The film follows a bipolar man named Pat (played by an effective Bradley Cooper), who is recently released from a rehabilitation clinic by his mother in hopes of aiding his recovery. Pat, who is on a restraining order from his wife, caught her cheating in their home, an action which revealed the darker side of his mental instabilities. Still tormented by the idea of winning her back, Pat works to settle back into his childhood home.
He meets a quirky heroine, as is the case for most romances, in this case an equally disfunctional character named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). Pat is helpless to the idea of meeting someone new, and in truly cinematic quality, they share perhaps the most uncomfortable introduction ever filmed. We see their friendship build, all while Pat's parents (Robert De Niro & Jacki Weaver) watch in concern, fearful of another relapse.
The film's success is entirely in the script, written by director David O. Russell, who you might remember hearing about for his Oscar-nominated work in 'The Fighter.' Here is a true triumph. The film contains dialogue so fresh and witty that each moment and new character interaction never feels written at all. Russell has a clear understanding of tone and how to maneuver his actors through the script, and his eye for a director is crystal clear.
And his actors, how they have delivered. Bradley Cooper is truly stepping into his own as a respected actor, and his work is occasionally brilliant. Robert De Niro, also, delivers some of his best work in years, and at least two of his scenes are truly eye-watering work.
Jennifer Lawrence, though, can absolutely take a bow for her truly immaculate performance. The balance between comedy and drama is a tricky maneuver, and Lawrence doesn't just balance on the edge, she dances across it. Already nominated for an Oscar for 'Winter's Bone' few years back, Jennifer Lawrence is proving to be a force to be reckoned with. I suspect a Best Actress nomination to come her way, and truly this could be a winning performance. She takes control of every scene with absolute fearlessness, even stepping up to the famous De Niro in one of the film's most hilarious scenes.
This is a truly visceral film, guided by a great director and an even stronger script. Any flaws to be found with this film can be brushed off, for truly this is one of the year's best films, and one audiences will absolutely fall in love with.
(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Cooper (long shot)), Best Actress (Lawrence), Best Supporting Actor (De Niro), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing)
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