Detroit Film Critics Society Best of 2012

Written by Kirk Baird

The Detroit Film Critics Society — of which I’m a member — announced Friday its Best of 2012 winners in 10 categories, with writer-director David O. Russell’s romantic-comedy Silver Linings Playbook leading the way.

The dramatic and funny story of two emotionally crippled people who find love and coping mechanisms, Silver Linings Playbook received nods for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay (Russell), Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), and Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro).

The film stars The Hangover’s Bradley Cooper as Pat, a schoolteacher who suffers a mental breakdown after he discovers his wife is having an affair, and Lawrence as Tiffany, a neighborhood woman who helps Pat rebuild his life by offering to reconnect him with his estranged wife.

De Niro and Jacki Weaver play Pat’s parents, who have issues of their own, including his father’s obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s a wonderfully honest film, anchored with a terrific cast from top down, though Silver Linings Playbook did not win for Best Ensemble. Steven Spielberg's Civil War epic Lincoln took that category, along with Daniel Day-Lewis as Best Actor for his towering performance as the 16th U.S. President.

Anne Hathaway won Best Supporting Actress for her haunting turn as the tragic Fantine in Les Miserables.

Breakthrough was awarded to Zoe Kazan for her lively fresh script and funny-turned-heartbreaking performance in Ruby Sparks, the story of a woman literally written into being, and Best Documentary went to Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the enchanting appreciation of an 85-year-old culinary artist who has devoted his life to making sushi.

The Detroit Film Critics Society was founded in 2007, and consists of 17 film critics who write or broadcast in the Detroit area, as well as other major cities throughout Michigan and, in my case, northwest Ohio. Each critic submitted his top five picks in the 10 categories.

Here’s the full listing of nominees:

1.  BEST PICTURE

• ARGO
• THE IMPOSSIBLE
• SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
• TAKE THIS WALTZ
• ZERO DARK THIRTY

2.  BEST DIRECTOR

• BEN AFFLECK - ARGO
• JUAN ANTONIO BAYONA – THE IMPOSSIBLE
• KATHERINE BIGELOW – ZERO DARK THIRTY
• SARAH POLLEY – TAKE THIS WALTZ
• DAVID O. RUSSELL – SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

3.  BEST ACTOR

• BRADLEY COOPER – SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
• JOHN HAWKES – THE SESSIONS
• DANIEL DAY-LEWIS - LINCOLN
• BILL MURRAY – HYDE PARK ON HUDSON
• JOAQUIN PHOENIX – THE MASTER

4.  BEST ACTRESS

• JESSICA CHASTAIN – ZERO DARK THIRTY
• GRETA GERWIG – DAMSELS IN DISTRESS
• JENNIFER LAWRENCE – SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
• NAOMI WATTS – THE IMPOSSIBLE
• MICHELLE WILLIAMS – TAKE THIS WALTZ

5.  BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• ROBERT DENIRO – SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
• PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – THE MASTER
• TOMMY LEE JONES – LINCOLN
• MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY – MAGIC MIKE
• EWAN MCGREGOR – THE IMPOSSIBLE
• EZRA  MILLER – THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

6.  BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• AMY ADAMS – THE MASTER
• ANN DOWD – COMPLIANCE
• SALLY FIELD – LINCOLN
• ANNE HATHAWAY – LES MISERABLES
• HELEN HUNT – THE SESSIONS
   

7.  BEST ENSEMBLE

• ARGO
• MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS
• LINCOLN
• MOONRISE KINGDOM
• SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

8.  BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

• STEPHEN CHBOSKY – THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
• ZOE KAZAN – RUBY SPARKS
• REBEL WILSON – PITCH PERFECT
• BENH ZEITLIN – BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
• CRAIG ZOBEL - COMPLIANCE

9.  BEST SCREENPLAY

• STEPHEN CHBOSKY – THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
• DREW GODDARD & JOSS WHEDON – THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
• TONY KUSHNER - LINCOLN
• SARAH POLLEY – TAKE THIS WALTZ
• DAVID O. RUSSELL – SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

10.  BEST DOCUMENTARY

• THE HOUSE I LIVE IN
• THE IMPOSTER
• JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI
• THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES 
• SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN