Thomas McCarthy’s latest film will most likely be categorized as a sports film simply because part of its plot revolves around high school wrestling. High school wrestling certainly serves a purpose in this film, especially when looked at from a thematic point, but it is merely a backdrop to a humanistic drama that is hilariously uplifting. McCarthy’s previous film, The Visitor, touchingly covered an array of topics such as human generosity, loneliness, and the burden of being an immigrant in a time where immigrants are seen as a threat to the American way. Handling such dramatic issues with a deft comedic hand, McCarthy demonstrated his value to the world of film. That value is further cemented in Win Win, another humanistic tale that veers onto a path we’ve been down before, but there’s a dense amount of emotion and humor that makes the flora surrounding this familiar road feel fresh and new.
Things begin when we’re introduced to Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti), a struggling New Jersey attorney whose private practice and home life are overrun with money constraints. Feeling disheveled and inadequate, Mike daringly hides his cash flow problem from his wife (Amy Ryan) and children. It’s a problem that resonates with the current economic climate, but Mike finds a solution to his money issues by exploiting Leo Poplar, a client of his who’s mental capacity is on the verge of being wiped out. Mike is a good man doing a dirty deed. Seeing as he has solved his money issue momentarily, Mike’s only issue now is that he coaches a listless high school wrestling team that discredits their mantra: “The Home of Champions.” In the same way that Leo Poplar comes into his life, Mike inadvertently comes upon his wrestling savior: Kyle Timmons (Alex Shaffer), Leo’s estranged grandson. Kyle possesses a calm demeanor on the outside, but when on the wrestling mat, he channels all of his rage and emotional girth to pin his opponents and wrestle the familial demons that reside in his weighed down soul. See, Kyle’s mom is a druggie that just doesn’t know how to quit her stimulating sins, and in turn, her son becomes merely a tool and nuisance. So he left.
As you can probably guess, Kyle and Mike become a father and son tandem that gives one another an opportunity to feel an ounce of control (at least in Mike’s case) and an ounce of love that a family can exude, the latter being something that has circumvented Kyle’s reach. I will readily admit that the film’s big dramatic moments are familiar and expected to a degree, but McCarthy’s screenplay smartly doesn’t tip its hand. When we expect a key moment to happen or for Mike’s handful of lies to reach a fever pitch, McCarthy pulls the rug from underneath us to the point that we actually believe Mike’s haphazard moves will actually see no recourse. Hell, in some regards I actually expected the film to have your prototypical Hollywood ending where the day is saved and everyone gets along, but we don’t get it that easy. What we do get is a tremendous story built around character and the inevitable pratfalls and joys of being human in a sometimes unfair world. Anchoring this notion is the terrific performance from Paul Giamatti, who is almost always cast as the poor, chubby schlep. It’s through Giamatti’s performance that, as I alluded to earlier, we come to understand a good man committing an exploitative act. He’s relatable, funny, and distinctively poignant in his portrayal of a man trying to seek a happy ending.
Rounding out the supporting cast are the terrific Jeffrey Tambor and Bobby Cannavale, actors who consistently deliver McCarthy's lines with deadpan sincerity. Their interactions with Giamatti are always notable and worthwhile. Lest I forget the assured performance from newcomer Alex Shaffer whose performance, one filled with soft nuances, represents the complexity that resides in Giamatti's role and the film as a whole. Complex, enjoyable, and not seeking an easy way out, Win Win is the type of film I relish. It has the heart and wit to make viewers feel as exuberant as a wrestler who has scored a hard earned pin.
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