Attorney Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti: Saving Private Ryan, The Illusionist, Big Far Liar) is faced with financial problems, and he is worried about the future of his business and his family. One of Mike’s clients, a very rich and senile old man, Leo (Burt Young: Rocky, Transamerica), can no longer take care of himself and is demanded by the court that if he wants to remain in his own home, he must find a guardian or live in a nursing home. Tough times call for tough decisions; so in court, Mike announces that he will be Leo’s guardian after discovering the $1,500 monthly paycheck that comes with the position. He lies to Leo by telling him that the courts ordered he stay in the nursing home.

Apart from Mike’s law office job, he spends a lot of his time coaching the high school wrestling team. When Leo’s grandson, Kyle (Alex Shaffer), shows up on Leo’s doorstep as Mike is visiting to turn off the electricity and water, the problems spin out of control for the poor attorney. However, one great thing comes out of his visit: Kyle used to be a national wrestling champion before his mother’s drug use and other problems forced him to quit and seclude himself from emotion and care.

The film combines intelligent humour and is a good reflection of everyday problems that North Americans face today. Also, it develops its characters well so that the audience understands their position and feels for their decisions. Paul Giamatti carries the film with a great performance. Many people could relate to his character, which created a solid connection from the audience to the performers.

There were a few downsides to the film, though. Sometimes the movie was too slow, which added boredom. It could have been cut down in time to alleviate that problem. Also, some of the acting is not by any means spectacular. Alex Shaffer was chosen for the role of Kyle because he was the New Jersey State Wrestling Championship and not because he had any movie titles on his belt, which was blatantly obvious.

Overall, Win Win was a win. It combined intelligent, witty humour and a well-written and directed story to keep audiences interested. Director Thomas McCarthy, who is more known for his acting roles in films such as 2012, Meet the Parents, and Duplicity, focused on cinematography such as lighting and camera movement to bring his ideas to life.