Win Win
3.5/4
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer. Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young
Rated R for Language
It's amazing, isn't it, how good writing and acting can turn something that would otherwise be ordinary into something truly special. At its heart, "Win Win" is a sitcom. But with such a strong cast and a screenplay that cares about its characters, it becomes a real winner. I was surprised at how hard I laughed during this movie. And how much I cared about the people in it.
Mike Flaherty (Giamatti) is in a rut. His law practice is barely making ends meet, the wrestling team he coaches is so bad that watching them is physically painful, the boiler at his office needs to be replaced and a dead tree in his front yard threatens to wreck his house. He sees an opportunity for some relief with his client Leo Poplar (Young), a wealthy client who is losing his mental faculties. By being his guardian and putting him in a nursing home, he gets to pocket $1600 a month. Almost immediately thereafter, Leo's grandson, Kyle (Shaffer), shows up on Leo's doorstep. With nowhere else to go, Kyle moves in. It goes without saying that Kyle is one hell of a wrestler and causes the team to get good.
There are really two movies that this could be: a by-the-numbers sports movie or a cheap sitcom. Or so you'd think. "Win Win" is neither. In actuality, it's more like a slice-of-life dramedy. It starts with the characters and the situation and allows them to play out. It has conflict (plenty, actually), but no real narrative drive or traditional story structure. In that sense, it's a lot like "Boyhood." It sounds like a strange comparison, and it probably is, but there you have it.
The role of Mike Flaherty is tailor made for Paul Giamatti. No one plays a perpetual sad sack like him, and what's good about this screenplay is that he's not used as a punchline. Mike feels real; his relationships with his wife Jackie (Ryan) and his friends feel real. Credit must be given to the screenplay, but Giamatti is wonderful. Amy Ryan, who took the role to contrast with her Oscar-nominated performance in "Gone Baby Gone," is wonderful as Mike's wife, who is loving and supportive despite everything. Initially, she fears Kyle (who wouldn't be afraid of some random kid staying at their house, especially with two small children?), but she grows to love him as only a mother can. Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor are on hand primarily for comic relief, but Cannavale escapes the traditional clichés of such a character (Tambor doesn't because he doesn't have enough screen time).
The real star of the movie is Alex Shaffer. Cast for his wrestling abilities (he was the New Jersey state champion in 2010 at age 17), he impressed director Tom McCarthy with his upfront, tell it like it is sense of humor. Indeed, one of the things that makes Kyle such a firecracker is his unpredictability. You're never sure what he's going to say or do next. He also has the driest sense of humor of any movie character I've seen in a long time. Yet there's a core of vulnerability and heart to Kyle that makes him absolutely adorable. Shaffer has a little trouble with some of the heavier emotional scenes, but that's more of a lack of polish than talent. While Giamatti might take center stage in the movie, it's Shaffer who steals the show.
"Win Win" is one of those rare movies that never has to manipulate the audience into getting them invested. This isn't a high concept comedy with big stars or a laugh track. It's a movie about people. Likable, flawed people, but people nonetheless. It's one of those movies you don't want to see end simply because they're so compelling. I certainly wouldn't mind spending more time with the Flahertys or Kyle. Especially Kyle.
Neither will you.
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer. Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young
Rated R for Language
It's amazing, isn't it, how good writing and acting can turn something that would otherwise be ordinary into something truly special. At its heart, "Win Win" is a sitcom. But with such a strong cast and a screenplay that cares about its characters, it becomes a real winner. I was surprised at how hard I laughed during this movie. And how much I cared about the people in it.
Mike Flaherty (Giamatti) is in a rut. His law practice is barely making ends meet, the wrestling team he coaches is so bad that watching them is physically painful, the boiler at his office needs to be replaced and a dead tree in his front yard threatens to wreck his house. He sees an opportunity for some relief with his client Leo Poplar (Young), a wealthy client who is losing his mental faculties. By being his guardian and putting him in a nursing home, he gets to pocket $1600 a month. Almost immediately thereafter, Leo's grandson, Kyle (Shaffer), shows up on Leo's doorstep. With nowhere else to go, Kyle moves in. It goes without saying that Kyle is one hell of a wrestler and causes the team to get good.
There are really two movies that this could be: a by-the-numbers sports movie or a cheap sitcom. Or so you'd think. "Win Win" is neither. In actuality, it's more like a slice-of-life dramedy. It starts with the characters and the situation and allows them to play out. It has conflict (plenty, actually), but no real narrative drive or traditional story structure. In that sense, it's a lot like "Boyhood." It sounds like a strange comparison, and it probably is, but there you have it.
The role of Mike Flaherty is tailor made for Paul Giamatti. No one plays a perpetual sad sack like him, and what's good about this screenplay is that he's not used as a punchline. Mike feels real; his relationships with his wife Jackie (Ryan) and his friends feel real. Credit must be given to the screenplay, but Giamatti is wonderful. Amy Ryan, who took the role to contrast with her Oscar-nominated performance in "Gone Baby Gone," is wonderful as Mike's wife, who is loving and supportive despite everything. Initially, she fears Kyle (who wouldn't be afraid of some random kid staying at their house, especially with two small children?), but she grows to love him as only a mother can. Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor are on hand primarily for comic relief, but Cannavale escapes the traditional clichés of such a character (Tambor doesn't because he doesn't have enough screen time).
The real star of the movie is Alex Shaffer. Cast for his wrestling abilities (he was the New Jersey state champion in 2010 at age 17), he impressed director Tom McCarthy with his upfront, tell it like it is sense of humor. Indeed, one of the things that makes Kyle such a firecracker is his unpredictability. You're never sure what he's going to say or do next. He also has the driest sense of humor of any movie character I've seen in a long time. Yet there's a core of vulnerability and heart to Kyle that makes him absolutely adorable. Shaffer has a little trouble with some of the heavier emotional scenes, but that's more of a lack of polish than talent. While Giamatti might take center stage in the movie, it's Shaffer who steals the show.
"Win Win" is one of those rare movies that never has to manipulate the audience into getting them invested. This isn't a high concept comedy with big stars or a laugh track. It's a movie about people. Likable, flawed people, but people nonetheless. It's one of those movies you don't want to see end simply because they're so compelling. I certainly wouldn't mind spending more time with the Flahertys or Kyle. Especially Kyle.
Neither will you.
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