Silver Linings Playbook: What’s so Crazy About That?

Silver Linings Playbook is a film directed by David O. Russell with the stunning Bradley

Cooper as Pat Solitano and the brilliant Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany “Tiff” Maxwell, both

experiencing mood disorders. Pat and Tiff struggle to help each other work through their trauma

and become reacquainted with society.

David O. Russell took to directing Silver Linings playbook as a gift for his son who has

Bipolar disorder and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). The film later turned out to be a gift

to the whole mental health community and received many award nominations which they managed

to win the Best Film Comedy/Musical Actress award for Jennifer Lawrence.
 The film follows Pat who just got released from a psychiatric hospital where he was

sentenced to receive treatment for Bipolar Disorder. During which Pat displays many signs of

mental illness by occasionally rubbing his hands together, mood swings, plus anxiety as visible

as the steam of boiling water. Pat is somewhat of a moody person, he means well, he also finds

himself unable to stop talking with the occasional lack of filter as he interacts with the world.

While trying to prove to himself and loved ones that he can control his condition, he meets

Tiffany.

Tiff is a sister-in-law to his friend who is regarded as the “crazy” girl, even by family. Tiff

experiences Borderline Personality disorder (BPD), which is evident in the way Tiff acts. Tiff has

an expressive face that hides no emotion, even when it might be more appropriate to mask the

emotion. Throughout the film she struggles to truly connect with anyone as they all seem to have

a tough time interacting with her. Tiff is pessimistic, self-confident, and honest about what she

thinks and is quick to call people out on their lies as well as any convenient excuses. She becomes
adamant about becoming friends with Patt seeing something that she can relate to him with. This

subsequently causes them to face their mood disorders together rather than alone.

Before meeting each other Pat and Tiff were isolated. They do not start off on the best of

terms, but they shared the title of the “crazy” one, which funnily enough they are quick to point

out why to everyone, but this causes them to be intrigued by each other. The characters finally

found someone in the “real” world that they can relate to but are confused on how to really feel

about it. The beginning of Pat and Tiff’s relationship can really only be described using this quote:

“You think that I’m crazier than you?!” (Silver Linings Playbook, 48:05).

As the characters rockily build their relationship together it is easy to see why Pat and Tiff

can understand each other. During this time most everyone else is concerned about two “crazy”

people talking, so people try to pry them apart which despite their differences they refuse. The

most crucial element of their relationship here is that the characters can talk to each other and listen

without anyone trying to limit the flow of conversation plus the fact that they take their time

together. Pat and Tiff have a natural flow when they speak to each other even if others do not

follow that flow.

 Understandably, communication is essential in any relationship, but they would go as far

as to disclose information that might be considered part of the fine print. They hid almost nothing

even though they had just met each other. The two did not shy away from saying something that

might be too honest, and they did not care how it would make the other person feel so long as it

was the truth. Something that many with mood disorders/mental illness appreciate but often finds

it difficult when in the company of someone who lacks the same experience as themselves.

When talking about Pat and Tiff’s relationship there are two activities that these two

regularly did with each other, running and dancing. They conveniently ran a similar route, so they

often met which led to many comedic yet endearing scenes that really made the audience grow

closer to the characters. It was during these runs that Pat and Tiff grew comfortable with the idea

of becoming friends. When they finally started dancing together is when their relationship became

more intimate. This made them much more comfortable and acted as a great environment for them

to express themselves to each other in a way that they may not have felt possible otherwise.

It became clear to everyone after a while that Pat and Tiff were good for each other and

that they helped each other in ways that no one could have imagined. You can see their

development in the way that they act around each other, there was no awkwardness like an

unspoken rule that they just understood that made conversation easier among each other. David O.
Russel showed that by having a mood disorder you are not made any less human. We all feel pain,

irritation, anger, sadness, and happiness. No one should be made any less for having a disorder

that might affect how someone “normally” processes or handles emotions.

 Works Cited:

Russell, David O. Silver Linings Playbook. The Weinstein Company, 2012.

Charactour. “Pat Solitano from Silver Linings Playbook.” CharacTour, 2013,

https://www.charactour.com/hub/characters/view/Pat-Solitano.Silver-Linings-Playbook.

Accessed 6 December 2023.

Charactour. “Tiffany Maxwell from Silver Linings Playbook.” CharacTour, 2013,

https://www.charactour.com/hub/characters/view/Tiffany-Maxwell.Silver-Linings-

Playbook. Accessed 6 December 2023.

Gannett. “'Silver Linings' hits close to home for director Russell.” USA Today, 8 February 2013,

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/08/silver-lining-playbook-mental-

illness/1891065/. Accessed 6 December 2023