"Win Win" Works Big Time for Me

                                           a film review by W J O'Reilly

The film is "Win Win" and down and out lawyer Mike Flaherty played by Paul Giamatti also doubles as a high school wrestling coach. He must have been doing someting right from a karmic pov as he crosses paths with a star athlete who breathes life into his pathetic, winless team, and also starts Flaherty and all his friends and family moving upwards in their lives. Of course, the lawyer is a bit of a sheister, and along the way he must pay his dues over some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Amy Ryan plays a rock solid Jersey Mom and lawyer's wife while Alex Shaffer is the breakout wrestler/ jv--that's juvenile delinquent, not junior varsity. Bobby Cannavale is a fascinating study in people hitting bottom andthen using the inspiration of his surroundings to help himself out of the gutter and back into the light--in this case the kid wrestler who materializes out of thin air a la "the natural."

Hey, I liked this borderline indie movie a lot--with two sons that I coached in youth sports--I can definitely get behind the idea of the kid/jock from nowhere who turns the entire hapless team around, and especially the adults who suddenly have winning to live for.

It's a strong recommend from me, although I'm sure there are some who just won't get it. No prob--that's why they make Star Trek, Titanic and Chick Flicks.