WIN WIN

CAROLINE: Win Win is a new indie dramedy from the same director who made The Station Agent and The Visitor, both of which I really liked.

RYAN: I haven’t seen any of his movies, but I hear they’re great. How did Win Win match up?

CAROLINE: I really liked it. It stars Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan as a married couple who sort of adopt this high school kid whose mom is a drug addict.

RYAN: And it’s about wrestling, right?

CAROLINE: It does feature wrestling – Paul G. is the school’s wrestling coach, and the new kid is a great wrestler – but at its heart, it’s more of a family drama. With lots of great one-liners from Bobby Cannavale.

RYAN: OMG I love him!!

CAROLINE: Yeah, he’s fab in this, as always. I wonder why he’s not in more movies.

RYAN: It’s pretty indie, right? Was it slow at all?

CAROLINE: This is definitely a limited release type of movie, so not everyone will get to see it. But it’s not slow or boring at all. I was entertained throughout, and I was really into the story. It’s very much a slice-of-life movie. You’re just going through the ins and outs of this family – work, money issues, raising kids, etc. – and the drama of the wrestling kid’s life with his druggie mom. It’s not a weeper or anything, but it alternates between comedy and drama really well.

RYAN: I read that the kid who plays the wrestler isn’t even really an actor.

CAROLINE: Yeah, he was some wrestling state champion who secretly always wanted to act, so when he heard about this movie, he auditioned. He did a really good job, all things considered. His delivery was a little brusque at times, but it worked for the character; he’s supposed to be this semi-sullen teen, after all. I was impressed. And Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan are always fab.

RYAN: Sounds like I might have to catch it on cable sometime.

CAROLINE: Yes, and you should check out Tom McCarthy’s other movies too. I especially liked The Station Agent, which also stars Bobby Cannavale, and he’s hilarious in it.

— BOTTOM LINE —

CAROLINE: Win Win is a really good comedic family drama, but it’s definitely more of a rental. Not a must see on the big screen, especially since it’ll probably only play in big cities, but certainly worth seeing for fans of these actors and the director. It’s highly entertaining as well as touching. Check it out if you can!

— RATING —