Bradley Cooper: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

1. Pat - Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Without a doubt the outstanding performance of his career so far, in Silver Linings Playbook Cooper was near-on perfect as the bipolar Pat. Equal parts hilarious and moving, he commands the screen and controls the story with charm, wit and confidence that is worth every inch of his Academy-award nomination. Had Daniel Day-Lewis not knocked it way out of the park with Lincoln, Cooper may well have walked away the victor. Sure, he had Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver to riff off, but when it boils down to it, Silver Linings Playbook was Pat's film, and looking back, the role could not have been filled by anyone else. His vulnerability is astonishing, and he sells the compulsive moments perfectly, just about wrestling with his restraint, but with mischief dancing in his eyes (remember the lesbian story-telling in the diner?) With every batch off successes though, are some inevitable flops. And boy, has our man Bradley featured in some real tosh up to this point. So, now on to the performances that sucked...