“Silver Linings Playbook” deserves its Academy Award nominations in all the acting categories. Without the performances of Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver, the film may have come across as uncanny and perhaps disturbing at parts.

This movie added darkness to a romantic comedy, an idea practically unheard of in Hollywood, making the film unique.

The film is fast-paced with some scenes going from screaming to fighting to laughing in just a matter of a few seconds. That is why credit is given to the actors who were able to make such scenes flow, adding comic relief with their timing and keeping the film realistic.

The film follows Pat, played by Cooper, who has just been released from a mental health clinic. After suffering from undiagnosed bipolar disorder and the heartbreak of his wife cheating on him, Pat is ready to come home to his patient mom, played by Weaver, and his football obsessed dad, played by De Niro. Upon his return, he tries to get his life back on track with the goal of winning his wife back.

When Pat’s friend invites him over for dinner, he meets Tiffany, who is played by Lawrence. Recently widowed, Tiffany suffers from her own mental health issues, but the two flawed characters agree to help each other reach their goals. This includes Tiffany giving letters to Pat’s ex-wife and Pat dancing with Tiffany so she can win a dance competition.

Cooper and Lawrence are nominated for Oscars in the Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress categories. They are the likely reason the film was nominated for the Best Picture award.

Without their portrayal of the troubled characters, the film could have easily been considered outrageous. It is a romantic comedy, but the flaws and issues of the two protagonists made the movie deep with a touch of darkness, which is absent in other films of the same genre. In short, there is more than a love story on screen.

There are a few scenes where Pat experiences many emotions in a short time due to his disorder. These scenes leave the audience feeling the same emotions as Pat. While those scenes could have been perceived as disturbing, Cooper’s acting techniques make them touching and memorable in regards to the overall movie. In fact he can even bring a laugh to the audience after such an experience.

The same is true in regards to Lawrence. Tiffany suffers from depression, but the timing and charm of Lawrence makes Tiffany likable despite her flaws. She manages to make the audience root for Tiffany, a task that is not easy with such a character.

De Niro and Weaver are nominated for the Best Supporting Actor and Actress Oscar respectively. Both give an emotional, heartfelt performance as parents who want the best for their son but have different ways of approaching it. Their performances are realistic and charming. Their nominations are well deserved.

“Silver Linings Playbook” is nominated for eight Academy Awards in total. These include the nominations in all four acting categories, best picture, best director for David O. Russell, best adapted screenplay and best film editing.

This film may bring a lot of emotions on screen in a short time, but the only feeling left when the movie has ended is admiration.