I like Lena Olin, too, but I couldn't help but think that if her character and Mr. Jones' were real people that their relationship would eventually fail. They portrayed her as almost desperate for love/companionship from the beginning. And also, how successful could a relationship be, long-term, when based on her empathy and attraction to him (or rather his illness/struggle/losses/exuberance)? Plus, he also seemed to want someone loving/caring to hold on to for support (as a substitute for "Ellen"), and Lena was also quite lovely, to boot. But how much did he really know HER?

My psychiatrist knows oodles and oodles about me. Though I know a little bit about him, there is far more that I don't know. I've had a transference love for him for years, and think he has a wee bit of countertransference (dare I say "affection") for me. But the figurative and literal border wall is there, and should be.

Mr. Jones was still in crisis, for most of the whole movie. I think love affairs should not begin then, nor can they be judged as solid, at such points. As for Silver Linings Playbook, I feel there was a little bit of the same (two people grabbing on to each other after crisis). In both cases, they portray "happily ever after" endings. The whole SLP dance contest thing, was ridiculous, and I love dancing. I know you do, too, Beth. I'm not saying that "happily ever afters" are impossible, but let's be real here. Struggles with mental illness go on. Mr. Jones had struggled for 20 years before, and likely wouldn't be symptom free forever more because of a love with his psychiatrist (and possibly...possibly becoming more compliant taking Lithium).

Add on (after Polibeth's "thanks" and post below): As for the Bradley Cooper character's med compliance, that confused the heck out of me. Did he become compliant in the end? Or did love and the dance contest practice "cure him". Also, his "bipolar symptoms" seemed so contrived, half of the time. And that bipolar friend of his from inpatient (in the SLP movie beginning), the movie threw that in to give an example of "rapid speech", and even made that look silly.

My opinions only.