Silver Linings Playbook

Movie Style

What I found most interesting about Silver Linings Playbook is the style in which it was created. The way that this movie was filmed was in a style that I could not see in any of the other movies that we watched in this semester. 

When watching this movie, I realized that it had a very casual and easy feel to it. When investigating the reason behind this, I concluded that it could not have been through the plot, since the plot discusses heavy subjects - mental illness, cheating, and death. However, after thinking and analyzing, I reached the conclusion that there were two main factors that played to the easiness of the film: the camera technique used and the light humor sometimes used in the film.

If one pays close attention, they will notice that the camera is never set on a fixated axes. In the majority of the movie, the camera is handheld. This can be concluded because the camera deliberately shakes and moves in a very fluid, natural motion. Because the camera is handheld, the audience feels as if it were watching a home movie, which adds to the casualness of the film. Because the film does not look like it is filmed professionally, the audience feels less of the screen between them and the characters and actually feels like it is watching their lives happen before them. In the clip below, if you pay close attention, you can see how casually the scene is filmed. There is no excessive studio lighting or abrupt camera movement. The camera is handheld, the lighting is very natural, and how regular the conversation is adds to the casual feel of the film.