Mental health in pop culture: Silver Linings Playbook

Examining how to navigate relationships with bipolar disorder

Silver Linings Playbook is the story of two individuals with bipolar disorder navigating the complexities of life, love, and family. Upon its release in 2012, the film was lauded for its realistic portrayal of mental health, with a stacked cast including Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert DeNiro. The story manages to be heartwarming, heartwrenching, and hopeful all at once, and I’ll discuss why I think it still holds up over a decade later. 

Here’s the trailer.

Synopsis

The film opens with Pat Solitano being released from a psychiatric hospital in Philadelphia under the strict conditions that he remains on medication and sees a therapist. He was interred for severely beating a fellow teacher after catching him in an affair with his wife Nikki. Only after this episode do they realize that Pat is undiagnosed bipolar.

Upon release, Pat expresses wanting to repair his marriage, focusing on physical fitness and committing to read the entire syllabus his wife – a high school English teacher – has prepared. Pat initially feels he can manage his condition with exercise alone. But soon thereafter, he wakes the entire neighborhood screaming when he finishes Hemingway’s Farewell to Arms, and again searching for his wedding video. What’s more – Nikki has put a restraining order on Pat, he has a meltdown whenever their wedding song comes on, and he feels conflicted over his attraction to widow Tiffany, who also struggles with bipolar disorder.

Tiffany agrees to help Pat give a letter to Nikki, who is good friends with her sister Veronica. In return, despite his reservations Pat promises to be her dance partner in an upcoming competition. Simultaneously, Pat’s father Patrizio Sr., recently lost his job and pension and is running a betting business on their favorite football team, the Eagles. He views Pat as “good juju” and always asks him to stay and watch the games with him at home; Patrizio himself was banned from the stadium for brawling.

As Pat and Tiffany practice for the competition, his loyalties are increasingly called into question by his family and friends. Making matters worse, Pat Sr. bets and loses heavily on the Eagles vs. Giants game, where Pat and his older brother Jake are expelled for fighting with other tailgaters. 

Tiffany storms over to the family’s house, enraged that Pat missed their dance practice while he was being detained. Time is getting close to the dance competition, which happens to be on the same day as the final game of the season. Eager to see the dance through, Tiffany convinces Pat Sr. that every time his son practices with her, the Eagles have won their games. To recoup his losses, Pat Sr. agrees to a bet with mutual friend Randy double or nothing, with the condition that Tiffany and Pat Jr. score a 5 or higher at their dance.

To ensure that Pat fully commits to the competition, Tiffany and his family suggest that Nikki will attend the performance. Tiffany says she’s delivered Pat’s letter to his wife, and that Nikki wrote him back. On closer inspection though, Pat realizes that Tiffany is also falling for him; in fact, she was the one who “responded.” Surprisingly, Nikki does come the night of the show – and Tiffany, confused and upset, heads to the bar. Pat finds her two drinks in, and despite all odds they perform their routine. 

As luck (or the good juju) would have it, the Eagles win against the Cowboys – and the judges give Pat and Tiffany an average score of 5. Pat Sr. wins back his bet, but Tiffany, convinced Pat will now reunite with Nikki, slips away from the group. Recognizing that Pat and Tiffany have feelings for one another, Patrizio encourages his son to pursue her. Pat finds Tiffany and hands her a letter he wrote where he confesses his love for her.

How mental health is presented in the movie

Before we dive deeper into the characters, it’s valid to question how believably Silver Linings Playbook portrays bipolar disorder. The jury seems to be out over how realistic the movie is, but as with most motion pictures, it’s probably safe to assume the subject matter is dramatized. While I do not have firsthand experience of bipolar disorder, I do have a friend who takes medication to manage her condition and views physical exercise as instrumental in maintaining structure.

I can, however, attest that dancing is a wonderful outlet for both physical and mental health. After struggling with a breakup in college, I took up a friend’s invitation to swing dancing club. Partner dance was outside of my comfort zone; growing up, I took dance lessons but was always part of a troupe. Still, the routine of social dancing every Tuesday night helped me focus on new skills and friendships, and I grew to love it so much that I started inviting others to participate as well.

Excelsior

Back to our fictional friend Pat, he makes this idea his personal motto. A Latin word meaning “ever upward,” he applies this optimistic thinking toward repairing his mental health and relationships. As Pat explains to his therapist Dr. Patel, 

“You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest – and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining.” 

Even so, it’s important to put action behind positive thoughts. Without a plan, Pat struggles to come to terms with hearing his wedding song because it happened to be playing when he discovered his wife cheating with the history teacher. Although Tiffany has had her own struggles coping with her husband’s passing, she helps Pat steady himself and slow down his breathing when the song comes on at a local theater. While simple, his friend’s reassurance helps Pat make progress on something that he was having difficulty moving past.

The family connection

Humans often learn and exhibit behaviors that we first see in our family members – parents are both nature and nurture. Patrizio Sr. has a habit of lining up the TV remotes to face a specific direction. At one point, he treats his wife to an exposition about how one of many envelopes from his office is missing. It’s subsequently accounted for by Pat (who uses it for his letter to Nikki) but his father seems more upset than he should be. The movie seems to imply Patrizio may have some form of OCD, and perhaps there may be a genetic connection with Pat’s bipolar diagnosis.

While the relationship between Patrizio and Pat is at times strained, there’s also genuine concern and connection. There’s a scene where Patrizio wakes up his son after a tiring day of dance practice. He fumbles the words at first, but the gist is that Pat Sr. longs to rebuild the relationship with his younger son – that’s why he fusses about football being family time. This opens the way for greater empathy and understanding between father and son in their future interactions.

Starting over after a mental health crisis

“There will always be a part of me that is sloppy and dirty, but I like that, just like all the other parts of myself.”

Although the movie doesn’t confirm a diagnosis, we assume Tiffany deals with bipolar I disorder, a chronic condition in which the individual experiences episodes of both elevated and depressive moods (WebMD). This comes to a head when Tiffany feels like Pat views her as “crazier” than he is, and accuses him of being judgmental and unforgiving. However, her perception of Pat is somewhat repaired when he defends Tiffany’s character to a former coworker of hers. It’s likely that Pat arrives at this sentiment as he processes his own marital issues through counseling.

At a broader level, nobody is perfect, but the important thing is that we aim to grow as individuals, partners, parents, and friends. Sometimes the process takes longer than we’d prefer – the story of Silver Linings Playbook actually takes place over the course of a few months, bookmarked by kids in costume for Halloween and the Christmas lights at the recital. Do we, like Tiffany and Pat, acknowledge the parts of ourselves that are hurting? And are we taking the practical steps to heal those areas?

Supporting others in their mental health journey

Ronnie is Pat’s best friend, and is married to Tiffany’s “perfect” older sister, Veronica. He’s an example of how anyone can struggle with mental health: he admits to the stresses of work, caring for a newborn baby, and his marriage getting to him. In fact, Ronnie brings up his struggles every time he meets Pat, who recognizes that he needs to seek help. A good point is that Pat isn’t just anyone, he’s a trusted friend, and perhaps Ronnie feels it is easier to be transparent with him since he is also honest about what he’s going through. 

As a sidebar, if you’d like to gain the skills to assess and support others going through a mental health crisis or substance abuse issue, you can sign up for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. Courses are taught by Savor Lining’s licensed clinical professional team and you can become certified in either adult or youth MHFA.

If you have watched Silver Linings Playbook, what stood out to you about the depiction of mental health and specifically bipolar disorder? Connect with us on social media and let’s continue the conversation.

---

Why write a series on how mental health is portrayed in film and television? Born and raised in Los Angeles, I (Evelyn) have always been a stone’s throw away from Hollywood, the origin of some of our most beloved movies and shows. A good story often presents curious perspectives or teaches us valuable life lessons. In the case of mental health, I believe such depictions can destigmatize uncomfortable topics from social anxiety to depression and substance abuse to grief. 

My hope is that this opinion column will inspire conversations around meaningful issues in our personal lives and relationships. Without further ado – grab your popcorn and soft drinks and let’s get watching!