Silver Linings Playbook's Road to the Oscars

ET takes an inside look at critical darling, Silver Linings Playbook, which is up for a whopping eight Oscars, and is the first film in 31 years to receive Oscar nominees in all four acting categories.

Directed by David O. Russell (The Fighter, Flirting with Disaster), Silver Linings Playbook casts Bradley as Pat Solitano, a grown man living with his mother (Jacki Weaver) and father (Robert De Niro) after losing his house, job and wife -- and spending eight months in a state mental institution on a plea bargain.

Determined to rebuild his life and reunite with his wife, Pat meets a mysterious girl named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who has her own set of issues. She offers to help him reconnect with his wife if he'll do something very important for her in return, and as their deal plays out, silver linings begin to appear in their lives.

Watch the video to hear Bradley Cooper, who also executive produced the film, discuss his character, and to find out the unusual way that Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for her role. Silver Linings Playbook is in theaters now.