Of the many, many wonderfully observed moments in Win Win, my favorite may've been a throwaway line. Amy Ryan is washing dishes in a scene whose real reason for being is to help sum up the story before we launch into Act 2. "It's crazy!" she says, concerning Paul Giamatti's decision to become the legal guardian to an aged Burt Young, whom he hardly knows. For the movies, it isn't that crazy of a premise, but in real life it would be, and Ryan's delivery, through what I can only call sheer magic, reaches out through the screen and pulls you into this middle class New Jersey family's reality. If this were happening to me, it would be crazy, and Tom McCarthy's very meager premise manages to become monumental.
Giamatti plays a well-meaning small time lawyer facing serious financial difficulty, who realizes a monthly check of $1500 would be a nice boost to help him support his family. All he needs to do is be the official guardian of a senile old man who lives in an old folks' home. Nothing goes as planned, though, when a runaway grandson shows up.
The kid's a screw-up, but has one talent. He's a natural at Greco-Roman wrestling and, wouldn't you know, Giamatti happens to be a coach to the Bad News Bears-ingest wrestling team in the Garden State.
By some miracle, this far-fetched plot point lands (McCarthy eases into his scenes wonderfully) and next thing you know we've got some hilarious musical montages happening as our group of lovable losers head to the big championship.
McCarthy takes a few cues from sports pictures, but wisely keeps the wrestling as background. It's mostly about Giamatti, his family, his friends, and the kid. He may've been a little greedy at the beginning, but by the end there is a community of spirit and universal selflessness that is downright Trotskyite in its message.
Win Win is an effortless dramedy about family and responsibility that transcends its situational humor with sublime comic performances. When Paul Giamatti has Jeffrey Tambor and Bobby Canivale as his two wingmen, the heartwarming lulz come often. Severe props go toward the scrawny David W. Thompson as the lovable team dork Stemler. He may be the best fictional dweeb I've seen since Freaks and Geeks' Haverchuck.
Win Win is not a new picture, but the behavior is sharply observed and the broad cast of supporting characters elevates the movie above the simple premise. You leave with a glow similar to other Fox Searchlight pictures - I'd put it above Little Miss Sunshine, but below The Full Monty.
Check out the video below, if for no other reason than to see genuine Sundance snow falling.
