The Movie
Paul Giamatti stars as yet another sympathetic loser in Win Win, this time as nice-guy New Jersey lawyer and high school wrestling coach Mike whose tolerably imperfect life quickly goes supernova. His funds are drying up, and mounting problems are triggering panic attacks.
When he runs out of options, he has himself appointed guardian for one of his elderly clients in order to receive the monthly commission, albeit in a way that's at best not entirely ethical, at worst full-on illegal. Complicating his life further is the sudden arrival of the client's runaway grandson, Kyle (newcomer Alex Shaffer, a marvel of low-key likeability), although not necessarily in an all-bad way as it turns out that he is an amazing wrestler and just what the team needs. (A wee bit coincidental, but forgivable.)
A kind offer turns into a living arrangement and it works out predictably well for both Mike and Kyle, with undertones of The Blind Side, only wittier and less would-be sentimental. This is the third film from director Tom McCarthy--after The Station Agent and The Visitor--and therefore his most relaxed, even funniest, perhaps drawing upon his experience as one of the credited writers of Up. All in all, a winner.
The Picture
The 1.85:1 image is mostly crisp, shot on 35mm film and given a nice high-bitrate (30 megabits/second and up) AVC presentation here. There is some noise and grain, severely so on small, out-of-focus print, as in the supermarket scene. But the subdued, wintry palette helps to convey the Garden State at its most realistic.
The Sound
There is some surround information in the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1-channel soundtrack, but it is extremely quiet, maybe some ambient music thrown in as well, but mostly the mix is up front, as on most independent films, but here it is full and more than sufficiently clear. A potential sonic "moment" like the entry into a crowded gymnasium is a disappointment, but there is an effective bit early on with a faulty boiler.
The Extras
The two deleted scenes are joined by a collection of featurettes ranging from two-and-a-half to six-and-a-half minutes, and everything is in HD. In "Tom McCarthy and Joe Tiboni Discuss Win Win," the director/co-writers cover their long friendship and the autobiographical experiences that shaped the story.
"David Thompson at Sundance 2011" traces the young co-star's odyssey, followed by "In Conversation with Tom McCarthy and Paul Giamatti at Sundance 2011" and the themed, collected soundbites of "Family." Last up is the "Think You Can Wait" Music Video by The National, in Dolby Digital 2.0, incorporating movie scenes as well as behind-the-scenes footage.
Final Thoughts
No, not 100% original, or likely, Win Win is a thoroughly involving dramedy that hits all the right notes just the same, respectably presented on a high-res, high-bitrate disc with easy-to-digest extras.
Product Details
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