I am already affraid that I am going to post the wrong opinion about this movie. I have friends who loved, loved, loved it and I have friends who. HATED it and I have this feeling like everyone is waiting for me to come out with the "bipolar" opinion about this movie.I liked it. It was well worth the $8.25 I paid at the coolest movie theater in Washington, DC, the Avalon Theatre (a non-profit theatre that was saved by the community about 10 years ago- check them out).
But honestly, I don't know anything about movies at all. I can't write a review, because I don't know what makes a film good or bad. So all I can tell you is what I felt while watching it and what it made me think about.
Three feelings/ideas stuck with me from this movie.
1.) It was tough watching Bradley Cooper's character, Pat Jr, go through the aggitation that can come with the "ups" of being bipolar. These can often result in violence towards self or others. People hear about bipolar disorder and think it doesn't sound so bad -- so some days you are up and some days are down, what is so bad about that? But it isn't just the difference between a good and bad mood or a happy or sad day. The "ups" are often not happy, but aggitated. Beyond aggitation. And the only thing you can do is act out in rage. Fortunately, I never ended up hurting anyone except myself during one of these fits. But I am extremely happy that my current treatment plan seems to be preventing these from happening at all.
2.) The psychiatrist in the film keeps telling Pat he needs a plan -- he needs to know what he wants to do when a trigger hits before the trigger comes. While this is very true, it is not enough to just know what you want to do... you need to practice it. You need to train. I know I want to complete a half ironman. I know I want to run a marathon. But I don't somehow magically think that I am going to have the fitness and discipline to do either of these things without training -- without a training plan, coaches, equpment and lots, and lots of practice. Today I had a run in crazy cold winds. It sucked. I hated it. BUT now I know if that ever happens to me during a race, I can do it. I survived. I am fine. I have a plan and I practiced it. Yet somehow I always think it is enough for me to just know that I have certain issues in certain situations. And when I don't react the way I had planned, but have not practiced, I get angry at myself for failing. I need to start to look at my treatment, and my life in general, as not just a plan but as training.
3.) Finally, and probably most important thing I learned from this film... Bradley Copper is really hot. Where the hell have I been?