WIN WIN

Monday, July 25

Director: Thomas McCarthy
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan , Jeffrey Tambor, Bobby Vannavale, Burt Young
Run Time: 106 minutes
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Language: English
Rating: PG (Coarse language)

Tom McCarthy's third directorial feature is a winning combination of humour and heart, much like his two previous films. But Win Win almost dares us to draw comparisons to the Coen brothers. In fact, "Win Win" feels mostly like a poor man's "Fargo". But that's a good thing!

Nobody plays down-on-his-luck better than Paul Giamatti (Barney's Version). Here he plays a cash-strapped lawyer in a small New Jersey town. He sees an opportunity to become the guardian of an elderly man (played nicely by screen veteran Burt Young) so that the state will pay him $1500 a month. But Giamatti puts the man into an assisted living facility so he doesn't have to deal with him, yet still cashes those checks.

In "Fargo"-style, Giamatti's scheme begins to unravel when the man's teenage grandson shows up on his doorstep after running away from his drug-addicted mother. Giamatti, who also happens to coach the local high school wrestling team, soon discovers that the kid has pro-wrestler ability, enough to save his losing team.

McCarthy seamlessly weaves multiple plots and colourful characters to come up with a story that is alternately hilarious and heartwarming. He seems to be a master at this type of filmmaking. His debut was 2003's wonderful The Station Agent and he recently directed character actor Richard Jenkins to an Oscar nomination in The Visitor.

"This movie wins you over, head and heart, without cheating. It's just about perfect." - Rolling Stone

Reviews: www.metacritic.com/movie/win-win

Official site/Trailers: www.foxsearchlight.com/winwin

Summer Cinema 2011 July 4 - THE FIRST GRADER July 25 - WIN WIN August 15 - BEGINNERS