Win Win

As in Thomas McCarthy's first film, "The Station Agent", there is an air of loneliness to the characters in "Win Win" but also with an ability to be kind and with a whole lot of humour permeating throughout. Mike (Paul Giamatti) is approaching a mid-life crisis; the monotony of daily life and money troubles colliding. But this is a well written film and it doesn't look or feel like a mid-life crisis. Just as we get to know the characters exceedingly well (despite the short air time for some - Bobby Cannavale's Terry), a plot is introduced. Mike starts acting like a sleazy lawyer just to make some easy money, even though he's anything but a sleazy lawyer. Because he's a good guy, realities quickly catch up, and he starts taking responsibility for a troubled kid. Mostly trying to assuage his guilt of wrong-doing, but this kid happens to be a wrestling phenom and Mike is a struggling high school wrestling coach. This film could easily turn into an underdog sports story, but as I said before, this is a well written film and it doesn't look or feel like an underdog sports story. I found "Win Win" to be a great mix of character study, a mid-life crisis, and an underdog sports story all rolled into something that isn't any of the above. It's a light, funny, enjoyable slice of life that could provide a few lessons on morality but stops itself before it becomes condescending.

source: Win Win

The plot of the movie doesn't really want to make you rush out and see this but Thomas McCarthy gathers an ensemble cast and weaves a story that will touch and inspire you. This is only the director's 3rd movie but each one is worth seeing at least twice. There is no weak link here, Giamati, Ryan, Carnevale are all perfectly cast and the small town backdrop works perfectly here as well. Carnevale gets a special mention as he provided a comic element to the movie, i'm not sure if he plays his role tongue in cheek or he is intentionally this amusing but he plays a great foil to Giamatti's serious guy role. A great first role for Alex shaffer as well, it'll be interesting to see how his career goes after such a bright start,.

OK, so you may not fall asleep with this movie, but let me tell you, you won't be jumping around either. What exactly is the story about? A kid who's mother is absent and seems to be a wrestling phenomenon. A granddad who leaves in a retirement home and a few conflicts of interests between adults that seem to all be connected with this lost teenager. So what? honestly, I think a movie should present a problem in the first few minutes, and you should spend the rest of the movie thinking what the outcome will be. But, in this case, it's kind of unclear. OK, it gets easier as the movie progresses with the introduction of the mother figure, but she comes so late in the movie, that it does not feel like she is the reason why of this movie. Unsurprisingly for me, this movie did not do too well... and will quickly be forgotten. Next.