Remember what I said about Alexander Payne and his perfect, Pixar-like record? That he was as reliable as Christopher Nolan? Well, it's late at night, I'm tired, and I'm suffering from a minor case of writer's block. Now, I'm wishing that I had saved that description to talk about Thomas McCarthy, the director of Win Win.
But, I don't want to plagiarize myself. So...let me start over.
There's a great scene in the movie Adaptation wherein Charlie Kaufman (played by Nicolas Cage), desperate to come up with an ending to his screenplay, goes to a screenwriting seminar. He asks the lecturer (played by Brian Cox) what he should do if he's trying to write a movie where nothing really remarkable happens...more like real-life.
Here's the scene (WARNING: some graphic language):
There are two reasons I posted that clip. One, I like that scene and wanted to share it with you. Two, it was one of the first things I thought of when I sat down and thought about the movies of Thomas McCarthy.
How's that for an introduction?
McCarthy is simply a master at portraying life as people truly live it. It's not often exciting, his protagonists are generally pretty mundane, almost boring people. It's rarely graceful, his characters don't get witty monologues and are, more often than not, interacting awkwardly. But, each of his movies drip with realism and authenticity and, despite the fact that my description probably makes his movies sound boring, they are always interesting.
His first two movies, The Station Agent and The Visitor, were both about solitary men coming out of their shells as they encounter vastly different people. They were both slow-burn movies that kind of sneak up on you as they meander along to the end when you finally realize that you've been enthralled almost the entire time. Some might say they're an acquired taste just for indie movie lovers, but I don't know a single person that has watched both of these movies and come away unsatisfied.
With Win Win, McCarthy takes a more conventional approach. It's still a story about real people leading real lives, but the conflict, motivation, and relationships of the characters aren't as buried in the subtext. Right now, as I write this, I can't decide whether I liked it more than McCarthy's other two movies. But, the fact that it's even in the same league is saying something.
The movie stars Paul Giamatti -- in one of his most Giamatti-esque roles to date -- as Mike Flaherty, a struggling family law attorney in small-town Jersey who moonlights as a crappy high school wrestling coach. Fighting to provide for his family, Mike engages in some unethical activity at the expense of a rich, senile client, becoming his legal guardian in order to obtain a monthly stipend and immediately putting him in a nursing home against his wishes.
Things are fine, no one will ever know. The client has no family to speak of...until he does. Out of the blue, his grandson -- played by newcomer Alex Shaffer -- shows up saying he wants to move in with him, threatening to screw up Michael's clever plan. Obviously, this can't work, so Mike takes the boy in with him in order to prevent his scheme from unraveling. And, after learning that the boy's mom is in rehab, Mike and his wife -- played by the incomparable Amy Ryan -- decide to temporarily take him in.
Kyle -- that's the kid's name -- as luck would have it, is also a former wrestling champion, though he was kicked off his previous team for some off-the-mat shenanigans. Upon learning this, Mike obviously has to put him on the team and the movie then predictably turns into a story about a coach exploiting a vulnerable star athlete for his personal gain only to learn in the end that winning isn't everything.
I'm just kidding.
While it looks like it may go that direction -- after all, Mike is exploiting his client, why not his client's grandson -- it never does. There is a genuine affection that develops between Kyle and Mike's family. Mike pushes Kyle to compete, but not for his own gratification. He sincerely wants to help Kyle succeed, which is refreshing.
It's only when Kyle's mother eventually shows up and inquires about the situation between Mike, Kyle, and her father that things begin to unravel in a more or less predictable way. Yet, though the awkward moments, the guilty confessions and confrontations are probably telegraphed in advance, they are never forced. You don't get the feeling that things are just happening because that's what happens in these kinds of movies. Every scene, every plot development flows naturally from the characters, their decisions and motivations.
That, my friends, is good screenwriting...probably why it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
I should heap some kudos on Paul Giamatti, but what's the point? You already know he was great in this movie...it's Paul Giamatti. Mike Flaherty is a role tailor-made for this actor's particular set of skills. He's instantly sympathetic and likable, the ultimate every man. Even as he's screwing over his client, you can't help but feel for him. Giamatti's been this good before...but I don't think he's ever been better.
Amy Ryan is also fantastic in this movie. Like Giamatti, it'd be weird if she wasn't. Honestly, if you cast those two in a movie by themselves I'd want to see it.
Shaffer was actually a champion wrestler in real life before being cast in this movie, which helps immensely. It isn't a movie about wrestling, but if those scenes didn't appear authentic, they would have stuck out as a sore spot.
Bobby Cannavale also and Jeffery Tambor also have key supporting roles. But, I've used up too much space to try to fit them into this review.
In short, I'm tired. So, I'll just say that Win Win is a quality film. It was kind of hard to find at the time it was released so I don't know many people who saw it. That said, I don't think I want to be associated with anyone who saw this movie and didn't like it, so maybe that's a good thing.
(Just a note, this trailer is horrible. It completely fails to convey the tone of the movie.)
I have really, really wanted to see this movie since I saw the trailer quite some time ago. But, as of yet, haven't gotten to.
ReplyDeleteI too loved "Win Win". Sure, it wasn't a stretch for Giamatti's acting range, but it was a classic Giamatti role. Count me as one who wasn't enthralled with "The Station Agent". I thought it was acted well, but it felt just like 3 people milling about. I'll have to revisit it. "The Visitor", on the other hand, was wonderful. Richard Jenkins tore it up.
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