Joy

Review by Pamela Zoslov

Back in the '90s, I became addicted to home shopping TV channels. In hindsight it seems tacky, but as an over-thirty law student under crushing pressure, I found solace in the patter of the smooth, charismatic hosts hawking gold jewelry, fake diamonds (“Diamonique”), clothes and household gadgets, each piece of merchandise flattered by star-filtered lights and the caresses of the well-manicured presenters. I came to know the hosts and their stories — witty New York-bred Kathy Levine; Judy Crowell, briefly married to a rakish fellow host, who asked her for a divorce just before airtime; Lisa Mason, fashion-model gorgeous but charmingly self-effacing; David Venable, the handsome ex-news anchor whose Southern charm could coax the bark off a Magnolia tree.

American Hustle

Review by Bob Ignizio

AMERICAN HUSTLE is based very loosely on the FBI ABSCAM sting operation that, back in 1978, took down 6 members of congress and a Senator, not to mention a few smaller fish. The bureau did this in part by utilizing the services of a convicted con artist who helped create a convincing set-up involving a phony middle eastern sheikh.

That much, at least, does make it into the film. But there's a reason AMERICAN HUSTLE begins with the onscreen disclaimer, “some of this actually happened” rather than the usual “based on a true story”. Not only have names been changed, but characters and situations have been invented, and director David O. Russell intentionally rewrote Eric Warren Singer's screenplay to make it more comedic. The costumes, hair, and make-up further push the film into camp territory, with the amped up performances by just about everyone in the cast pushing the movie completely over the top.

Silver Linings Playbook

Review by Joseph Anthony

What happens when a man with suppressed bipolar disorder discovers his wife cheating on him with one of her coworkers?  

Director David O. Russell tries to answer this question in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, his first film since the success of THE FIGHTER. Russell has become increasingly efficient in telling focused human stories about people who are relateable, but just a little different than the rest of us. In this case it's Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper), a man whose life has been turned upside down by his adulterous wife, Nikki (Brea Bee). Upon the discovery on his wife’s affair, Pat beats the man she is cheating with within an inch of his life. This earns Pat eight months in a psychiatric ward and a restraining order against his wife and their former workplace, a school.

When Pat is released, he goes home to live with his mom (Jackie Weaver) and dad (Robert De Niro), but he doesn’t find any relief there. His father is a Philadelphia Eagles junky, and bets on them every week while simultaneously keeping up his superstitious behaviors. Meanwhile, Pat is determined to win his wife Nikki back. Everyone in Pat’s life, including his therapist (played hilariously by Anupam Kher) tries to get Pat to move on, while also controlling his anger. Pat has many triggers for his anger, but his wedding song is the worst of them all: it's the same song that was playing when he found his wife cheating on him.

Cleveland Public Library Brings Award-Winning Filmmakers To Town For A Free Program On May 26, 2011

Press release from the Cleveland Public Library:

Award-winning film directors David O. Russell and Lisa Cholodenko will join producer Ted Hope for a conversation on the independent film industry on Thursday, May 26, at 6:30pm in the Cleveland Public Library’s Stokes Auditorium. This program is free and open to the public.