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Win Win Our rating: Your rating: 1 2 3 4 Your Comments: see all MPAA rating: R (for language) Genre: Comedy, Drama Theater release: May 20, 2011 by Fox Searchlight Pictures Directed by: Thomas McCarthy Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes Cast: Paul Giamatti (Mike Flaherty), Amy Ryan (Jackie Flaherty), Alex Shaffer (Kyle Timmons), Bobby Cannavale (Terry Delfino), Jeffrey Tambor (Stephen Vigman), Burt Young (Leo Poplar) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

The funny and poignant Win Win is best enjoyed with minimal information going into it, allowing the story to unfold with its dramatic and humorous exchanges intact. The trailer gives away too many second-half developments for a movie that could be described as an R-rated version of The Blind Side.

Don't read too much into that comparison, though: The Blind Side was based on a true story; this one is pure fiction. The Blind Side was wholesome; Win Win has a fair amount of profanity and lacks overt Christian undertones (though the core family in the film is seen going to church). But both films share a heartwarming mixture of drama and comedy, depicting families whose lives are enriched after loving troubled teens with hidden talents.

Paul Giamatti—always terrific at playing the down-on-his-luck everyman—gives one of his most charming and relatable performances as Mike Flaherty, a family man with two young children living in suburban New Jersey. He operates a struggling law firm while also coaching the high school wrestling team with his friend Vigman (perpetually dour Jeffrey Tambor). As the clients dwindle and the bills pile up, Mike suffers from stress attacks, trying to get healthier by faithfully jogging every morning; it's not helping much.

A simple solution arises via one of Mike's clients. The state wants to put elderly Leo (Burt Young from the Rocky movies) in a hospital since he is in the early stages of dementia with no immediate family in contact—his daughter in Ohio has been out of touch for 20 years. Drawn to the extra income that Leo can afford for personal care, Mike offers to serve as guardian so that Leo can rest comfortably at home. A seemingly noble gesture, except Mike isn't entirely truthful to the judge (or his family) about the arrangement: he puts Leo in a local retirement home, checking on him just enough to get away with collecting the monthly paycheck.

With Mike's financial burdens lightened and no one the wiser, everything seems to be fine … until Leo's grandson Kyle (newcomer Alex Shaffer) shows up for an unexpected visit. Despite the reservations of Mike's wife Jackie (Amy Ryan), they agree to let the quiet and troubled teen stay in their basement, and soon become more sympathetic after learning that Kyle's mom is a drug addict back in Ohio. As they figure out what to do with the boy, Mike allows Kyle to tag along with him to work and wrestling practice, only to find out there's more to Kyle than meets the eye.

Conveniently, Kyle and Mike turn out to be exactly what they need each other to be. Some might see that as a plot contrivance, but isn't life filled with stories of happenstance and serendipity? It doesn't feel contrived here; Win Win somehow makes its developments feel true to our own experiences.

Director and co-writer Thomas McCarthy (2007's critically acclaimed The Visitor) has crafted a film with authenticity and heart. There are times where it teeters close to sitcom territory, but there's enough weight to the moral dilemmas to elevate it. Even if it were a sitcom, it'd be one of TV's best.

It also helps that the plotting is somewhat unpredictable. In the first thirty minutes, Win Win flirts with approximately six different genres/scenarios (e.g. the midlife crisis movie, the caring for the elderly movie) before it becomes more apparent where things are headed. That's not to say the story goes to strange places or treads toward unfamiliar territory, but that it won't settle for the most obvious route in getting there. For example, Mike does get to deliver the standard inspirational coach speech, but things don't turn out quite as expected afterwards.

Grounding all of this are strong performances. Giamatti is always terrific, but it's a pleasure to see him play a less smarmy, generally well-intentioned character faced with moral conflict. Ryan is one of today's most underappreciated actresses; here she plays a believable and relatable parent (and only five months after giving birth in real life). Bobby Cannavale is a scene-stealer as Mike's best friend Terry, a foul-mouthed but lovable man-child who says whatever is on his mind, no matter how inappropriate. Though he's the primary reason for the R rating, it's nice to see how his character grows throughout the story.

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