Category: Sports movies that aren't really about sports, but use sports as a unifying plot device. The Blind Side and Invictus are a couple of recent examples and now we have Silver Linings Playbook and Trouble with the Curve. The sports theme makes you feel comfortable (if you know the sport) or curious (if it is new). In this case, the film isn't even about football, but about the superstition of football fanaticism. And this lets us delve into familial relationships, romantic relationships and mental health. Add in quirky friendships and dance a la Little Miss Sunshine and you have a pretty good outing.
Bradley Cooper plays a recently released from the mental hospital guy who entered the hospital because he was jilted by his wife. Jennifer Lawrence plays a recovering, mentally unstable widow who has a dream to compete in a local dance competition. Robert DeNiro plays the fanatical Eagles fan who is convinced that holding the TV remote in a particular way actually changes the outcome of the game. All three of these principals hit their stride perfectly, presenting a chemistry that drew me in and made me care. And of course, I am a sucker for dance movies...
4 stars (out of 5)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment