Jason KingWIN WIN: A Review
June 28th 2012 19:51
:
Superb Family Drama
Paul Giamatti headlines writer/director Tom McCarthy's comedy drama centering on a beleaguered attorney and part-time wrestling coach who schemes to keep his practice from going under by acting as the legal caretaker of an elderly client. Mike Flaherty (Giamatti) thinks he has discovered the perfect loophole to keep his practice in business. But his brilliant plan hits an unexpected hitch when his client's troubled grandson shows up looking for a place to stay. With his home life in turmoil and both of his careers in jeopardy, Mike quickly realizes that he'll have to get creative in order to find a way out of his current predicament.
As to embrace the cliche I want to say this film is a total Win Win. I saw the trailer sometime last year on the front of another Blu Ray I was hiring and noted it down as something I really wanted to see. It just looked quaint and heartfelt with characters I wouldn't want to decapitate and most of all it just looked innocent. The perfect rainy Friday night film to watch at home with a pizza and a bottle of wine. And guess what? I finally got to watch it just like that
I am disheartened this never got a cinematic release in Australia but I can see why. It has Paul Giamatti in it and he isn't a huge crowd puller and he has no comparative looks to Brad Pitt or Zac Efron. And pretty much every other character is a name of no one you will know that well. And it does have a main storyline centring around wrestling - something I fail to comprehend and neither does most of Australia. I find it a very sexual sport - something I would prefer to do with my partner in the privacy of my own home as opposed to in Lycra rubbing privates together in front of hundreds of people - jeeeeeessssuussssss - if that was me at school I would have been petrified of being forced to play this sport!! Hahaha.
But - this film may have a main storyline surrounding the sport of wrestling but it is a modern suburban drama (with plenty of comedy) that is pretty much Oscar worthy as far as I am concerned. It was such a huge chunk of reality and honesty and heartbreak and just people in an unfortunate situation that do what they have to whether it is good or bad. It was real.
The acting in this film is just amazing. Paul Giamatti is one of the most underrated actors of this and last generation. His list of acitng credits is more impressive than Johnny Depp's or Brad Pitt's. From Saving Private Ryan to Sideways to The Truman Show to My Best Friend's Wedding all allow us to forgive him for Lady in the Water and Big Momma's House hahaha. But this guy is a chameleon and what I have noticed is he does evil asshole just as well as he does comedy and just as well as he does heartbreaking drama like this one. His Mike Flaherty in this will tear your heart as he battles to do the right thing. Flaherty would be the perfect dad.
And then Alex Shaffer's debut to acting as Kyle was nearly as good. He does confused, scared, naiive, internalised angry teen so well. He was the perfect odd opposite to Flaherty and the two of them made this film. Alex Shaffer comes out soon in his second feature film Land of Tomorrow set in rural US. I look forward to seeing it.
I also thought Amy Ryan was perfect as Flaherty's wife, Jackie, and the two of them as husband and wife was so believable - they may as well have been a real married couple and this film a docco - LOVED THEM. And another standout I have to mention - Bobby Cannavale is amazing as the best friend of Flaherty - he provided all the comic relief and was a great contrasting opposite for lifestyle of what the Flaherty's face. He had money and comfort and was oblivious to the needs of the others - he just wanted to relive the joy of his youthful wrestling through Kyle and experience the win all over again.
I love the direction by Thomas McCarthy who also directed The Visitor and The Station Agent - films I will now be hunting down to view - his style is so laid back and real but capable of making the mundane refreshingly interesting with heartfelt emotion and super acting. And all told through basic storytelling - nothing flashy - gotta love this!!
Win Win is out now on DVD and Blu Ray and I recommend you do yourself a favour and check it out when you can. If I had seen this film last year it would have made my top ten movies of the year. Worth a happy 10 out of 10 Lycra clad wrestlers!!
As to embrace the cliche I want to say this film is a total Win Win. I saw the trailer sometime last year on the front of another Blu Ray I was hiring and noted it down as something I really wanted to see. It just looked quaint and heartfelt with characters I wouldn't want to decapitate and most of all it just looked innocent. The perfect rainy Friday night film to watch at home with a pizza and a bottle of wine. And guess what? I finally got to watch it just like that
I am disheartened this never got a cinematic release in Australia but I can see why. It has Paul Giamatti in it and he isn't a huge crowd puller and he has no comparative looks to Brad Pitt or Zac Efron. And pretty much every other character is a name of no one you will know that well. And it does have a main storyline centring around wrestling - something I fail to comprehend and neither does most of Australia. I find it a very sexual sport - something I would prefer to do with my partner in the privacy of my own home as opposed to in Lycra rubbing privates together in front of hundreds of people - jeeeeeessssuussssss - if that was me at school I would have been petrified of being forced to play this sport!! Hahaha.
But - this film may have a main storyline surrounding the sport of wrestling but it is a modern suburban drama (with plenty of comedy) that is pretty much Oscar worthy as far as I am concerned. It was such a huge chunk of reality and honesty and heartbreak and just people in an unfortunate situation that do what they have to whether it is good or bad. It was real.
The acting in this film is just amazing. Paul Giamatti is one of the most underrated actors of this and last generation. His list of acitng credits is more impressive than Johnny Depp's or Brad Pitt's. From Saving Private Ryan to Sideways to The Truman Show to My Best Friend's Wedding all allow us to forgive him for Lady in the Water and Big Momma's House hahaha. But this guy is a chameleon and what I have noticed is he does evil asshole just as well as he does comedy and just as well as he does heartbreaking drama like this one. His Mike Flaherty in this will tear your heart as he battles to do the right thing. Flaherty would be the perfect dad.
And then Alex Shaffer's debut to acting as Kyle was nearly as good. He does confused, scared, naiive, internalised angry teen so well. He was the perfect odd opposite to Flaherty and the two of them made this film. Alex Shaffer comes out soon in his second feature film Land of Tomorrow set in rural US. I look forward to seeing it.
I also thought Amy Ryan was perfect as Flaherty's wife, Jackie, and the two of them as husband and wife was so believable - they may as well have been a real married couple and this film a docco - LOVED THEM. And another standout I have to mention - Bobby Cannavale is amazing as the best friend of Flaherty - he provided all the comic relief and was a great contrasting opposite for lifestyle of what the Flaherty's face. He had money and comfort and was oblivious to the needs of the others - he just wanted to relive the joy of his youthful wrestling through Kyle and experience the win all over again.
I love the direction by Thomas McCarthy who also directed The Visitor and The Station Agent - films I will now be hunting down to view - his style is so laid back and real but capable of making the mundane refreshingly interesting with heartfelt emotion and super acting. And all told through basic storytelling - nothing flashy - gotta love this!!
Win Win is out now on DVD and Blu Ray and I recommend you do yourself a favour and check it out when you can. If I had seen this film last year it would have made my top ten movies of the year. Worth a happy 10 out of 10 Lycra clad wrestlers!!
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