McCarthy & Giamatti weave comic gold out of this indie gem!

Rating: 10/10 (23 April 2011)

WIN WIN (2011) **** Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannivale, Jeffrey Tambor, Melanie Lynskey, Alex Shaffer, Margo Martindale, Burt Young. Winning dramedy with Giamatti (gold!) as a small-town attorney/high school soccer coach trying to make ends meet when he assumes legal guardianship of his latest client (Young), deemed incapacitated by dementia and finds a secret weapon for his struggling athletic group in the old man's long-lost grandson (newcomer Shaffer, a real life athlete making a subtle debut). Actor-turned-filmmaker Tom McCarthy – who co-scripted the funny/witty/honest screenplay with Joe Tiboni - once again scores in this tailor-made for sad sack Giamatti (in one of his best roles) with a sweet ensemble (flinty yet loving Ryan as his wife, flighty yet well-meaning divorcée bud Cannivale and odd-duck assistant coach Tambor). A fine gem of an indie that hits all the right spots in entertaining fashion.