MOVIE REVIEW - Win, Win

Many times small movies are the best movies.

Hollywood loves to spend billions of dollars on big budgeted action flicks, and that's OK. They make a ton of money after tons is laid out. Many of these take our breath away, and catapult us to places we can not otherwise go. People flock to them year after year. But a big budget does not always a great movie make.

Win, Win is a small movie with a big if not huge story. These small Indy movies can be really great and this one is. Paul Giamatti is the star of this modern story that deals with modern troubles that are seemingly engulfing a growing number of people today.

Giamatti plays a small town lawyer and a father of two young girls with a struggling practice. Due to bad financial troubles he pulls off a slick deal and starts drawing money from an old man who is a client, trust fund all the while lying to the court about it. The old mans daughter is in rehab, and the old mans teenage kid shows up out of nowhere. The teen is a strange kid who seemingly has no direction in life. He has no where to go, so he ends up with the lawyer and his family.

The lawyer is also a wrestling coach at the local high school, and as luck would have it the kid is a great wrestler. Wrestling becomes the tie that binds them all together. But, when the young mother shows back up to claim the angry teen and her fathers money, there is big trouble. How will this all play out?

Win, Win is first class movie making. This story is spot on in its plot line as it takes on family dysfunction, the recession, and the struggles that many families and parents are feeling today. WW is boldly written, dramatic, funny at times and interesting all of the time. It develops it's characters completely and without apology. These people are real to say the least. Great performances by Giamatti and the entire supporting cast. This 90 minutes just whistles along. Most great movies start with a great story, and this is.

Win, Win. Yay, for the small movie yet again. Go see this gem. A welcome addition in limited release. Worth the time and every dime.