Silver Linings Playbook
Today marks the halfway point of our countdown to find the Best Movies of 2012 and in at number six is Silver Linings Playbook.
If there is one movie that has lit up the big screen this autumn then the latest offering from director David O. Russell it is as this film is a total delight.
It seems almost a travesty that this movie only made it in at number six on our countdown but the top five that we have in store for you is packed with more great movies.
The film marked the return to the director's chair for Russell as he brought the Matthew Quick novel of the same name to the big screen as well as to life.
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife.
Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic drama like no other that has hit the big screen this year and it truly is a treat from start to finish.
This is a film that looks at the impact of mental illness has on an individual and the people around them. And while this is packed with humour and charm it never belittles mental issues in any way.
In fact director Russell knows only too well the effects that it has being a father of someone with bipolar and he tells this story with a real understanding and respect and that really does come through.
And while the script is fantastic and you have a director that really does know what he is talking about it is the central performances that really make this movie.
This is the greatest performance that Bradley Cooper has ever given and it will really make you look at him differently as an actor.
Pat is a man who has seen his life totally unravel and who is desperate to get it all back on track.
Cooper strikes a perfect balance with the character - the struggle that he has with his bipolar as well as the fun and the humour that exists in Pat.
It there were any worries that Jennifer Lawrence was a tad too young to play the role of Tiffany those disappear from the first second that she appears as it is a knockout performance from the actress.
Tiffany is probably the most complex and interesting character who is fiery and at times dark and yet under the surface she is a character with a large heart who is looking for companionship in someone.
Again it is very much about balancing different aspects of an exaggerated personality and, like Cooper, she does this beautifully.
Together Cooper and Lawrence command the screen as they have a fantastic and genuine chemistry that really pushes the movie forward.
Cooper and Lawrence have already picked up Golden Globe nominations for their fantastic performances so don't be surprised if they bag Oscar nods as well.
Silver Linings Playbook is a movie that just has that extra bit of magic that elevates it to something special. It is a movie that sweeps you along and these are characters that we can all see bits of ourselves in.
If you have not had chance to see this movie then it really is one not to miss as it is a total gem that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
Check out our countdown so far:
10: Beasts of the Southern Wild
8. Looper
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw