One of 2011's Best Dramedies

Rating: 10/10 (16 January 2012)

I have to admit that I tend to give easy grades to films that can make me laugh and shed a few tears, if the performances are good and the story is somewhat believable, and have a beginning, middle, and end. This one had all that for me, and I found it to be one of the best movies of 2011, along with "The Descendants" and "The Help".
There are some parallels to "The Blind Side" and "Little Miss Sunshine", so if you found those too sugary, you may not like this one either. Paul Giamatti plays a not too successful lawyer, who asks to become the guardian to an aging Burt Young, who has some dementia, but wants to remain in his home. But Giamatti is only doing this so he can get a monthly $1500 check from the state, and quickly deposits Young in a local assisted living facility. (A flaw might be that I didn't see who would cover the cost there, since the court thinks he would remain in his home). But things change when a 16 year old grandson who has not been in his grandfather's life shows up at the granddads porch, a runaway from his drug-addicted mom. Giamatti earns extra money as a high school wrestling coach, and the grandson (Alex Schaffer) was an outstanding wrestler at his home school in Ohio.
This is where the story emerges, and the film really comes alive. The teen moves in with Giamatti and his family, and enrolls in school there, joining the wrestling team. Later, his Mom also re-enters the scene, complicating matters. The story may be predictable to some, but I found the twists and turns somewhat original, and while there is some sentimentality, it is not saccharine, or dwelled on, making it more genuine.
While this may not have been a perfect film, and as another reviewer mentioned, Cannales role seemed unnecessary. I wondered why they would remain close friends, as they had little in common. He was probably just for comic relief.
So why did I give this a 10 instead of an 8 or so? Because I had a wonderful time watching it (I have seen it 3 times now), and had lots of laughs, chuckles, and a few tears. I'll take that anytime over some cold movie like "No Country For Old Men", or "There Will Be Blood". I like films with heart and deep emotional content, and this definitely had both.