Lars and the real girl

Lars Lindstrom (Gosling) lives in the converted garage behind the house he and his brother Gus
(Schneider) inherited from their late father. Karin (Mortimer) is Lars's pregnant sister-in-law. Her
persistent attempts to lure him into the house for a family meal are usually rebuffed, and on the
rare occasions he accepts, their conversation is stilted and he seems eager to leave as soon as
he can. The young man avoids social contact, finding it difficult to interact with or relate to his
family, co-workers or fellow parishioners in the church he regularly attends. Margo (Garner),
Lars' co-worker, is clearly interested in him, but Lars avoids anything more than brief encounters
with her.

One day Lars happily announces to Gus and Karin he has a visitor he met via the Internet,
a wheelchair-boundmissionary of Brazilian and Danish descent named Bianca. The two are
startled to discover Bianca is, in fact, a lifelike doll Lars ordered from an adult website.
Concerned about his mental health, they convince Lars to take Bianca to Dagmar (Clarkson),
the family doctor who is also a psychologist. Dagmar diagnoses Bianca with low blood
pressure and advises Lars to bring her in for weekly treatments. The doctor's actual intention is
to analyze Lars and get to the root of his behavior. She explains to Gus and Karin that this
delusion is merely a symptom or manifestation of an underlying problem that needs to be
addressed. She urges them to assist with Lars's therapy by treating Bianca as if she were a real
woman.

It is discovered during the course of the film that Lars's mother died during his birth, causing his
father to change dramatically. These issues pushed Gus to leave home as soon as possible,
leaving Lars to deal with a distant, heartbroken father alone. This gave Lars an almost
debilitating fear of having children, which causes him to refuse any kind of intimacy as well.

As time passes, Lars begins to introduce Bianca as his girlfriend to his co-workers and various
townspeople. Due to their care and concern for Lars, everyone treats Bianca as a real person.
Lars soon finds himself interacting more with people. During this time, Margo has begun to date
another co-worker, which silently bothers Lars.

Lars has a conversation with his brother during which he asks when he knew he had become a
man and what being a man means. His brother's explanation seems to reach Lars and his
dependence on Bianca immediately seems to shift.

When a co-worker with whom Margo has been playing pranks goes a bit too far, Lars comforts
her. During the ensuing conversation, Margo reveals she has broken up with her boyfriend. She
invites Lars to go bowling, which he initially declines before reconsidering. The two spend a
pleasant evening together along with some other townsfolk. Lars is quick to remind Margo he
could never cheat on Bianca. Although obviously disappointed, Margo replies that the thought
never crossed her mind. As they part, Lars takes his glove off to shake Margo's hand.

One morning soon after, Lars announces that Bianca is unresponsive, and she is rushed to the
hospital by ambulance. Once there, he tells his family theprognosis is not good and that Bianca
would like to be brought home. The news spreads through town, and everyone whose life has
been touched by Bianca sends flowers or sits with Lars at the Lindstrom home. Gus and Karin
ask Dagmar why this is happening, and she reveals that it reflects a significant shift within Lars's
mind. They suggest that Lars and Bianca join them for a visit to the lake. While the couple is
hiking, Lars gives Bianca a very sad farewell kiss. As Gus and Karin make their way back from
the hike, they discover despondent Lars in the lake with a 'dying' Bianca.

Bianca is given a full-fledged funeral that is well-attended by the townspeople. After Bianca is
buried in the local cemetery, Lars and Margo linger at the grave site. When Margo states that she
should catch up with everyone else, Lars asks her to take a walk with him instead, to which she
happily agrees.

Silver linings playbook

After eight months of treatment for bipolar disorder, Pat is released from a mental health facility
in Baltimore, and returns to Lansdowne, Pennsylvania into the care of his father Patrizio and
mother Dolores. Pat soon learns that his wife, Nikki, has moved away, and that his father is out
of work and resorting to illegal bookmaking to earn money with the hopes of opening a
restaurant. Pat is determined to get his life back on track and reconcile with Nikki, who obtained
a restraining order against him after a violent episode sent him away.

While talking to his court-mandated therapist Dr. Cliff Patel (Kher), Pat explains why he was
hospitalized: Coming home early from his high school teaching job after getting into an argument
with the school's principal, he had found his wife in the shower with the history teacher from his
school, and nearly beat the man to death. Despite this, Pat doesn't believe that he needs a
medication to manage his condition. He tells Cliff that he has taken a new outlook on life. This is
a reference to the name of the film, as he attempts to see the good, or "silver linings", in all that
he experiences, however challenging. As part of this outlook, and transformation, he has lost
weight and has attempted to read the books that his wife Nikki teaches to kids at her school.

At dinner with his friend Ronnie and his wife Veronica, he meets Veronica's sister Tiffany, a
young widow who also lost her job. Tiffany and Pat develop an odd friendship through their
shared neuroses, and he sees an opportunity to communicate with Nikki through her. They get
together to eat at a diner and after an argument in the street, Tiffany comes to Pat's defense
after the police come and he hears his wedding song that drives him crazy. Tiffany eventually
offers to deliver a letter to Nikki if, in return, he will be her partner in an upcoming dance
competition. He reluctantly agrees and the two begin a rigorous practice regimen over the
following weeks. Pat believes the competition will be a good way to show Nikki that he has
changed and become a better person.

Things go well for Pat until his father asks him to attend a Philadelphia Eagles game as a "good-
luck charm", partly because he has bet virtually all of his money on the outcome. Pat asks Tiffany
for time off from practice to attend the game, which she begrudgingly allows. Tiffany also gives
Pat a typed reply from Nikki, in which she cautiously hints there may be a chance for a
reconciliation between them. While at the game with his friends, Pat does well and is having fun
at a tailgate, until some racist fans harass the Indian fans there, including Dr. Patel. Pat gets
involved in a fight after seeing his brother get slapped, and he is hauled away by the police. The
Eagles lose the game and Patrizio is furious. Tiffany arrives, and also berates Patrizio, pointing
out that the way she is "reading the signs," the Eagles (and Phillies) do better when she and Pat
are together, as they won every game they played when Tiffany and Pat were spending time
together. Patrizio, now convinced that his son being with Tiffany is actually good luck, makes
a parlay with his gambling friend that if the Eagles win their game against the Dallas
Cowboys, and if Tiffany and Pat average a score of 5 out of 10 in their dance competition, he will
win back double the money he lost on the first bet. Pat is reluctant to participate in the dance
contest under those conditions, goes outside to re-read Nikki's letter, and notices that it also
refers to reading the signs, realizing that Tiffany actually wrote the letter. With the Solatanos'
finances in danger, Tiffany and Pat's mother persuade Pat by telling him that Nikki will be there.

Tiffany, Pat, and their friends and family arrive at the competition on the night of the football
game. Tiffany despairs when she finds that Nikki is in the audience as well, so Tiffany leaves the
ballroom and starts drinking with a stranger. Pat finds her and practically drags her onto the
dance floor. They begin their routine as the Eagles defeat the Cowboys.

At the conclusion of their set, cute but far from brilliant, Tiffany and Pat score exactly 5 points.
Amid cheers from her family and confused looks from the crowd, Pat approaches Nikki and
speaks quietly into her ear. Tiffany sees this and storms outside. Pat leaves Nikki behind after a
short conversation, intent on finding Tiffany. Pat's father informs him that Tiffany left and tells him
that he loves her right now and that it will be a sin if he does not reach out to this moment that life
has given him. Pat tells his father that he loves him, then runs after Tiffany. He hands Tiffany a
letter that he wrote for her, in which he admits that he knows she forged Nikki's letter. He
confesses his love for her and that he loved her from the moment he met her, and apologizes
that it took him so long to come to terms with this. They share a kiss, become a couple, and
Patrizio opens a restaurant with the money he has won. The final moments in the movie between
Pat and Tiffany show that both of them are no longer wearing their wedding rings.

The holiday

iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet), a society column editor for The Daily Telegraph in London, has
been in love with Jasper Bloom (Rufus Sewell) for over three years, despite his infidelities. When
she finds out that he is engaged to the "other woman," Iris despairs over the state of affairs in her
life. Meanwhile, Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz), a workaholic who owns a company that
produces movie trailers in Los Angeles, discovers that her live-in boyfriend Ethan Ebbers
(Edward Burns) has been cheating on her with his 24-year-old secretary. She decides she wants
to get away for the holidays and visits a home swap website on which Iris had previously listed
her "quaint cottage in Surrey.” Amanda contacts Iris about her interest. Iris quickly agrees and
the two agree to swap homes for two weeks.

Iris revels in the luxury of Amanda's Los Angeles home, while Amanda is disappointed by the
slower, quieter pace of life in Surrey. Amanda grows bored after just a few hours, and books a
flight home for the next day. Later that night, Iris’ brother Graham (Jude Law) knocks at the door
thinking Iris is home. Graham asks Amanda to let him spend the night despite the fact that he is
a stranger, as he has been drinking at the pub and doesn't want to drive. Because of the obvious
chemistry between them, they end up sleeping together.
In the morning, Graham receives a number of phone calls from Sophie and Olivia, which rouses
the suspicions of Amanda that Graham is a womanizer. Graham, knowing that Amanda is
leaving to return home, says to Amanda that "if the flight gets cancelled, [he is] having dinner at
the pub" with friends. At the airport Amanda decides to stay and goes to the pub. Graham enters
the pub and looks for her but cannot see her until he meets his friends and then sees Amanda.
Amanda drinks far too much that night. Graham suggests they go to lunch to get to know one
another better. During lunch, Amanda shares with Graham that her parents divorced when she
was fifteen and since then she has been unable to cry. Graham responds that he cries all the
time: movies, books, and birthday cards. He also reveals himself to be a book editor. While
obviously enjoying each other's company, Amanda is worried that the relationship will become
"complicated," and tries to keep Graham at arm's length.

Meanwhile, Iris is enjoying the stay at Amanda's house. She meets Ethan's friend Miles (Jack
Black) when he comes with his girlfriend Maggie (Shannyn Sossamon) to Amanda's house.
Later, she meets an elderly man named Arthur Abbott (Eli Wallach), standing lost at the corner,
and she escorts him home. She learns that he was a screenwriter during the Golden Age of
Hollywood. The two become fast friends. Arthur notes that Iris' behavior toward Jasper does not
match her strong personality, and he suggests movies for her to watch that include strong female
characters, in hopes that she can acquire what he calls "gumption."

Amanda chooses not to see Graham again but once alone in the house she has a change of
heart and surprises Graham at his house. He looks extremely nervous at the door, Amanda asks
Graham whether he is alone, and he says he isn't. Before she can turn away, Olivia and Sophie
come to the door, revealing that they are Graham's young daughters. Amanda is shocked and
asks Graham in a whisper if he is married. He says no, because his wife died two years ago.
Amanda asks him why he did not reveal the existence of his daughters to her during their sharing
at lunch. Graham explains that he doesn't usually tell women about them because he doesn't
know how to date women while also being a dad. Amanda fits in beautifully with Sophie and
Olivia, making Graham reconsider his decision to keep their relationship strictly casual.

Iris discovers that the Screenwriters' Guild wants to throw a grand celebration in Arthur's honor,
but he is reluctant to attend for several reasons, chief among them being that he cannot walk
without the assistance of his walker, and does not want to embarrass himself on stage. Iris
encourages him to go because it's a real honor, and promises to help him prepare to attend the
award function with her. She undertakes an exercise program with him, determined to help him
walk without his walker. During these days Jasper contacts her several times for her to assist
with the book he is writing. She agrees to look over his pages, but ends up having so much fun
that she doesn't have the time.

Iris and Miles have slowly become friends, and one night go to the video store to rent some other
films that Arthur had recommended. From the video store, Miles sees his girlfriend Maggie in the
arms of another guy. He is shocked, as she told him that she would be in Santa Fe on an
extended film shoot and would not be in L.A. for this Christmas Eve. He runs out of the store to
find out the truth and realizes that she has been cheating on him. Iris and Miles return to
Amanda's house, where they discuss their tendencies to fall for people that they know are wrong
for them, and they grow closer for it. They are now both single, and begin to spend more time
together. But one day while Miles and Iris are eating lunch together, Maggie calls Miles wanting
to see him. Miles leaves to see her, but promises to come to Arthur’s award ceremony that night.
Iris goes back to Amanda's, where she is shocked to find Jasper having flown in from England.
Iris is touched at first, but then asks if he is still engaged. When he responds that he is, she
finally realises he is no good for her and breaks up with him for good. Meanwhile, Maggie tries in
vain to convince Miles to forgive her. He realises that Maggie was never meant for him and he
can not trust her anymore. He breaks up with her and rushes to attend Arthur’s award ceremony.

Iris and Arthur arrive at the ceremony and are very surprised to find that despite Arthur's fears
that not many people would attend the hall is actually filled with people all standing and
applauding his achievements. That, plus the song that Miles wrote especially for Arthur for this
moment, gives him the confidence to walk onto the stage unassisted. Miles arrives and asks Iris
for a date on New Year's Eve. Iris responds that she will be back in London by then; Miles replies
"I have never been to London." Iris responds that she would love to spend the evening with
Miles. Meanwhile, Graham confesses his love for Amanda on the night before she is scheduled
to depart. Amanda insists it is over as she is certain a long-distance relationship would never
work. On her way to the airport, she cries for the first time since she was fifteen years old, and
returns to the house to find Graham crying. Amanda tells him that she has decided to stay until
New Year's Eve with him and they embrace. Iris and Miles celebrate the New Year with Amanda
and Graham and his daughters, Sophie and Olivia, enjoying the evening laughing and dancing
together.