Win Win...Paul Giamatti Coaches Up Wrestling and Life

There are two types of off-beat films; you have quirky and then you have Paul Giamatti-esque. Giamatti, you know the guy in that wine movie (Sideways) and that odd comic book guy movie (American Splendor) returns to the screen in Win Win. Win Win is the third movie from actor turned director who still acts Tom McCarthy. If you aren't familiar with Tom's first two films The Station Agent and The Visitor, you should see both.

Giamatti plays Mike Flaherty a struggling lawyer/wrestling coach/husband/father of two young girls. When an aging client named Leo might be forced into state custody, Mike becomes his legal guardian in order to get $1500 a month for taking care of him. Without telling his wife Jackie (Amy Ryan) any of it, Mike puts Leo in an old age facility while he collects his monthly check. One night while stopping at Leo's house he sees a young boy sitting in front of the door.

Kyle is Leo's grandson and ran away from Ohio. Mike and his family take Kyle in for the night, but the next day Mike brings Kyle to the bus station to send him home. When Kyle doesn't leave, Mike feeling shame for what he's doing to Leo, allows Kyle to stay with him until they can get in touch with his mother who's in rehab.

Meanwhile Mike's not making enough money at his law firm which is causing problems there and at home. He coaches the high school's wrestling team which doesn't have a win all season long. Then Mike brings Kyle to wrestling practice. Kyle asks Mike if he could practice and when it comes out that Kyle is an Ohio wrestling champion, Mike realizes he's in a "win win" situation. He can keep Leo in the old age facility and collect the check and keep Kyle at his house in order to finally win some wrestling matches.

Everything is going smoothly for Mike. His money problems aren't as bad, his team has one good wrestler on it and Kyle is actually a pretty good kid and the family loves him. But when Kyle's mom shows up out of rehab, Mike's life is thrown back in the fire. The truth about Leo being in the home comes out, Kyle isn't happy with his mom around and now she wants the monthly check. Kyle is acting up because of his mother and now isn't happy with Mike because of what he's doing to his grandfather. Can Mike fix everything or did he just bring more problems on himself?

Win Win is a quirky, funny, off-beat, touching little film. It was a 2011 Sundance Film Festival Non-Competition Feature and has excellent performances in it. Giamatti is great as the out of shape, life keeps punching him in the face loser who's hopefully getting things together. Amy Ryan plays a polar opposite mother compared to her Boston druggie mom in Gone Baby Gone. She's caring, funny and plays well opposite Giamatti. New comer Alex Shaffer who plays Kyle, nails the I don't care, whatever, teen angst role perfectly and if you have teenaged boys in your family, you can see the resemblance.

But the film also "wins" because of the supporting cast. Arrested Development's Jeffrey Tambor is hilarious, but then again when isn't he? And Blue Bloods Bobby Cannavale might steal the film. As Giamatti's best friend and new assistant coach, Cannavale is hysterical with great lines and facial expressions. And the kids on the wrestling team have some great lines including the Star Wars fanatic who's first match is against Darth Vader.

Win Win isn't a film most people will run out to see. It probably won't open in most cities so most people will have to wait for it to hit DVD. And that's a shame. If you like Giamatti's work, have seen other Tom McCarthy films, you should definitely try to find it in a theater near you. It is just one of those good, non-Hollywood blockbuster films that not enough people get a chance to see.

Movie Review - Exam (2008)

This film is a psychological thriller that will keep you riveted throughout. It is an English film and therefore the actors are not familiar to an American audience. That becomes an asset, however, as we put our own take on the personalities of each of the applicants for a coveted position.

Eight final candidates for a prestigious corporate position are ushered into a room where there are eight tables and chairs, each with as pencil and paper on the table. They are given instructions by a man known only as the invigilator to answer one question in eighty minutes. Before he leaves, he gives them three rules which they must obey or be disqualified. They must not try to communicate with him or with the guard that is in the room; they must not spoil their paper either accidentally or intentionally; they must not leave the room.

A battle of wits commences as each tries to prove his worth. One candidate gives everyone a name according to their looks - white, black, brown, deaf, dark, blonde, brunette, etc. They realize they must put their combined intelligence to work. Black explains that ultraviolet light or certain liquids might bring out invisible ink on their exam papers. They are careful not to break any rules; they realize that they are not forbidden to talk with one another, to stand up and walk around, and to manipulate anything in the room which might help their case.

Smashing the lights to get at the inner ultraviolet lights does not work. Setting off the sprinklers, thinking that the liquid might reveal hidden letters on their exam papers does not work either. We are shown the digital clock at regular intervals to add to the suspense.

White is a narcissistic tyrant who attempts to eliminate the other candidates by tricking them into breaking the rules. He succeeds in a few cases and the number of candidates slowly shrinks to four. Brunette seems to be the only candidate who knows anything about the company; she is immediately suspected of being a plant which she denies vociferously. She claims that she is merely trying to obtain a promotion. Deaf is eliminated early when he spoils his paper and is ushered out by the guard, leaving his spectacles behind in the scuffle.

The ending is not predictable; it is very satisfying however. You will have to watch this movie to gather up the details at the end which clarify the entire picture. I enjoyed every minute of it.

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