Viewed in
2013
Formats
HDTV
Premise
Paul Giamatti stars as a lawyer who cheats his client to keep his family afloat, only to unexpectedly forced to take in his client's troubled teenage grandson.
Liked
Sweet story with likable, believable characters.
Thoughts
For the most part, it was enjoyably earnest.
Don't let the R rating fool you (mostly from cussing that you'd find in any other family). After a somewhat cooky series of setups, the rest of the film told a genuine story of family and second chances that teens and parents can relate to.
Giamatti was perfect as the type of father who would be desperate enough to cheat the system, but portrayed his desperation is out of family needs sympathetically. Amy Ryan, kind of underused, played the wife that wasn't a caricature. As expected, the great Jeffrey Tambor dourness evoked smiles and giggles every time he was onscreen. Meanwhile, the teen actors held their own, Alex Shaffer was convincing as a troubled, introvert teen, and David W. Thompson was hilariously lovable as his body redefined the definition of "gawky".
Through the acting and writing, I ended up rooting for all the characters, as they felt like realistic people. I also appreciated the fresh air of not having a precocious young daughter who was way too smart for her age.
Movies of the slice-of-life ilk tend to be weak in story, and this was no exception. The characters had to jump through numerous, confusing hoops to get to the situation that forced Giamatti's family to take in a troubled teen. In addition, the lies, revelations and neat-and-tidy ending were easy to predict. Having said that, these moments still paid off well.
Win Win was a sweet little gem, intimate, character-driven, and won't swing wildly into broad melodrama.
