Win Win

“Win Win” stars Paul Giamatti as a beleaguered New Jersey store front lawyer and moonlighting High School wrestling coach, Amy Ryan as Mr. Giamatti’s wife, Jeffrey Tambor as his assistant coach and Bobby Cannavale as his best friend with a surprising performance by first time actor Alex Shaffer who plays a teenage wrestler. Burt Young (of Rocky fame) ably assists in this melodrama involving the pitfalls and tribulations of Mr. Giamatti’s character, his failing legal practice and the events that take place in his life and town. Based on a story by Joe Tiboni and co-written by Mr. Tiboni and Tom McCarthy, who also directed the film, this is a simple theatrical piece whose pace and editing are smooth and easy to view. Mr. McCarthy, whose other directorial triumphs include “The Visitor” and “The Station Agent”, brings the same pleasant quality of film watching and story telling to this film. Though not a giant in great movie making, this is a film worth seeing because it is honest and real with characters that are interesting and, most importantly, likeable. I give the film 3 stars with a “lose lose” if you pass it by.