This week's heat film reviews - Silver Linings Playbook, End Of Watch and Gambit

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver
Director: David O Russell (CERT 15, 122 minutes)

The plot: Anyone who saw the YouTube clips of David O Russell having a meltdown directing his 2004 film I Love Huckabees will understand his instinct for this material. Based on the Matthew Quick novel, it’s the story of Pat Solitano (Cooper), whose anger issues have seen him spend eight months in a state mental facility. Now back living with his parents (De Niro and Weaver), he’s fixated on getting back with his ex-wife, but the only person who can get a message through to her is a woman (Lawrence) with her own agenda…

What’s right with it? The romcom is surely the most formulaic of genres, and any example that doesn’t follow the rules – Forces Of Nature with Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock springs to mind – gets punished at the box office. Silver Linings Playbook isn’t afraid to try something different, with a central relationship that favours friendship over romance, and featuring characters that dare to be unsympathetic: troubled Tiffany (Lawrence) buries her grief with random sex; Pat goes ballistic every time he hears Stevie Wonder’s My Cherie Amour. Both actors deliver brave, heartfelt, thoroughly convincing performances.

What’s wrong with it? The subplot involving Pat’s gambling dad’s bizarre superstitions about how his son can bring good fortune to his American football team proves less engaging.

Verdict: Following his brilliant drama The Fighter, Russell once again proves his adeptness with actors, this time mixing in quirky comedy and a dance competition climax. If you’re willing to try something different, you’ll be rewarded. 4/5 @charlesgant<