WTFIT (Whatever it Takes)

Rating: 8/10 (28 March 2011)

Greetings again from the darkness. Thomas McCarthy's first two directorial outings were excellent: The Station Agent, The Visitor. This is his third and it seems clear the first two were not flukes. This is a filmmaker who knows what he is doing and who is attracted to real people in real life situations. All three films feature the reactions and adaptations when strangers collide and a family-like atmosphere is created.
In this film, Paul Giamatti plays a struggling lawyer who also coaches the local high school wrestling team. Times are tough for Giamatti's practice and when he stumbles on a chance for some "easy" money, his wrestling match with his conscience doesn't last too long ... even though it is not in the best interest of his client. By taking the easy way out, his elderly client is moved out of his home and into a long-term care facility. Giamatti knows his decision isn't right, so he hides it from his wife, the talented Amy Ryan. Their home life seems very typical until the Giamatti decision leads to further complications ... the client's long-lost grandson shows up.
The kid turns out to be quite perceptive and fits right into the Giamatti/Ryan family ... especially when it is discovered that he is a top notch high school wrestler. Newcomer Alex Shaffer was cast because of his wrestling skills, but shines in the film due to his ability to come across as a real kid in real world conflicts. There are times his actions and decisions are more adult than the adults.
The grandfather client is played by Burt Young, who was Paulie in the Rocky movies. Giamatti's best friend is played by Bobby Cannavale, whose character is going through marital hell, and whose lively spirit and outspoken tendencies provide many of the laughs in the film. Cannavale shines in this film, much as he did as the slightly desperate vendor in The Station Agent.
Things are going along pretty well for the new "family" until Shaffer's mother (Melanie Lynskey) is released from the drug clinic and she shows up to re-claim her son and her share of grandpa's wealth. She and her attorney (another nice role for Margo Martindale) expose Giamatti's earlier unethical decision and force his hand. The strength of the family is severely tested.
What I really like about this and the two previous McCarthy films are that no real Hollywood tricks are used. He hits situations head-on with realistic levels of comedy and uncomfortable people who are just trying to get along in life. In Win Win, the stellar cast brings life to these characters and draw us right in to their attempts at conflict resolution. Even though the theme is not too far removed from that of The Blind Side, Mr. McCarthy provides us with characters who could be from our own lives or even our own families. That makes all the difference.