Mike's a good guy. He's an attorney in a small-ish Jersey town, who also coaches a little wrestling on the side, and times are tough. Whether it's his equally small-ish law practice or miserably unsuccessful wrestling team, Mike is struggling--especially with his finances. Mike leads a family of four and money is tight. for him, his wife and two daughters. So tight, in fact, that Mike declares himself as the guardian for his client, Leo (Burt Young). Leo is suffering from dimentia and is about to be named a ward of the state. Mike takes on Leo and the $1,500 monthly commission he earns from the state--which is kinda in the gray area of legal scruples. Since Leo's daughter is in drug rehab and she is all that remains of his family, this all sounds like it just might pass. That's when Leo's grandson appears. Kyle (Alex Shaffer) is a 16 year old kid looking to set up shop at grandpa's house. Kyle is your typical distant, somewhat aloof teenager, who has been through a lot and keeps it all bottled up. Since grandpa is neatly tucked away in a home, Kyle capures the hearts of Mike and his wife (Amy Ryan) and starts staying with them. As it turns out, in addition to being a winner in the Flaherty homestead, Kyle is a winner on the mat. He's a champion wrestler. That's win Kyle's mom shows up and stirs the nest. Yadayadayada Mike battles Kyles mom for the pot-o-gold that is Leo while keeping a nurturing eye on Kyle as well...it's a Win Win for everyone, right?
Well, maybe not everyone in the cast...but it's a definite winner for the audience. I'll go with 4.0 Stars. This is a thought-provoking flick that has a great message about making mistakes and making things right. Further, it's about allowing love and relationship to overcome those mistakes in the process of letting forgiveness win over bitterness and revenge. Bottom line: Win Win is a good movie.
I love this story, this cast and how it unfolds through their acting. Paul Giamatti is a seasoned vet. He's a character actor that will provide a Win to the right role. Whether it's on the serious side like this film, The Illusionist or John Adams; or the zany side like Big Fat Liar or Fred Claus, Paul is usually a winner. Then, there's newcomer Alex Shaffer. Since this is his only credit, he's hard to gauge. I'm not sure if this was just the right role for a naturally quiet, aloof personality or if this guy's the real deal, but I loved him in this role. Since he might have walked into this role situationally (he was a former high school wrestler whose back injury ended his days as a competitor), I'm not ready to put him into the ranks of Ezra Miller or Chase Ellison--young actors that I've seen great things from while in their teens. Meanwhile, Amy Ryan is also solid as the wife and her character really grew on me. Finally, Jeffrey Tambor and Burt Young provide solid anchors to the cast in smaller roles.
You want a good, well-told story that is well acted and stays with you long after the credits...Win Win is a champ. Add it to your queue and enjoy!
True...OUT!
No comments:
Post a Comment