Review of Win Win (2011) by Noel N — 20 Sep 2011

Mike Flaherty: This kids got a chance to do something special, maybe even change his life.

"In the game of life, you can't lose them all.".

Win Win is one gem of an Indie Dramedy. Paul Giamatti gives my favorite performance of the year. As his wife, Amy Ryan also gives a spectacular performance that I really didn't see coming. Alex Schaffer gives a very good teenager performance in his first role ever. There was nothing I didn't like about this movie. The more I think about this movie; the more I think it is my favorite movie of 2011 to this point; at least my favorite American movie of 2011. It is a slow moving, funny and touching film. It moves along slowly but surely and never makes a spectacle out of the characters situations. The movie is very much like Kyle. There's a lot going on with it, but it doesn't come right out and say what that it is. It's subtle and gentle and dare I say Perfect.

Tom McCarthy deserves some acclaim for this movie. He pulled a movie off that many would fail with. Many directors would go for too much emotion in spots and make it very melodramatic. McCarthy doesn't, instead he just lets everything play out as it would in life. His characters are real and the viewer never doubts that they are. Giamatti and Ryan are convincing as the parents of two who take in a teenager they don't know. Both give very real performances. Giamatti always has a knack for this. He doesn't seem like a star, but an average Joe. After watching in him a few movies though; there is no doubt he is a star. He is Paul Fucking Giamatti.

I'm in love with everything about this movie. The movie has a sense of humor without relying on its humor to fill in for plot. Its humor is all in the context with the problems of its characters and the skills of Kyle. Don't overlook this movie because it didn't get a wide release. This is a movie that must be seen.