If you thought you had seen the last of Chris Tucker on the silver screen, you were so wrong. This one-time (according to IMDb) highest paid actor in Hollywood has appeared only in Rush Hour movies since 1998, but his late 90s work, especially Jackie Brown, showed the promise of some genuinely unique talent. I have no idea where he went for the last 14 years and I don’t care to. In this film, he matches the tone of the piece perfectly. His little monologues about how he likes to keep his hair, this obsessive trait of his character, are at once both absurdly funny and kind of sad.
It’s little elements like this in Silver Linings Playbook that make it such a joy to watch, as audiences have found since its festival premiere. None of the parts seem all that impressive, but their collective sum is something special indeed. That’s why this movie is consistently underestimated: it seems like it won’t amount to all that much, but then it all comes together in such a beautifully handled conclusion, with many lovely touches along the way. It’s a tricky sort of thing. If Oscar wants to avoid awarding anything remotely controversial and just stick with a solid, delightful little movie that will sneak up and floor people, this is the one to choose. And if you haven’t seen it yet, prepare to be surprised.
Did you enjoy Silver Linings Playbook? Or are you an emotionless robot? Find your peace of mind in the comment section below.
