Win Win Review

Rating: 8/10 (22 April 2011)

"They don't know who you are". Lawyer and part time wrestling coach Mike (Paul Giamatti) says this to his star young player, Kyle (Alex Shaffer). The same can be applied to the young new actor who plays the troubled, but gifted Alex.
Director and co-writer Thomas McCarthy, chose the real life all state champion, Shaffer, to portray a young man whose only escape from his hectic life is his love and talent for high school wrestling. How does the kid do? This reviewer thinks the kid has found a brand new career in Hollywood. More on that later.
Outside of the newcomer, how is the movie? It is one of the best films of the year. It is a movie full of tough choices, laughs, and amazing performances. McCarthy, who gave us 2008's 'The Visitor", which I haven't seen, but was a critical and public success, has hit a home run. Giamatti's Mike, is a good guy, who has just had one negative thing thrown at him time and time again. He sees an opportunity to make some extra cash for his struggling law firm by illegally beating the system. He uses one of his clients, who is suffering from early signs of dementia. Even though he is stealing the money from the client, he in turn takes of the client. On top of supporting a family, he also coaches a wrestling team that is the laughing stock of all the local schools. It isn't until the client's grandson, Kyle, comes in that things start to turn around not only for Mike, but Kyle. Kyle, comes from a broken home where the mother is in and out of drug rehab centers. He wants some type of stable relationship and he finds it in Mike's family. Mike's wife, Jackie (Amy Ryan), and their two daughters take a liking to him. Just when things are looking up for Mike and his team, who Kyle helps turn into a winning team, the mother comes back and chaos ensues.
Even though at first glance the movie may seem about wrestling, that is only a plot device for a movie about human relationships. Shaffer, who is much better than half of the actors his age, shows as much confidence as an actor as he does on the mat. Jackie and Kyle's relationship is very touching at times. Jackie is the mother bird mending the broken wing that is Kyle's life. It is nothing too cheesy or overly dramatic, it is perfectly balanced.
Giamatti, how is he? What do you think? He has a much more restrained role in this film. Even though he doesn't have the looks of the a leading man, he has something better, something that won't fade...TALENT! McCarthy perfectly balances the comedy and drama here. It never gets too silly, but also never gets so mundane with the drama. The performances are the strong point here and they are working off a fantastic script.