure chest.In what seems like a classic Miyazaki story, a girl named Sophie is put under a curse by a witch that turns her into an old woman. Seeking a cure, she ventures out to where the witches and wizards live, only to get swooped up by a mechanical castle owned by a young wizard named Howl (voiced perfectly by Christian Bale in the American version) and powered by a fire demon named Calcifer (Billy Crystal, another fantastic move by Disney). In the background, the country they are from is at war and Howl is on the run from being called into duty. It's a fairytale with romance and action to boot.Imagination abounds in this movie as one would expect. Just when you think you have an understanding of the universe that's been created, there's another something magical to grasp. It can get a bit tough to make sense of as you go along, but fantasy-lovers will be captivated by how vast of a world of possibility the story creates while still sticking to the fairytale conventions that have grounded the genre throughout time: stolen hearts, curses, beastly transformation, etc. Unlike some Miyazaki movies, "Howl" is also more accessible through its in innocent human character living in a world much like ours that gets swept off into unfamiliar territory -- a lot like his last film, the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away."Like its predecessor, "Howl" will excite you in ways you generally don't experience at the movies these days. It is escapism at its finest but not entirely out of touch with our world, a true delight from the master of imaginative film-making.

Another Fun Trip into the Imagination of Hayao Miyazaki!

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Every now and then I watch a movie that simply blows me away, and Howl's Moving Castle is one of them. I am no stranger to the films of Hayao Miyazaki, but for some odd reason I seemed to have always managed to have missed this particular Miyazaki classic. I finally picked up the film, and I can definitely say it doesn't disappoint.The big draw of this film is the imaginative animation. The animation is as fluid as ever, just like every other Studio Ghibli production. The animation under Miyazaki's direction is simply perfect, creating certain shots where you are simply left in awe, wondering how someone could have come up with a shot that is so fantastical. Of course what truly keeps you captivated to these tales crafted by Miyazaki is the story. This film's story is a surreal love story about a wizard and a bewitched human; it is a quirky, yet lovable premise. It is lighthearted and fun, featuring quirky and unique characters, alongside some breathtaking fantasy, both staples in Miyazaki films. The story of the film is complex, but never gets convoluted, it is well paced and never feels as if it is rushing or going too slow. Two more things worth mention is the magical score from Joe Hisaishi, and the wonderful voice acting; in particular from Christian Bale, who steals each scene as the voice of Howl.Howl's Moving Castle is easily one of the most imaginative films ever made. Every time you see the gigantic lumbering castle, made up of rundown houses and pieces of scrap metal, you get this great feeling of excitement and wonder which truly takes you back to the days of your carefree childhood. Hayao Miyazaki has done it yet again, it is another instant classic.A perfect 10 out of 10!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-240

ur6136793

title: Another Fun Trip into the Imagination of Hayao Miyazaki! review: Every now and then I watch a movie that simply blows me away, and Howl's Moving Castle is one of them. I am no stranger to the films of Hayao Miyazaki, but for some odd reason I seemed to have always managed to have missed this particular Miyazaki classic. I finally picked up the film, and I can definitely say it doesn't disappoint.The big draw of this film is the imaginative animation. The animation is as fluid as ever, just like every other Studio Ghibli production. The animation under Miyazaki's direction is simply perfect, creating certain shots where you are simply left in awe, wondering how someone could have come up with a shot that is so fantastical. Of course what truly keeps you captivated to these tales crafted by Miyazaki is the story. This film's story is a surreal love story about a wizard and a bewitched human; it is a quirky, yet lovable premise. It is lighthearted and fun, featuring quirky and unique characters, alongside some breathtaking fantasy, both staples in Miyazaki films. The story of the film is complex, but never gets convoluted, it is well paced and never feels as if it is rushing or going too slow. Two more things worth mention is the magical score from Joe Hisaishi, and the wonderful voice acting; in particular from Christian Bale, who steals each scene as the voice of Howl.Howl's Moving Castle is easily one of the most imaginative films ever made. Every time you see the gigantic lumbering castle, made up of rundown houses and pieces of scrap metal, you get this great feeling of excitement and wonder which truly takes you back to the days of your carefree childhood. Hayao Miyazaki has done it yet again, it is another instant classic.A perfect 10 out of 10!

Must see in the kid's anime subgenre

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This weekend took the kids to another Hayao Miyazaki film known as "Hauru No Ugoku Shiroâ€? in Japanese or "Howl's Moving Castle (2004)â€? in English. The film is advertised as being based loosely on a novel and I would hazard to say the loosely part probably has something to do with the injection of Miyazaki's frequent themes which include allusions to the Hiroshima bombing, and pacifism. However, this time out Miyazaki doesn't demonstrate the environmental concern normally prevalent in his work. Our eighteen year old animated heroine is Sophie who hides from society after being cursed into old age by the Witch of the Waste. Miyazaki borrows some elements of "The Wizard of Ozâ€? in the witch's name and in the form of a talking scarecrow. Sophie takes refuge in the moving castle of the title and consistent with the dream-like quality of Miyazaki's films, this keep is a monstrous contraption composed of thousands of moving, steaming and grinding parts on 4 spindly legs powered by a fire demon called Calcifer. Howl is a self-centered wizard who is struggling to avoid being drafted into destructive war along with the rest of the kingdom's magic denizens. The war is over the disappearance of the prince of the land â€" a plot point that does not become important until the very end of the picture. Markl, Howl's apprentice and Suliman, his former tutor, round out the cast of good and evil respectively. Sophie's first task is to bring order to Howl's castle and by extension to Howl himself who is extremely powerful but largely adrift in self-indulgence. Her second task is to get the Witch of the Waste to lift the curse which she ultimately fails at because Suliman tricks and disarms the Witch first. Sophie makes peace with this former enemy and winds up caring for her. It is left to the newly focused Howl to defeat his former tutor lifting the curse from Sophie and from the scarecrow who turns out to be the missing prince thus stopping the war. The story drifts quite a bit and there are definitely points in the film where things grind to halt. However, the animation, particularly the actual castle, are amazing and this helps to carry the audience through the 2 hour runtime.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-293

ur27774704

title: Must see in the kid's anime subgenre review: This weekend took the kids to another Hayao Miyazaki film known as "Hauru No Ugoku Shiroâ€? in Japanese or "Howl's Moving Castle (2004)â€? in English. The film is advertised as being based loosely on a novel and I would hazard to say the loosely part probably has something to do with the injection of Miyazaki's frequent themes which include allusions to the Hiroshima bombing, and pacifism. However, this time out Miyazaki doesn't demonstrate the environmental concern normally prevalent in his work. Our eighteen year old animated heroine is Sophie who hides from society after being cursed into old age by the Witch of the Waste. Miyazaki borrows some elements of "The Wizard of Ozâ€? in the witch's name and in the form of a talking scarecrow. Sophie takes refuge in the moving castle of the title and consistent with the dream-like quality of Miyazaki's films, this keep is a monstrous contraption composed of thousands of moving, steaming and grinding parts on 4 spindly legs powered by a fire demon called Calcifer. Howl is a self-centered wizard who is struggling to avoid being drafted into destructive war along with the rest of the kingdom's magic denizens. The war is over the disappearance of the prince of the land â€" a plot point that does not become important until the very end of the picture. Markl, Howl's apprentice and Suliman, his former tutor, round out the cast of good and evil respectively. Sophie's first task is to bring order to Howl's castle and by extension to Howl himself who is extremely powerful but largely adrift in self-indulgence. Her second task is to get the Witch of the Waste to lift the curse which she ultimately fails at because Suliman tricks and disarms the Witch first. Sophie makes peace with this former enemy and winds up caring for her. It is left to the newly focused Howl to defeat his former tutor lifting the curse from Sophie and from the scarecrow who turns out to be the missing prince thus stopping the war. The story drifts quite a bit and there are definitely points in the film where things grind to halt. However, the animation, particularly the actual castle, are amazing and this helps to carry the audience through the 2 hour runtime.

Oten

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It is not very hard for me to start out with this statement: This is the worst movie I have seen this year. And I have seen some pretty bad movies half way through 2008. But I fail to see anything on the horizon that will challenge this heap of garbage.The premise is downright awful. A castle, a woman who becomes an old woman, a flame, and a walking castle. Already, its not looking good. But add to the fact that almost nothing happens in a lot of scenes. I had to fast forward through those areas where there wasn't any talking.I never really liked the hoping scarecrow - whom turned out to me a prince. And the flame? Well he might have been the best character in the whole film but that isn't saying much.The boy, Howl, and everybody else should never again grace screens with their presence. It just isn't worth the headache. "F"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-237

ur18271419

title: Oten review: It is not very hard for me to start out with this statement: This is the worst movie I have seen this year. And I have seen some pretty bad movies half way through 2008. But I fail to see anything on the horizon that will challenge this heap of garbage.The premise is downright awful. A castle, a woman who becomes an old woman, a flame, and a walking castle. Already, its not looking good. But add to the fact that almost nothing happens in a lot of scenes. I had to fast forward through those areas where there wasn't any talking.I never really liked the hoping scarecrow - whom turned out to me a prince. And the flame? Well he might have been the best character in the whole film but that isn't saying much.The boy, Howl, and everybody else should never again grace screens with their presence. It just isn't worth the headache. "F"

A beautiful film!

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When I first watched this film I did so on cable and with no real enthusiasm, since I seemed like it was a Spirited Away rip-off. The view of the film is very similar.However, I fell in love with the story, more so than I did with Spirited Away, it had a more grown-up aspect to it and it was still as magical as Spirited away.A story about courage, dealing with what you're given and it's so romantic that keeps you touched all the way through and allows you into the fantastic world that is Howl's Moving Castle.Maybe not as artistic in the making as Spirited away (although it's very artistic on its own), but I find the story just as beautiful or even more so. The movie looks well, it'll keep you entertained and it's not very long either, not slow-paced at all and simply beautiful to watch.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-223

ur4549393

title: A beautiful film! review: When I first watched this film I did so on cable and with no real enthusiasm, since I seemed like it was a Spirited Away rip-off. The view of the film is very similar.However, I fell in love with the story, more so than I did with Spirited Away, it had a more grown-up aspect to it and it was still as magical as Spirited away.A story about courage, dealing with what you're given and it's so romantic that keeps you touched all the way through and allows you into the fantastic world that is Howl's Moving Castle.Maybe not as artistic in the making as Spirited away (although it's very artistic on its own), but I find the story just as beautiful or even more so. The movie looks well, it'll keep you entertained and it's not very long either, not slow-paced at all and simply beautiful to watch.

It was definitely brilliant, flawed but brilliant

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I'd have to say I really enjoyed this movie. Just as much as I enjoyed Spirited away. Graphically it was stunning. Storywise it was pretty good. its the kind of brilliance you've come to expect from a Miyazaki film.Its definitely easier to count the ways it IS like the Howl's Moving Castle novel by Diana Jones than the ways that it isn't, because aside from the characters- and the two subplots where Sophie is turned old by the witch of waste, and the way Calcifer is bound to Howl, the movie and the book are very different story wise, and other character wise. Even character personality wise.At first I thought that would be a bad thing, but now, its not. Now the two can stand alone without being compared to one another. I kind of like that idea. Saves the heated debates you see with the Harry Potter movies for example. lol.The casting was very good. Especially in Japanese. The English cast was pretty good, but I could not grow to like the English voice for Sophie. The voice for young Sophie seemed way too old for her, it sounded like a thirty year old voice in an 18 year old body kind of thing. the voice was too loud, too deep, the British accent, while I believe the actress is British, it sounded almost fake it was so over enunciated. it didn't grow on me. but other than that, it was great casting.Its a very good movie as long as you don't expect to be seeing Diana Jone's book come to life. the two are pretty different. but in a good way. Its a stunning artistic work from Miyazaki and its got a little bit of everything. Romance, action, comedy, drama and while the two are very different, there are little nods to the novel that inspired the film. there are some confusing "How did, when did and why did that happen" moments in the movie, but I noticed that in Spirited Away and Only Yesterday. So it must be a Miyazaki thing. ^_^ 9 out of 10.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-139

ur3546597

title: It was definitely brilliant, flawed but brilliant review: I'd have to say I really enjoyed this movie. Just as much as I enjoyed Spirited away. Graphically it was stunning. Storywise it was pretty good. its the kind of brilliance you've come to expect from a Miyazaki film.Its definitely easier to count the ways it IS like the Howl's Moving Castle novel by Diana Jones than the ways that it isn't, because aside from the characters- and the two subplots where Sophie is turned old by the witch of waste, and the way Calcifer is bound to Howl, the movie and the book are very different story wise, and other character wise. Even character personality wise.At first I thought that would be a bad thing, but now, its not. Now the two can stand alone without being compared to one another. I kind of like that idea. Saves the heated debates you see with the Harry Potter movies for example. lol.The casting was very good. Especially in Japanese. The English cast was pretty good, but I could not grow to like the English voice for Sophie. The voice for young Sophie seemed way too old for her, it sounded like a thirty year old voice in an 18 year old body kind of thing. the voice was too loud, too deep, the British accent, while I believe the actress is British, it sounded almost fake it was so over enunciated. it didn't grow on me. but other than that, it was great casting.Its a very good movie as long as you don't expect to be seeing Diana Jone's book come to life. the two are pretty different. but in a good way. Its a stunning artistic work from Miyazaki and its got a little bit of everything. Romance, action, comedy, drama and while the two are very different, there are little nods to the novel that inspired the film. there are some confusing "How did, when did and why did that happen" moments in the movie, but I noticed that in Spirited Away and Only Yesterday. So it must be a Miyazaki thing. ^_^ 9 out of 10.

I hate gunfire. No manners

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I haven't read the novel by Dianne Wynne Jones that this is loosely based on(but I understand that while this is not that direct of an adaptation, she is very happy with how it turned out). The young Sofie, a girl who doesn't feel attractive, becomes the victim of a spell that ages her. She then becomes the cleaning lady at the titular legged, moving castle of a powerful, selfish yet insecure young sorcerer Hauru, who she is infatuated with. We go with her on the ride to this amazing world of magic(in the universe this takes place in, it's almost commonplace) and quirky, strange and imaginative creatures, including a helpful living scarecrow, a charming, small and very old dog and the fire demon Calcifer(that eats egg shells and such to sustain himself). The focus is not on a ton of different creatures, settings or curses; the ones there are, are hypnotic, unforgettable and effective. This builds atmosphere and really gets to you, taking the time to draw you in, instead of the often scared-to-stand-still American norm(just because animation *can* move fast doesn't mean it always should). There is real personality to the locations, the beings and of course the characters. The sheer level of creativity and detail here is spellbinding. This has a great plot, if it is perhaps a tad vague at times and leaves you with unnecessary questions. I watched this with the original Japanese voices and subtitles, and I would definitely say that is the best way to go. The acting is spot-on. This has a marvelous score. While some of the humor is pretty silly, this is also genuinely funny at times. It can also be rather cute and sweet. This is 110 minutes sans credits. The art and designs are breathtaking, with little CGI. There is disturbing content in this. The DVD comes with a 19 and a half minute featurette about how they animated the walking structure, a 7 and a half minute interview with the author of the book and a couple of TV spots and trailers. I recommend this to any fan of Animé. 10/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-278

ur2093818

title: I hate gunfire. No manners review: I haven't read the novel by Dianne Wynne Jones that this is loosely based on(but I understand that while this is not that direct of an adaptation, she is very happy with how it turned out). The young Sofie, a girl who doesn't feel attractive, becomes the victim of a spell that ages her. She then becomes the cleaning lady at the titular legged, moving castle of a powerful, selfish yet insecure young sorcerer Hauru, who she is infatuated with. We go with her on the ride to this amazing world of magic(in the universe this takes place in, it's almost commonplace) and quirky, strange and imaginative creatures, including a helpful living scarecrow, a charming, small and very old dog and the fire demon Calcifer(that eats egg shells and such to sustain himself). The focus is not on a ton of different creatures, settings or curses; the ones there are, are hypnotic, unforgettable and effective. This builds atmosphere and really gets to you, taking the time to draw you in, instead of the often scared-to-stand-still American norm(just because animation *can* move fast doesn't mean it always should). There is real personality to the locations, the beings and of course the characters. The sheer level of creativity and detail here is spellbinding. This has a great plot, if it is perhaps a tad vague at times and leaves you with unnecessary questions. I watched this with the original Japanese voices and subtitles, and I would definitely say that is the best way to go. The acting is spot-on. This has a marvelous score. While some of the humor is pretty silly, this is also genuinely funny at times. It can also be rather cute and sweet. This is 110 minutes sans credits. The art and designs are breathtaking, with little CGI. There is disturbing content in this. The DVD comes with a 19 and a half minute featurette about how they animated the walking structure, a 7 and a half minute interview with the author of the book and a couple of TV spots and trailers. I recommend this to any fan of Animé. 10/10

Fire, Magic and a boy's heart

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From the Island of Japan comes this incredible story of an enchanted and magical castle. A young girl, named Sophi is bewitched and accidentally encapsulated into a traveling fortress. Unaware her brief meeting with a handsome and powerful wizard prince, will enrage the Witch of the Waste, Sophie is thus drawn into the struggle to find a lasting peace to a ongoing war. The story is interesting to be sure, but the animation and picturesque scenery add more than enough action and drama to offset traditional venues. Within the film are the talented voices of Jean Simmons and Emily Mortimer as the voice of Sophie, Christian Bale as Howl, the Bird Prince, Lauren Bacall as the Witch of the Waste, Blythe Danner as Madame Suliman, the Sourceress. Josh Hutcherson as Markl and of course Billy Crystal is terrific as Calcifer, the Fire Demon. This fine cast adds resilience to the inspirational tale as does the colorful and touching film. To anyone who enjoys children's stories which endure the test of time and mesmerize modern audiences, this is one for the complete library. A classic in the making. ****

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-220

ur3902771

title: Fire, Magic and a boy's heart review: From the Island of Japan comes this incredible story of an enchanted and magical castle. A young girl, named Sophi is bewitched and accidentally encapsulated into a traveling fortress. Unaware her brief meeting with a handsome and powerful wizard prince, will enrage the Witch of the Waste, Sophie is thus drawn into the struggle to find a lasting peace to a ongoing war. The story is interesting to be sure, but the animation and picturesque scenery add more than enough action and drama to offset traditional venues. Within the film are the talented voices of Jean Simmons and Emily Mortimer as the voice of Sophie, Christian Bale as Howl, the Bird Prince, Lauren Bacall as the Witch of the Waste, Blythe Danner as Madame Suliman, the Sourceress. Josh Hutcherson as Markl and of course Billy Crystal is terrific as Calcifer, the Fire Demon. This fine cast adds resilience to the inspirational tale as does the colorful and touching film. To anyone who enjoys children's stories which endure the test of time and mesmerize modern audiences, this is one for the complete library. A classic in the making. ****

Convoluted tale betrays Miyazaki's love for Victorian fantasy

tt0347149

The action of Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated fantasy takes place in an undetermined place and age, though it looks like the late 19th century (allowing for a number of anachronistic details) in a Central European kingdom (the Austro Hungarian empire of the time seems the country where the action takes place, and the book happens in a place called Ingary, though the kingdom in the movie has a large port by the sea, which the Austro Hungarian empire didn't). The story starts with a young woman called Sophie working in a hat factory who is suddenly turned into a 90 year woman through a curse by some witch. She then tries to meet the wizard Howl, to see if he can help her. As it later turns out, Howl faces some curses of its own. The story soon becomes very convoluted, almost impossible to follow it wholly in just one sighting. After a while, you give up on understanding everything that is going on, and concentrate on enjoying its vivid details (Howl's literal melting of sadness is probably my favorite scene). What I found most engaging about the movie, rather than certain aspects of the plot, is its background details, which betrays Miyazaki's love for Victorian fantasy. I haven't read the original book, I know some people who had has taken issue with Miyazaki's liberties with the plot, but as it is, this is a very enjoyable movie to watch, even if the ending is a bit preachy in its endorsement of pacifism and environmentalism.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-203

ur0305809

title: Convoluted tale betrays Miyazaki's love for Victorian fantasy review: The action of Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated fantasy takes place in an undetermined place and age, though it looks like the late 19th century (allowing for a number of anachronistic details) in a Central European kingdom (the Austro Hungarian empire of the time seems the country where the action takes place, and the book happens in a place called Ingary, though the kingdom in the movie has a large port by the sea, which the Austro Hungarian empire didn't). The story starts with a young woman called Sophie working in a hat factory who is suddenly turned into a 90 year woman through a curse by some witch. She then tries to meet the wizard Howl, to see if he can help her. As it later turns out, Howl faces some curses of its own. The story soon becomes very convoluted, almost impossible to follow it wholly in just one sighting. After a while, you give up on understanding everything that is going on, and concentrate on enjoying its vivid details (Howl's literal melting of sadness is probably my favorite scene). What I found most engaging about the movie, rather than certain aspects of the plot, is its background details, which betrays Miyazaki's love for Victorian fantasy. I haven't read the original book, I know some people who had has taken issue with Miyazaki's liberties with the plot, but as it is, this is a very enjoyable movie to watch, even if the ending is a bit preachy in its endorsement of pacifism and environmentalism.

Sweet and Charming Fantasy Adventure

tt0347149

It's these types of movies that really define the fantasy genre. There's something about an animated movie that dives into your imagination that is more fascinating than actual people in a movie. Miyazaki is most definitely one of the most visually stunning directors that always seems to find the balance between great character development and large fantasy spectacle.It's loads of fun and in my opinion easier to understand than Spirited Away. Perhaps it was because it wasn't my first time seeing Miyazaki's work this time around. To me this film feels a lot like the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. A man/creature who was put under a long spell ends up meeting the love of his life and they fight to try and resolve the everlasting issue. Although this time, the girl also has a spell placed upon her. There are great supporting characters as well, the turnip and the Calcifer are funny and sweet as helpers to Sophie along her journey.The American voices were solid and I think everyone fit their character except for perhaps Christian Bale as Howl. Bale is one of my favorite actors but his deep and grim voice didn't particularly fit with the self indulgent Howl. Other than that it's a great journey and a memorable one. Although I think the film would have benefited from about a 15 min less runtime.9.0/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-331

ur39517558

title: Sweet and Charming Fantasy Adventure review: It's these types of movies that really define the fantasy genre. There's something about an animated movie that dives into your imagination that is more fascinating than actual people in a movie. Miyazaki is most definitely one of the most visually stunning directors that always seems to find the balance between great character development and large fantasy spectacle.It's loads of fun and in my opinion easier to understand than Spirited Away. Perhaps it was because it wasn't my first time seeing Miyazaki's work this time around. To me this film feels a lot like the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. A man/creature who was put under a long spell ends up meeting the love of his life and they fight to try and resolve the everlasting issue. Although this time, the girl also has a spell placed upon her. There are great supporting characters as well, the turnip and the Calcifer are funny and sweet as helpers to Sophie along her journey.The American voices were solid and I think everyone fit their character except for perhaps Christian Bale as Howl. Bale is one of my favorite actors but his deep and grim voice didn't particularly fit with the self indulgent Howl. Other than that it's a great journey and a memorable one. Although I think the film would have benefited from about a 15 min less runtime.9.0/10

Too focused on physical beauty and age-ism

tt0347149

Like most of Miyazaki's work, this is a visually stunning world with lots of inventiveness displayed in character design, architecture, and back-story.The physical layout is annoyingly trapped in clichés that don't work on a logical level: we're asked to accept the legitimacy of a KINGdom (have we all forgotten that our forefathers worked hard to drag us out from under kings into democracy???), war for war's sake, steam-punk aircraft that wouldn't work in a real world, and pseudo-victorianism.The most painful pills to swallow, though, are the sexism, and the revolting tie-ins between youth, physical beauty, and beauty of the spirit. Anyone less than physically perfect and young will be outraged by Miyazaki's indefensible tying together of youth, beauty, and kindness. In Miyazaki's world, as in most Japanese anime, goodhearted characters are not permitted to be ugly, and vice versa. Old age is ridiculed nonstop throughout the film.The film is sexist in the sense that women's chief preoccupation is romance, housekeeping, frilly hats, and child-rearing, while men are portrayed as warmongering metrosexual tin soldiers.The dubbing into English goes fairly well, though the original Japanese is so curt that the voice actors clearly struggle to say their lines rapidly, thereby losing much of the emotional inflection that the lines deserve.There's also an embarrassing oversight in the voice casting: one character magically becomes old and young versions of itself (without time travel), and when the age alters, the accent stupidly switches from British to American. The voice casting was sloppy-- it should have kept the accent uniform.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/reviews-264

ur5316823

title: Too focused on physical beauty and age-ism review: Like most of Miyazaki's work, this is a visually stunning world with lots of inventiveness displayed in character design, architecture, and back-story.The physical layout is annoyingly trapped in clichés that don't work on a logical level: we're asked to accept the legitimacy of a KINGdom (have we all forgotten that our forefathers worked hard to drag us out from under kings into democracy???), war for war's sake, steam-punk aircraft that wouldn't work in a real world, and pseudo-victorianism.The most painful pills to swallow, though, are the sexism, and the revolting tie-ins between youth, physical beauty, and beauty of the spirit. Anyone less than physically perfect and young will be outraged by Miyazaki's indefensible tying together of youth, beauty, and kindness. In Miyazaki's world, as in most Japanese anime, goodhearted characters are not permitted to be ugly, and vice versa. Old age is ridiculed nonstop throughout the film.The film is sexist in the sense that women's chief preoccupation is romance, housekeeping, frilly hats, and child-rearing, while men are portrayed as warmongering metrosexual tin soldiers.The dubbing into English goes fairly well, though the original Japanese is so curt that the voice actors clearly struggle to say their lines rapidly, thereby losing much of the emotional inflection that the lines deserve.There's also an embarrassing oversight in the voice casting: one character magically becomes old and young versions of itself (without time travel), and when the age alters, the accent stupidly switches from British to American. The voice casting was sloppy-- it should have kept the accent uniform.

Frankenweenie

tt1142977

Frankenweenie is a animated movie by the scary director himself Tim Berton. Tim did a outstanding job on this amazing movie. If you are looking for a movie that will make you scream dance laugh and sing than Frankenweenie is the movie for you than. This movie is not good for kids 8 and younger calling to Fandango. This is the movie that everyone needs to see. This is what i call a great movie. I know that Tim Burton movies are scary it just needs to be a tab bit scary. But besides all of that it was the best IMAX 3D movie i ever saw. You need to go see this one of the coolest movies of all times. i never thought that this was going to be this good of a movie it was great

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-49

ur25362190

title: Frankenweenie review: Frankenweenie is a animated movie by the scary director himself Tim Berton. Tim did a outstanding job on this amazing movie. If you are looking for a movie that will make you scream dance laugh and sing than Frankenweenie is the movie for you than. This movie is not good for kids 8 and younger calling to Fandango. This is the movie that everyone needs to see. This is what i call a great movie. I know that Tim Burton movies are scary it just needs to be a tab bit scary. But besides all of that it was the best IMAX 3D movie i ever saw. You need to go see this one of the coolest movies of all times. i never thought that this was going to be this good of a movie it was great

Great comedy, horror and heart

tt1142977

This is the latest animated adventure by director Tim Burton and is probably the best one. The story is, of course, based on Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' but it is also based on an early short film by Burton. You can tell Burton had a sense of unfinished business and had wanted to do this for a while. It is a really lovely, heart-warming story about a child's devastation after losing a pet – something which many of us can relate to – and his determination to get him back. There are some great comic scenes that both adults and kids can enjoy. Of course, it wouldn't be a Tim Burton film without some scares – nothing too scary but there are some jumpy scenes that work. It has been filmed in black and white which gives it this great old classic horror feel which almost brings feelings of nostalgia. There are some great references to classic horror films like Dracula and Frankenstein so you can tell this film has been made by a true horror and general film fan. Overall, this is a delightful film from Burton which has a lot of important themes included. It has great comedy, horror and most of all, heart and is definitely a film worth going to see.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-60

ur26267201

title: Great comedy, horror and heart review: This is the latest animated adventure by director Tim Burton and is probably the best one. The story is, of course, based on Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' but it is also based on an early short film by Burton. You can tell Burton had a sense of unfinished business and had wanted to do this for a while. It is a really lovely, heart-warming story about a child's devastation after losing a pet – something which many of us can relate to – and his determination to get him back. There are some great comic scenes that both adults and kids can enjoy. Of course, it wouldn't be a Tim Burton film without some scares – nothing too scary but there are some jumpy scenes that work. It has been filmed in black and white which gives it this great old classic horror feel which almost brings feelings of nostalgia. There are some great references to classic horror films like Dracula and Frankenstein so you can tell this film has been made by a true horror and general film fan. Overall, this is a delightful film from Burton which has a lot of important themes included. It has great comedy, horror and most of all, heart and is definitely a film worth going to see.

They've gotta learn sooner or later...

tt1142977

If anywhere there was a braver ending needed, it's here. Kids could have learned that life is but fleeting, we all suffer heartbreak sooner or later, say goodbye to the ones we love... This is an important lesson indeed. But, no. In the interest of a few mums and dads having to tolerate some waterworks on the way home from the cinema, Burton decides to go for what is essentially a cop out. Rather cowardly, if you ask me.The whole film has the feel of an old B movie (but is set in the present day) as it is shot entirely in black and white and contains more than one horror reference. Spookiness pervades the atmosphere, as Danny Elfman's Gothic score meanders in the background like a funeral march. Poor Victor loses his dog, and his mourning and subsequent resurrection of his pet carries real emotion weight.This doesn't last though, as the plot stretches to Victor's classmates experimenting on other deceased creatures, turning them into freaks of nature that invade the town. This is an arresting spectacle, but a betrayal of what transpired before... turning the movie from a personal tale about a boy and his half-dead canine, into an OTT monster movie. It feels like a different film, and not one that matched up to the poignant first half.Not for one minute would I suggest I could tell Mr Burton how to do his job. But I think less action, and more storytelling would have improved the final reel no end... As well as a more courageous conclusion. Oh well, everyone's a critic (Most don't enunciate their thoughts as well as I do, though)... ;) 6/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-137

ur37327729

title: They've gotta learn sooner or later... review: If anywhere there was a braver ending needed, it's here. Kids could have learned that life is but fleeting, we all suffer heartbreak sooner or later, say goodbye to the ones we love... This is an important lesson indeed. But, no. In the interest of a few mums and dads having to tolerate some waterworks on the way home from the cinema, Burton decides to go for what is essentially a cop out. Rather cowardly, if you ask me.The whole film has the feel of an old B movie (but is set in the present day) as it is shot entirely in black and white and contains more than one horror reference. Spookiness pervades the atmosphere, as Danny Elfman's Gothic score meanders in the background like a funeral march. Poor Victor loses his dog, and his mourning and subsequent resurrection of his pet carries real emotion weight.This doesn't last though, as the plot stretches to Victor's classmates experimenting on other deceased creatures, turning them into freaks of nature that invade the town. This is an arresting spectacle, but a betrayal of what transpired before... turning the movie from a personal tale about a boy and his half-dead canine, into an OTT monster movie. It feels like a different film, and not one that matched up to the poignant first half.Not for one minute would I suggest I could tell Mr Burton how to do his job. But I think less action, and more storytelling would have improved the final reel no end... As well as a more courageous conclusion. Oh well, everyone's a critic (Most don't enunciate their thoughts as well as I do, though)... ;) 6/10

Good, but not Burton's best work

tt1142977

Personally, I think this is a good movie, but it's not great. Has a decent story and solid characters, but here's my pros and cons:Pros: -The dog is awesome. I love the energy this animal has. -I like the relationship that Victor and the dog have. - It can be a really funny film. - It has a decent story with solid characters.Cons: -(This one isn't really a problem, but I think it's odd) Edgar always smiles. Every time you see him, he smiles. There's even one part where he's running for his life and screaming, and STILL SMILING! You could tell him his grandma died and he would still be smiling! -Victor is a very bland character if you ask me. True, he's a kid, but they've given kids good personality before. Look at Lilo from Lilo and Stitch. He's not unlikable, he's just bland. - Almost everyone seems to have a permanent face in this film. I just mentioned Edgar with smiling., but there's also this girl with her white cat who always looks like she's shocked. Here's a picture of her: http://www.dose.ca/movies/6981325.bin?size=dose400Personally, I would see it again, but this isn't a great film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-28

ur35088866

title: Good, but not Burton's best work review: Personally, I think this is a good movie, but it's not great. Has a decent story and solid characters, but here's my pros and cons:Pros: -The dog is awesome. I love the energy this animal has. -I like the relationship that Victor and the dog have. - It can be a really funny film. - It has a decent story with solid characters.Cons: -(This one isn't really a problem, but I think it's odd) Edgar always smiles. Every time you see him, he smiles. There's even one part where he's running for his life and screaming, and STILL SMILING! You could tell him his grandma died and he would still be smiling! -Victor is a very bland character if you ask me. True, he's a kid, but they've given kids good personality before. Look at Lilo from Lilo and Stitch. He's not unlikable, he's just bland. - Almost everyone seems to have a permanent face in this film. I just mentioned Edgar with smiling., but there's also this girl with her white cat who always looks like she's shocked. Here's a picture of her: http://www.dose.ca/movies/6981325.bin?size=dose400Personally, I would see it again, but this isn't a great film.

Frankenweenie or bringing Tim Burton's mojo back from the dead

tt1142977

In 1984, when Tim Burton worked for Disney made a short film called Frankenweenie, which tells the story of Victor, a boy who after losing his dog Sparky in an accident decides to bring him back to life in the purest Frankenstein style, without considering the consequences this may cause. This work helps us to understand the basics of Burton's thematic and visual style, which became his trademark over the years: dark worlds with isolated and/or solitary characters faced to the reality of the world that confronts or rejects them.It is almost 30 years later and a streak of quite irregular films that Burton returns to his roots and decided to resume the story of Frankenweenie to make an animated feature making use of the stop- motion technique, with which he created some of his best works such as the Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride, and Frankenweenie is no exception, as it represents a return to the best films of Burton.On this occasion the original story remains intact and makes a bigger emphasis on the impact of the resurrection of Sparky among Victor's friends and as they'll try to emulate the feat with catastrophic results for the small town they live in. Likewise, the relationship between Victor and Elsa, her neighbor and school crush is explored, through which a great reference to The Bride of Frankenstein is made, although it'snot the only one, since along the film there are winks to classic monsters movies from the 30's as the Mummy, Creature from Black Lagoon, Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari and even classic monsters like Godzilla. And the film itself is a homage to this cinema being filmed in black and white and with music in perfect tone by Danny Elfman (Burton's closest collaborator).An innate quality of Burton is the skill to create endearing characters out of the dark and grotesque and the best example of it is Sparky, a little dog now part of the most adorable creations on the burtonian universe, and that somehow reflects many of elements or themes that have remained constant in most of Burton's filmography: childhood, loneliness, friendship and a strange fixation with death and what happens after this.Excepting the end that seems to betray the original concept, it is safe to say that Burton needs to do more films like Frankenweenie and much less like Alice in Wonderland.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-159

ur5066804

title: Frankenweenie or bringing Tim Burton's mojo back from the dead review: In 1984, when Tim Burton worked for Disney made a short film called Frankenweenie, which tells the story of Victor, a boy who after losing his dog Sparky in an accident decides to bring him back to life in the purest Frankenstein style, without considering the consequences this may cause. This work helps us to understand the basics of Burton's thematic and visual style, which became his trademark over the years: dark worlds with isolated and/or solitary characters faced to the reality of the world that confronts or rejects them.It is almost 30 years later and a streak of quite irregular films that Burton returns to his roots and decided to resume the story of Frankenweenie to make an animated feature making use of the stop- motion technique, with which he created some of his best works such as the Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride, and Frankenweenie is no exception, as it represents a return to the best films of Burton.On this occasion the original story remains intact and makes a bigger emphasis on the impact of the resurrection of Sparky among Victor's friends and as they'll try to emulate the feat with catastrophic results for the small town they live in. Likewise, the relationship between Victor and Elsa, her neighbor and school crush is explored, through which a great reference to The Bride of Frankenstein is made, although it'snot the only one, since along the film there are winks to classic monsters movies from the 30's as the Mummy, Creature from Black Lagoon, Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari and even classic monsters like Godzilla. And the film itself is a homage to this cinema being filmed in black and white and with music in perfect tone by Danny Elfman (Burton's closest collaborator).An innate quality of Burton is the skill to create endearing characters out of the dark and grotesque and the best example of it is Sparky, a little dog now part of the most adorable creations on the burtonian universe, and that somehow reflects many of elements or themes that have remained constant in most of Burton's filmography: childhood, loneliness, friendship and a strange fixation with death and what happens after this.Excepting the end that seems to betray the original concept, it is safe to say that Burton needs to do more films like Frankenweenie and much less like Alice in Wonderland.

Loved it!...

tt1142977

I love Burton's stop motion animation style; it really suits this type of tale. The fact it was in black and white was also a bonus for me; it made it look like the early horror films, many of which are referenced here. I also like that he made Mr. Rzykruski look an awful lot like Vincent Price; he was an early horror movie hero of mine. I haven't seen the earlier 1984 film and so cannot make a comparison with that but I did like what I saw. Definitely well worth a watch for any horror fan; or even if you just want to be entertained; it'll do that too!SteelMonster's verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDMy score: 8.7/10.You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-136

ur29798050

title: Loved it!... review: I love Burton's stop motion animation style; it really suits this type of tale. The fact it was in black and white was also a bonus for me; it made it look like the early horror films, many of which are referenced here. I also like that he made Mr. Rzykruski look an awful lot like Vincent Price; he was an early horror movie hero of mine. I haven't seen the earlier 1984 film and so cannot make a comparison with that but I did like what I saw. Definitely well worth a watch for any horror fan; or even if you just want to be entertained; it'll do that too!SteelMonster's verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDMy score: 8.7/10.You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.

Class act...

tt1142977

Tim Burton's reimagining of his short FRANKENWEENIE just may be his best work since BATMAN. The three-dimensional "claymation" figures are certainly preferable to the computer-generated characters in some of his more recent movies- and in more ways than one: the entire classroom is crawling with the kind of cool, creepy little characters Burton seems best at creating. The European accents only accentuate the Otherwhereness of these kids (the hunchbacked kid in particular left me laughing) and their collective decision to do as young Edward has done leads to some of the funniest scenes ever committed to film. PARANORMAN was fun, but FRANKENWEENIE is a true Master at the top of his ghastly game. And, while I liked THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE Christmas and THE CORPSE BRIDE, it was Burton's VINCENT that I admired most prior to this one. I highly recommend FRANKENWEENIE- THE REIMAGINING.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-97

ur1530907

title: Class act... review: Tim Burton's reimagining of his short FRANKENWEENIE just may be his best work since BATMAN. The three-dimensional "claymation" figures are certainly preferable to the computer-generated characters in some of his more recent movies- and in more ways than one: the entire classroom is crawling with the kind of cool, creepy little characters Burton seems best at creating. The European accents only accentuate the Otherwhereness of these kids (the hunchbacked kid in particular left me laughing) and their collective decision to do as young Edward has done leads to some of the funniest scenes ever committed to film. PARANORMAN was fun, but FRANKENWEENIE is a true Master at the top of his ghastly game. And, while I liked THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE Christmas and THE CORPSE BRIDE, it was Burton's VINCENT that I admired most prior to this one. I highly recommend FRANKENWEENIE- THE REIMAGINING.

Stunning, beautiful, deep, emotional, dark. Tim Burton is back, and yes, he's better than ever.

tt1142977

I have to agree. Ever since Big Fish, Tim Burton seemed to have lost his vision. He was making zany, bizarre works like Alice, but although they had his trademark Gothic look, the stories were sort of boring. The human element that tied together the craziness in Batman or Beetlejuice, the search for life's meaning of Big Fish - he traded it all for huge budgets and epic movies devoid of heart and soul."Frankenweenie" is, then, a revelation. Proof that, just as one of the characters in this movie implied, experiments are next to worthless if they are not loved; it's obvious Tim Burton loved this film. It's basically 1984's Frankenweenie, but with even more heart and soul, a bigger, better story, and even more lovable characters. But underneath, it poses strong questions to viewers, and dares to gently challenge our perception of life and death.I'd dare to say Tim Burton made two endings - one that was as kid-friendly as he could make it, and another one, the real one, which happened 1 minute before it. It was almost as if the movie's ending was a wink to all the parents in the movie theater, telling us "it's all right, kids will love this one", while he had crafted the real one a couple of seconds before it.I'd say this is at least on par with Edward Scissorhands. It's so great to see an awesome director like Burton getting back on track. Frankenweenie is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-62

ur0508954

title: Stunning, beautiful, deep, emotional, dark. Tim Burton is back, and yes, he's better than ever. review: I have to agree. Ever since Big Fish, Tim Burton seemed to have lost his vision. He was making zany, bizarre works like Alice, but although they had his trademark Gothic look, the stories were sort of boring. The human element that tied together the craziness in Batman or Beetlejuice, the search for life's meaning of Big Fish - he traded it all for huge budgets and epic movies devoid of heart and soul."Frankenweenie" is, then, a revelation. Proof that, just as one of the characters in this movie implied, experiments are next to worthless if they are not loved; it's obvious Tim Burton loved this film. It's basically 1984's Frankenweenie, but with even more heart and soul, a bigger, better story, and even more lovable characters. But underneath, it poses strong questions to viewers, and dares to gently challenge our perception of life and death.I'd dare to say Tim Burton made two endings - one that was as kid-friendly as he could make it, and another one, the real one, which happened 1 minute before it. It was almost as if the movie's ending was a wink to all the parents in the movie theater, telling us "it's all right, kids will love this one", while he had crafted the real one a couple of seconds before it.I'd say this is at least on par with Edward Scissorhands. It's so great to see an awesome director like Burton getting back on track. Frankenweenie is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time.

Wonderfully Shocking

tt1142977

Greetings again from the darkness. Being a huge fan of Tim Burton's 1984 short of the same title, news of a feature length feature was very exciting. It's obvious from both films that director Tim Burton holds the story and project close to his heart. The obvious guess is that young Victor Frankenstein has much in common with the enigmatic director's childhood experience ... a social misfit who finds joy in less than popular outlets (science, sci-fi, filmmaking).The story begins simply enough, Victor - a socially inept boy, whose only friend is his loyal dog Sparky, quickly connects with the new science teacher, Mr. Rzykroski (who bears a striking resemblance to the late, great Vincent Price). Victor's parents try to get him more engaged and that leads to a tragic accident that kills Sparky. Victor is heart-broken but his scientific mind leads to a shocking development thanks to a local lightning storm. Soon enough, Sparky is back! Of course, the secret gets out and the Science Fair takes on quite a competitive nature.Burton really treats the film as an homage to old monster, horror and sci-fi films. We get tributes to Frankenstein, The Mummy, Dracula (complete with Christopher Lee), Godzilla, Bride of Frankenstein, Gremlins, Jurrassic Park and others I certainly missed on first viewing. But this is so much more. Mr. Rzykroski gives a less than PC speech to the local townspeople, and though it is straight to the point, that point is lost on these fine folks. The importance of science and learning and accepting the differences of others is all touched upon, but not in a preachy way.The voice work is stellar thanks to Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder, Charlie Tahan, Martin Landau and Atticus Shaffer (Brick on "The Middle"). The style and texture of the film is extraordinary. The shadows and lighting provide an atmosphere that adds just enough creepiness. The detail involved with the characters and setting is remarkable for stop-motion animation. Not just that, but how many movies have you seen recently that include a cat-bat, sea monkeys, and a giant turtle? The suburban setting is almost identical to the neighborhood seen in Burton's Edward Scissorhands, just without the 1960's color palette.This is excellent movie entertainment for adults and children alike. Unfortunately, the black and white presentation has meant a lack of interest from today's kids. Sure it has some darkness to it, but the PG rating means nothing too heavy. This is Tim Burton at his finest ... and without Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter! Also, Danny Elfman's score perfectly compliments the story and characters, and stay for the credits to hear a very odd Karen O song.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-36

ur0806494

title: Wonderfully Shocking review: Greetings again from the darkness. Being a huge fan of Tim Burton's 1984 short of the same title, news of a feature length feature was very exciting. It's obvious from both films that director Tim Burton holds the story and project close to his heart. The obvious guess is that young Victor Frankenstein has much in common with the enigmatic director's childhood experience ... a social misfit who finds joy in less than popular outlets (science, sci-fi, filmmaking).The story begins simply enough, Victor - a socially inept boy, whose only friend is his loyal dog Sparky, quickly connects with the new science teacher, Mr. Rzykroski (who bears a striking resemblance to the late, great Vincent Price). Victor's parents try to get him more engaged and that leads to a tragic accident that kills Sparky. Victor is heart-broken but his scientific mind leads to a shocking development thanks to a local lightning storm. Soon enough, Sparky is back! Of course, the secret gets out and the Science Fair takes on quite a competitive nature.Burton really treats the film as an homage to old monster, horror and sci-fi films. We get tributes to Frankenstein, The Mummy, Dracula (complete with Christopher Lee), Godzilla, Bride of Frankenstein, Gremlins, Jurrassic Park and others I certainly missed on first viewing. But this is so much more. Mr. Rzykroski gives a less than PC speech to the local townspeople, and though it is straight to the point, that point is lost on these fine folks. The importance of science and learning and accepting the differences of others is all touched upon, but not in a preachy way.The voice work is stellar thanks to Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder, Charlie Tahan, Martin Landau and Atticus Shaffer (Brick on "The Middle"). The style and texture of the film is extraordinary. The shadows and lighting provide an atmosphere that adds just enough creepiness. The detail involved with the characters and setting is remarkable for stop-motion animation. Not just that, but how many movies have you seen recently that include a cat-bat, sea monkeys, and a giant turtle? The suburban setting is almost identical to the neighborhood seen in Burton's Edward Scissorhands, just without the 1960's color palette.This is excellent movie entertainment for adults and children alike. Unfortunately, the black and white presentation has meant a lack of interest from today's kids. Sure it has some darkness to it, but the PG rating means nothing too heavy. This is Tim Burton at his finest ... and without Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter! Also, Danny Elfman's score perfectly compliments the story and characters, and stay for the credits to hear a very odd Karen O song.

A mixed bag of bones

tt1142977

Tim Burton has made a quintessential Tim Burton movie and the problem is that it is a Tim Burton movie in the worst possible way. 'Frankenweenie' is a cute little movie but being cute isn't enough to sustain it. Once the viewer has gotten past saying 'awww' at the cute little doggie 'Frankenweenie' becomes a very boring and predictable movie. It's gorgeous to look at but in the end Burton populates his film with soulless characters(which for all of Burton's strengths is his Achilles' heal).'Frankenweenie' is a cute character and film. The dog is utterly adorable and anyone who loves dogs will love 'Frankenweenie' to a certain degree. I think the story of a boy and his dog is so classic and tugs at so many hearts that it kind of blinds people to when it is done badly as it is here. The dog is cute but the boy is boring. 'Frankenweenie' does not understand adolescence and thus it kind of fails at developing a rapport with it's audience in my opinion. Victor Frankenstein doesn't act like a real kid, he merely goes through the motions with hyper intensified trappings of childhood surrounding him. Burton loves archetypes and so instead of building characters he goes for crazy archetypes to substitute for character development. The sports vs. science fiction conflict is what is on Victor's plate for a good chunk of 'Frankenweenie' and I'm sorry but this is boring and predictable. 'Frankenweenie' doesn't have a single character in it. Burton has taken molded characters and sets them free on rigid paths. I just find this all the more disappointing in a children's movie because children's movies should give children's intelligence credit. But at least the dog is cute.The animation is of course stellar and Burton stages brilliant effects sequences that really showcase the quirkiness of everything. I was really hoping for something in the line of 'Beetlejuice' and while 'Beetlejuice' had a much better script visually 'Frankenweenie' does have moments that match the high points of that film. The film is at it's best when it acknowledges it's inspiration. I loved seeing scenes that hearken back to the Universal Monsters. By far my favorite sequence is the ending in the burning windmill which seems like James Whale's 'Frankenstein' on some tripped out hallucinogen right down to Victor being designed as the spitting image of Colin Clive. Is 'Frankenweenie' worth the time? It's a Tim Burton movie and it's one of his weaker ones but I think kids ultimately will get some enjoyment out of it. The boy and his dog still has weight even if the actual story doesn't it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-115

ur4986911

title: A mixed bag of bones review: Tim Burton has made a quintessential Tim Burton movie and the problem is that it is a Tim Burton movie in the worst possible way. 'Frankenweenie' is a cute little movie but being cute isn't enough to sustain it. Once the viewer has gotten past saying 'awww' at the cute little doggie 'Frankenweenie' becomes a very boring and predictable movie. It's gorgeous to look at but in the end Burton populates his film with soulless characters(which for all of Burton's strengths is his Achilles' heal).'Frankenweenie' is a cute character and film. The dog is utterly adorable and anyone who loves dogs will love 'Frankenweenie' to a certain degree. I think the story of a boy and his dog is so classic and tugs at so many hearts that it kind of blinds people to when it is done badly as it is here. The dog is cute but the boy is boring. 'Frankenweenie' does not understand adolescence and thus it kind of fails at developing a rapport with it's audience in my opinion. Victor Frankenstein doesn't act like a real kid, he merely goes through the motions with hyper intensified trappings of childhood surrounding him. Burton loves archetypes and so instead of building characters he goes for crazy archetypes to substitute for character development. The sports vs. science fiction conflict is what is on Victor's plate for a good chunk of 'Frankenweenie' and I'm sorry but this is boring and predictable. 'Frankenweenie' doesn't have a single character in it. Burton has taken molded characters and sets them free on rigid paths. I just find this all the more disappointing in a children's movie because children's movies should give children's intelligence credit. But at least the dog is cute.The animation is of course stellar and Burton stages brilliant effects sequences that really showcase the quirkiness of everything. I was really hoping for something in the line of 'Beetlejuice' and while 'Beetlejuice' had a much better script visually 'Frankenweenie' does have moments that match the high points of that film. The film is at it's best when it acknowledges it's inspiration. I loved seeing scenes that hearken back to the Universal Monsters. By far my favorite sequence is the ending in the burning windmill which seems like James Whale's 'Frankenstein' on some tripped out hallucinogen right down to Victor being designed as the spitting image of Colin Clive. Is 'Frankenweenie' worth the time? It's a Tim Burton movie and it's one of his weaker ones but I think kids ultimately will get some enjoyment out of it. The boy and his dog still has weight even if the actual story doesn't it.

It made me cry, so I'm calling it one of the best movies of the year. It's a pity not many have gone to see it.

tt1142977

Tim Burton has been making us laugh and creeping us out (sometimes all at once) ever since the 80's, and today, I feel that he still has the touch. People haven't really been feeling his latest works. Alice in Wonderland received meh feedback, and that's really all it was. I liked his last movie, Dark Shadows, but some people tore it to pieces. I felt like it stuck true to the material that he typically does and should do, even if it fell apart in the climax. But if you really want to see Burton go back to doing what he does best, go see his latest, Frankenweenie.This is a remake of a movie that he did in the 80's, so obviously it meant something to him. The film revolves around a smart kid named Victor who is a whiz at science. After his beloved dog Sparky is hit by a car, Victor feels like there is unfinished business, so he brings Sparky back to life.As in a Burton tradition, whether it's an animation or live action, there is a weirdly funny cast of characters thrown into the mix. A hilarious substitute teacher(perfectly voiced by Martin Landau), Victor's neighbor (voiced by Winona Ryder), a couple of other students at the school. Also, I felt that every scene with the parents (voiced by Martin Short and Catherine O'Hara) were wonderful.What am I talking about? The whole thing is adorable. At times hilarious and at times pretty much Burton, Frankenweenie is a loving tribute to old horror movies, and not only old horror movies, but even Burton movies, like Edward Scissorhands. This is the kind of thing that Burton does best, and I think it is one of his best.Is it as good as The Nightmare Before Christmas? No, but he didn't technically direct that. But I liked it more than a lot of the others, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman, Batman Returns, Corpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows, and even though I didn't list them all, especially more than Mars Attacks.This is Burton's best work since Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, his best movie, and even though this isn't as good as that one, it's still a wonderful movie, filled with energy. One thing that I always say is that if a movie makes me cry, then it's something special. Frankenweenie made me cry, because it made me think of my late dog, so I think it's one of the best movies of the year. Guilty as charged, it got me, but I'm not guilty about it.A-

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-50

ur22881716

title: It made me cry, so I'm calling it one of the best movies of the year. It's a pity not many have gone to see it. review: Tim Burton has been making us laugh and creeping us out (sometimes all at once) ever since the 80's, and today, I feel that he still has the touch. People haven't really been feeling his latest works. Alice in Wonderland received meh feedback, and that's really all it was. I liked his last movie, Dark Shadows, but some people tore it to pieces. I felt like it stuck true to the material that he typically does and should do, even if it fell apart in the climax. But if you really want to see Burton go back to doing what he does best, go see his latest, Frankenweenie.This is a remake of a movie that he did in the 80's, so obviously it meant something to him. The film revolves around a smart kid named Victor who is a whiz at science. After his beloved dog Sparky is hit by a car, Victor feels like there is unfinished business, so he brings Sparky back to life.As in a Burton tradition, whether it's an animation or live action, there is a weirdly funny cast of characters thrown into the mix. A hilarious substitute teacher(perfectly voiced by Martin Landau), Victor's neighbor (voiced by Winona Ryder), a couple of other students at the school. Also, I felt that every scene with the parents (voiced by Martin Short and Catherine O'Hara) were wonderful.What am I talking about? The whole thing is adorable. At times hilarious and at times pretty much Burton, Frankenweenie is a loving tribute to old horror movies, and not only old horror movies, but even Burton movies, like Edward Scissorhands. This is the kind of thing that Burton does best, and I think it is one of his best.Is it as good as The Nightmare Before Christmas? No, but he didn't technically direct that. But I liked it more than a lot of the others, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman, Batman Returns, Corpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows, and even though I didn't list them all, especially more than Mars Attacks.This is Burton's best work since Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, his best movie, and even though this isn't as good as that one, it's still a wonderful movie, filled with energy. One thing that I always say is that if a movie makes me cry, then it's something special. Frankenweenie made me cry, because it made me think of my late dog, so I think it's one of the best movies of the year. Guilty as charged, it got me, but I'm not guilty about it.A-

Tim Burton being Tim Burton

tt1142977

Tim Burton has had a tough few years with many of his newer films disappointing his fans and audiences. He returned to something more personal by turning his first short film, Frankenweenie into a feature length film. Frankenweenie is a film that Burton was committed to project, making a homage to Gothic horror films of the 30s, particularly Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein and mixing it with the 50s small town Americana of Edward Scissorhands and focusing on many outsiders. The Elementary School is populated by strange characters, Victor (Charlie Tahan), an intelligent boy more interested in science and filmmaking, Elsa (Winona Ryder), a depressed goth girl, Edgar "E" Gore, a creepy hunchback kid and "Weird Girl" (Catherine O'Hara), a girl who is obsessed with her cat's psychic visions.Frankenweenie is a fantastically animated film: Burton brings out a creepy look: the characters are deliberately exaggerated as it tells a story most people can relate to when we have suffered some sort of lost. Burton recreates the look of both old Black and White monster movies and B-Movies from the 50s. But this disadvantageous because Frankenweenie is a bit too much of a love letter to though films. The humour for the most part is mild with the funniest moment being when a Eastern European puts down the parents during a public meeting in the most condescending matter possible.Frankenweenie is a solid enough film with a running of 80 minutes. But it is essentially what you would think a Tim Burton film would be like.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/reviews-155

ur17571044

title: Tim Burton being Tim Burton review: Tim Burton has had a tough few years with many of his newer films disappointing his fans and audiences. He returned to something more personal by turning his first short film, Frankenweenie into a feature length film. Frankenweenie is a film that Burton was committed to project, making a homage to Gothic horror films of the 30s, particularly Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein and mixing it with the 50s small town Americana of Edward Scissorhands and focusing on many outsiders. The Elementary School is populated by strange characters, Victor (Charlie Tahan), an intelligent boy more interested in science and filmmaking, Elsa (Winona Ryder), a depressed goth girl, Edgar "E" Gore, a creepy hunchback kid and "Weird Girl" (Catherine O'Hara), a girl who is obsessed with her cat's psychic visions.Frankenweenie is a fantastically animated film: Burton brings out a creepy look: the characters are deliberately exaggerated as it tells a story most people can relate to when we have suffered some sort of lost. Burton recreates the look of both old Black and White monster movies and B-Movies from the 50s. But this disadvantageous because Frankenweenie is a bit too much of a love letter to though films. The humour for the most part is mild with the funniest moment being when a Eastern European puts down the parents during a public meeting in the most condescending matter possible.Frankenweenie is a solid enough film with a running of 80 minutes. But it is essentially what you would think a Tim Burton film would be like.