Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that although Silver Linings Playbook is an offbeat, affecting dramedy with many comedic moments and one-liners, the story it's telling is really quite dark: It's about two people hampered by mental illness and despondence, respectively, who try to claw their way back to a semblance of normalcy and happiness. It's a romantic film in many ways, as well as a study on dysfunctional families and what makes them work in their own strange (and sometimes uncomfortable) ways. There are references to sex, violence, and gambling, as well as some upsetting scenes in which a character's anger bursts out of control, sometimes leading to physical confrontations (including one in which he knocks his mother down and ends up in a fight with his father). Flashbacks include glimpses of a bloody beating and a naked couple in a shower; there's frequent swearing ("f--k," "s--t," and more) and some social drinking.
Sexual
Content
Quick glimpses of a naked couple in a shower; we see them kissing, and her torso/breasts are visible. A woman discusses her sexual history/conquests. Two characters share a passionate kiss. A woman is shamed for her sexual past. Lots of tight/revealing costumes during a dance competition.
Violence
Talk of how one character beat up someone in a shower, and, in quick flashbacks, viewers see it happen (the bloody scenes go quickly and in a haze). The same character also has sudden angry outbursts that lead to yelling, tension, and damage; he throws an object through a glass window, abruptly knocks over a magazine stand at a doctor's office, and even gets into a fistfight with his father after knocking his mother down during one of his episodes. A fight erupts at a football tailgate party, and people are arrested.
Language
Frequent but not incessant use of words including "f--k," "s--t," "damn," "a--hole," "slut," "d--k," "c--k," "hell," "bulls--t," "Jesus Christ" (as an exclamation)," "oh my God," etc. Characters display raised middle fingers.
Social
Behavior
No matter what your baggage is -- mental illness, past relationships, anger, a dysfunctional family -- you can find love (and yourself) if you commit to the journey.
Consumerism
Brands/products seen on screen or mentioned include Budweiser, Apple (iPods, laptops), Raisin Bran, and Pampers. There's also a lot of talk about the Philadelphia Eagles football team; characters are shown wearing their paraphernalia.
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Some drinking (wine, beer), mostly socially. In one scene, a woman goes to a bar with the clear intention of overindulging but doesn't get that far. Two characters catalogue the prescription medications they've tried. Some scenes show a man taking his meds.
