Stars Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper praise director David O. Russell
By Sean Plummer
Oscar-nominated writer-director David O. Russell (The Fighter) may be acclaimed for the psychological realism of his films, but actor Bradley Cooper, who plays a mentally disturbed man in Russell’s new film Silver Linings Playbook, was even more impressed by his director’s ability to capture his hometown of Philadelphia.
“If you look back at films that are set in Philadelphia, the people speak like they’re from New York,” Cooper says during a recent press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival. “A lot of people who don’t live in Philadelphia think that people sound like they’re from New York, but they don’t. And I’m from Philadelphia so he nailed it. We really captured an essence of Philadelphia: that xenophobia, that pride in your team. I was so happy that he was able to create that world, ‘cause often, having so much pride from Philly, you do see it misrepresented.”
Based on Matthew Quick’s best-seller, Silver Linings Playbook stars Cooper (The Hangover) as Pat Solitano, a substitute high school teacher who spends eight months in a mental institution after beating his wife’s lover half to death. Ordered to stay away from her but still optimistic about their getting back together, the still fragile Pat returns to his parents’ Philadelphia home and meets Tiffany (Lawrence: The Hunger Games), a young widow depressed in the wake of her cop husband’s accidental death. They find solace in each other and navigate the awkwardness and discomfort that arises from being considered crazy by everyone around them.
Both actors are quick to credit Russell’s involvement in the film with their decisions to pursue their respective roles.
“I didn’t even read the script,” says Lawrence. “I heard it was David O. Russell and I said yes, and he’s my favorite director. And then I read the script and was really happy I said yes!”
“Yeah, I mean, the whole reason I dreamt about becoming an actor as a kid was to do movies that this guy makes,” Cooper says, gesturing to Russell. “The fact that he had the confidence in me to want to work together… I just took a leap of faith and trusted him because it was life-changing.”
It’s noted by one journalist that it’s not always easy to like Pat and Tiffany, both of whose penchant for truth-telling has complicated their relationships with both their families and their community.
“David is probably the only filmmaker that actually gives audiences a choice to not like people,” Lawrence says. “All of his characters have so many dimensions, and each character has a story, and there’s no manipulation in any of his movies. It’s ‘here they are, here’s truth, here’s these people. These are their problems; this is how they’re dealing with it.’ There’s never that tipping point where now the audience is on his side, or ‘now we know that that guy’s the bad guy so we like this guy more.’ There’s never any of that. It’s just real people in any kind of situation, and then you can just choose: you can walk out of the theatre and not like Tiffany or Pat, or you can love them. You have a choice.”
“Maybe I’m drinking the blue Kool-Aid with Pat Solitano, but I think he’s the most likeable guy I’ve ever played!” adds Cooper, provoking much laughter. “I mean I felt so empathetic for him. There’d be moments when we were shooting when I just felt that guy’s so f**king heartbreaking! There’s not a bad bone in that guy’s body, actually, the way I saw him. And he had no filter, and he’s right there on the surface all the time, and he’s a child who wants to be loved and wants to love. And I dunno. To me I never thought, ‘Well, how do I like this guy?’ It’s like I love this guy!”
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Bradley Cooper, david o russel, Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook, tiff, TIFF2012
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