*inspired by a novel by Matthew Quick
country: USA
imdb
I'm really late to the party with this one. Its reputation precedes it and it was hailed on so many levels that I became a bit sceptical - people often fall for feel good movies or the ones with massive screenplay/scenery which are most of the time really bad if you try to understand what lies under the bombastic surface (what I have in mind are the likes of Slumdog Millionare, The Tree of Life and such ...).
The story is probably already well known: Pat (played by Bradley Cooper) got released from mental health institution after beating up his wife's lover. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has to move with in his parents, take medication and go to mandatory therapy sessions. I really like the way it deals with mental illness - it doesn't try to make us pity the character and it doesn't show him like some sort of martyr (I'm looking at you, 50/50!).
Pat comes home full of energy and positive thoughts. He wants to settle things with his wife (who now has a restraining order against him). The luggage he brought back from the hospital is the motto "Excelsior!" and determination to surround himself only with positivity.
This is not how the world rolls out of the hospital and I think that the movie elegantly shows just how mental institution equips someone to go back to society - not much is actually shown or said about it but we see that they force him into the positivity talk that turns really foggy when you're exposed to distressing situation. Which may be just an everyday situation for someone with bipolar disorder. All the work was actually done by himself - with a help from Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence).
source: collider.com
The story does have the classic "rom-com triangle" - they start off with "denial", what's meant to happen is "the fuck-up" + "the sudden realization" and then comes the "working hard to get it back" part and reconciliation when it all falls into place. Nonetheless it totally works here and it does seem exciting and fresh - mostly because it deals with unconventional topic (in an unconventional way!), it has smart characters (you get a superstitious father (Robert De Niro) with OCD and a gambling problem, douchebag brother (Shea Whigham), mother (Jacki Weaver) who tries to hold it all together, Danny (Chris Tucker) - fellow patient that jumps back and forth between the hospital and out ...), ALL brilliantly executed by the cast.
I only resent one of the first and a last detail of the movie - it's the picture of young Pat in his parent's house that went off the wall and back on at the end of the movie. If that was only shown in the background so that attentive viewer could still catch it, it would underline the severity of the fact that his father gave up on him. But it being placed straight in front of the viewer back again is a little underestimating. Also because I don't think it goes along with De Niro's character - how could he give up on a son that turned out so much like him and still have faith in himself?
Overall it's a very good movie and all the buzz about it is fully justified. It's a refreshing combination of drama and comedy that doesn't let you feel "up up up" (as Pat Sr. says) but lightly drops you back on the ground and lets you to continue that struggle in the life you lead. It's not a bed of roses.
The world will break your heart ten ways to Sunday. That's guaranteed. I can't begin to explain that. Or the craziness inside myself and everyone else. But guess what? Sunday's my favorite day again. I think of what everyone did for me, and I feel like a very lucky guy.
my rating: 9/10*
*charming and down to earth
One of my favorite scenes (just look how calm and convinced Pat Sr. is by her deduction!) :)
