Review of Win Win (2011) by Chris M — 28 Jan 2012

Smarter than 'Little Miss Sunshine' but pumped from the same aorta, 'Win Win' is another indie comedy with that still attractive, sunny disposition and sugary essence. Giamatti's Mike - a lawyer whose practice is going under - makes his ill-conceived choice of fib (becoming a client's paid guardian - unbeknownst to his wife) right at the start of the picture, and the audience can accurately predict there's no way he'll completely skate by unscathed.

Enter Kyle (Schaffer), the client's quiet teenage grandson with a troublesome past who begins staying with Mike's family and expertly wrestling for the high school team Mike coaches. Writer/director Thomas McCarthy ('The Visitor') presents a batch of lovable and truthfully portrayed people for this story.

The appeasing cast is powerfully led by Giamatti with that same strong inner conflict-with-a-bite that he filled into past great performances like in 'American Splendor'. Some may find Mike's disloyal stupidity ultimately non-redeemable, but I think that all depends on how one reacts to the drowning metaphor.

Intelligent stuff.