Win Win

Paul Giamatti's role of a perpetrator is different from that of his customary down-on-luck character. Married to Jackie (Amy Ryan), father to two young daughters, a wrestling coach, and an elderly lawyer, Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti) is struggling. Therefore, in order to make ends meet, he assumes legal guardianship of Leo Poplar (Burt Young), an elderly man with dementia. However, Mike doesn't go by the book and, in Giamatti's unique way, his decision doesn't compromise the audience's empathy. It is this duality in characterization that testifies for Giamatti's versatility as an actor.

Relatable and believable characters address a theme that resonates with today's times. The appearance of Kyle (newcomer, Alex Shaffer), a troubled runaway and the grandson Leo never knew, as well as Kyle's mother Cindy (Melanie Lynskey), returning from rehab, changes the dynamics.

While Mike's wife Jackie provides the story's moral equilibrium, Mike's camaraderie with his sympathetic fellow wrestling coaches, the CPA Vigman (Jeffrey Tambor) and the recently divorced Terry (Bobby Cannavale), add some humor.

Following a well balanced and unsentimental tone, the feature effectively brings unlikely people together in the Win Win spirit.