“I can’t apologize. I’m not going to apologize for this. You know what I will do? I will apologize on behalf of Ernest Hemingway because that’s who’s to blame here."

The Next Reel’s Speakeasy is an ongoing series of ours in which we invite an industry guest to join us and bring along one of their favorite movies to talk about. In this episode, film composer Harry Gregson-Williams joins us to talk about one of his favorite films, David O. Russell’s 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook.

We talk about why the film works so well and how Russell really infuses some serious energy into the film, almost as if the film is expressing the mental state of the two lead characters. We touch on how Russell’s experience with his son – who’s dealing with similar issues to our lead character – drew him to this story to help make mental health more accessible, which he does brilliantly. We discuss the brilliant cast and how perfect they all are in their roles, notably the four leads: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jackie Weaver. We look at what Russell does musically, bringing in an eclectic mix of songs and Danny Elfman’s score to help drive the story along. And we chat about how the movie blew up at the box office, making more than 11 times its budget.

It’s an incredible film that seems to get better with age and Gregson-Williams brings a lot of insight to the conversation. Plus, we have a great chat with him about his career and how he got to where he is. So check out the movie then join us on the show!

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