wins for me

Rating: Null/10 (11 December 2011)

I saw the movie Win Win the other night and it made me cry. Not too many things can do that. Just like a soldier that has feelings that well up and return when he thinks of or remembers battle, we all experience a sort of post trauma from the witnessing of traumatic experiences similar to our own.
What I liked... and hated about the movie was that it was about a screwed up kid from a screwed up family. I identified with the teenager. But the movie is about hope. But as is the case hope can only be fulfilled, if someone shows kindness. In this case not because they wanted to but because their own negative actions forced them into deciding; 'what is the right thing t do?" I also like the subtle suggestion that the family that helps is Christian. This is done in a way that is not, 'in your face' and again even though they are the heroes in this situation they definitely do not come without faults of their own. I've read that some reviewers didn't like the ending, well the ending is more about reality than Hollywood usually portrays and especially in these times we need a good dose of reality. By the way this is a movie about our times in many ways. This is a Charles Dickens story of our times.
The acting is EXCELLENT. Paul Giamatti shows once again that he can do much more than comedy, Bobby Cannavale who plays "Uncle Terry" is very convincing in his role of a friend with his own problems. Jeffry Tambor has a very humble role ands shows he can play just about any role. But Amy Ryan steels the show with her portrayal of the mom we all wish we had and some of us knew. Even little Clare Foley, who plays the daughter says just the right thing at just the right time she helps you forget that your actually watching a movie and not a fly on the wall in someone's family daily lives. I thought the casting of Melanie Lynskie as the messed up mother was a bit out of place because Melanie has one of those faces that well you just want to like her. But it works to soften the critique of the person she plays after all, messed up people are... just people. Finally first timer Alex Shaffer, who plays Kyle the troubled teen, does a very convincing job of a kid, who just needs a chance at having a normal life. Apparently Alex was hired because he is a true wrestling champ in real life so his wrestling does not need to act when he's on the mat. However the casters must have seen that they had a win win with him because he does an excellent job acting the kid we both don't want hanging around in our neighborhood, but once we get to know him are charmed by the person he is.
This movie has something for almost everyone; enough family drama and feelings for a chick flick, but enough testosterone and sports for the guys. Not a movie for kids, lots of bad language, but it only appears when appropriate; again this is a movie about real life. And if you know kids that are headed this way well it could be depressing for them or their family. But we all know someone like this, so anyone can identify with it and if nothing else it will help us look differently at that troubled teen and think to ourselves, "what is it we should do?" I loved this movie; I highly recommend it to anyone who is around teenagers or someday will be I am going to watch it again.