Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A man with bipolar disorder seeks to reconcile with his ex-wife while forming an unexpected bond with a widow who offers to help him through a dance competition.
The story
After eight months in a psychiatric hospital for bipolar disorder, Patrizio "Pat" Solitano Jr. is released to the care of his parents in Pennsylvania. Determined to win back his estranged wife, Pat meets Tiffany Maxwell, a widow with her own struggles. Tiffany proposes a deal: she will help him win back his wife if he agrees to partner with her in an upcoming dance competition. As the two begin to train together, they find common ground in their shared experiences with mental illness, while Pat and his family navigate their own complexities and the hope for a new beginning.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Patrizio "Pat" Solitano Jr., diagnosed with bipolar disorder, is released from a psychiatric hospital and moves in with his parents in Pennsylvania. He is desperate to reconcile with his ex-wife, Nikki, who has a restraining order against him. He meets Tiffany Maxwell, a widow with an unnamed disorder, at a friend's house. Tiffany offers to help him win back Nikki if he joins her in a dance competition. During their training, they grow closer. Pat's father, Patrizio Sr., is involved in illegal bookmaking and involves Pat in a high-stakes bet on a Philadelphia Eagles game. Pat discovers that Tiffany fabricated a letter from Nikki to motivate him to dance. At the competition, they find out Nikki is in the audience. Pat and Tiffany perform a dance as the Eagles win their game. Afterward, Pat realizes his love for Tiffany and confesses he knew she forged the letter. They decide to start a relationship together, and Pat opens a restaurant with his winnings.
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 122
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David O. Russell
- Writers
- David O. Russell · writer
- Cast and characters
- Bradley Cooper · Patrizio "Pat" Solitano Jr.; Jennifer Lawrence · Tiffany Maxwell; Robert De Niro · Patrizio Sr.; Jacki Weaver · Dolores; Anupam Kher; Chris Tucker
- Genres
- romantic drama; comedy
- Themes
- mental illness; romance
- Tone and mood
- bittersweet; heartwarming
- Premise and plot tags
- romance; dance; sports; mental health
- Source material / true-story basis
- Matthew Quick's 2008 novel The Silver Linings Playbook
- Content notes
- language
- Reception
- The film was critically acclaimed, praised for its direction, screenplay, and the performances of its lead actors.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 92% · scale: percentage · review count: 260
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actress · win
- Production trivia
- The film was shot in 33 days.; The script was rewritten approximately 20 times over five years.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…