The best movies...

The best movies stick with you. They make make you think. They make you feel.
The best movies give. They aren't selfish. They let the audience take whatever it needs. No questions asked.
The best movies are not entertainment. They don't bring you into another world just so you can escape your own. They help you open your eyes. They don't let them glaze over while glued to the screen.

Silver Linings Playbook is one of those "best movies". Whenever I go see a movie I focus on the acting. When you watch good acting it's stupid not to try to study it. I mean why would anyone pass up a master class with Robert DeNiro for the reasonable price of $11. That's be ridiculous. For this movie though, I couldn't do that. I think it's pretty much considered a fact that Robert DeNiro is an amazing actor, and Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper aren't half bad themselves (they are all nominated for Oscars). Yet I couldn't sit there and simply be in awe of their acting. Watching their every move taking mental notes. I couldn't notice their acting. It doesn't mean I didn't appreciate it, and it doesn't mean I didn't like it, I'm actual trying to give a compliment. It's of course a testament to how great they all are. I guess if I wasn't able to notice their acting, that means that I really did believe them. But this is not a new observation for me. I've known for a while now that good acting isn't acting, it's sort of just being, which on a side note is the reason I really do hate that word. Acting. It's confusing, but anyway the point I'm trying to get at is I made a new observation. The reason the movie was such a success was because the actors were so generous. They were not selfish. They did not take. They gave all they had until they had nothing more to give. It's hard as an actor (or anyone with an ego) to not have a sense of "look at me!" when they are acting, especially when they are doing something great. It's like the whole idea behind a spot light. Its shining on the actor, so you can only look at him, you have no choice. Everything becomes about the actor. Now it's not exactly a bad thing, I would say it's more like a human thing. It can even be a good thing because it gives the actor command and power. The remarkable thing was the actors in this film weren't doing anything like that. They were feeding the film, not their egos. Not even a little bit. It's especially impressive for someone like Jennifer Lawrence who's an amateur compared to DeNiro, and to be in a scene with him and not to try to command any attention... Kind of amazing. She did not try to prove herself or even hold her own. She gave to him, and he gave in return. The selflessness of the actors was what made this film so remarkable.
The best part wasn't only that the spotlight wasn't on the actors, it was that the spotlight was on the audience. Pretty cool.