Win Win

[ejwrank]

They were very tough on us at Trocadero checking everyone's ID -- another reason to dislike the place. I had a ticket from a_person which only had initials and I managed to talk my way in by saying I don't give my name due to an incident with identity theft but only the first two letters of my surname which just happened to match a_person's ticket. The manager relented and let me in and thanks to FMUKers for saving me a seat. Valda was alerted to my plight by jeancomp and was headed down to get me in on her ticket so I really felt lucky to have so many people looking out for me. Glad to see Kaybeelon too and we completely missed the activity in the row in front. Well done to whoever it was that told the others to be quiet.

I liked the film. It was a bit slow and ponderous and yes, the wrestling bits won't appeal to lots of people. I am actually from NJ, went to high school there and my brother even wrestled one year so it all seemed kind of familiar to me. I liked Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan (Beadie from The Wire ) and the young lad Alex Shaffer grew on me. Melanie Lynskey once filmed some scenes for the film Shooters at my chidren's primary school a long time ago. Unfortunately all bits with the children ended up on the cutting room floor!

[SocialFlutterBy]

i thought this film was slow to start, slow in the middle and even slower at the end. I left the cinema yawning, there were one or two laughs at a 60% Glasgow tonight but not realy floating my boat this one 3/10 from me im afraid, it was bland all the way thankfully it was free though or i would have realy been ranting had i pa*d to see it !!

[Beate]

I had a ticket from a_person which only had initials and I managed to talk my way in by saying I don't give my name due to an incident with identity theft but only the first two letters of my surname which just happened to match a_person's ticket.

See, that's the kind of cleverness they are missing in The Apprentice! Well done on your quick thinking.

[David]

Yep I agree with what most people are saying it was pretty good, not spectacular. Should really be revising, not blogging but mashed together a few words: https://moviefilmreviews.wordpress.com/ ... w-win-win/ 6/10

I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if it wasn't for the stupid, annoying people sitting next to me talking and eating popcorn the whole time. I twice told them to be quiet, and then they were quiet for about a minute and then started again. The whole film they were whispering> Infuriating. Why go to the cinema if you just want a chat and eat junk food? I did think about moving seats but that would have been admitting defeat. At the end I pretended I really wanted to see the credits just to stop them making a quick exit so I stuck my legs out and made them hop over. A very small victory. They just walked away laughing (no doubt at me for my obvious loathing of them) and saying how bored they were. People like that should just spend their evenings in McDonalds and not pollute our cinemas and preferably be sterilized.

And well done to my mum on the quick thinking - FMUKers are a clever little bunch.

[jewelz]

I really liked this one too. I Wasn't sure what to expect after having seen the trailer, which kind of made it look like it was mostly about wrestling, but I was pleasantly surprised. All Really likeable characters and quite a few funny bits (not in a belly laugh kind of way) and I didn't even mind the wrestling. Someone mentioned the Blind Side, I thought that too, definitely like an Indi version of The Blind Side.

7/10

[kevinknapman]

A beautifully understated comedy drama. Never flashy or cheap but just interested in depicting ordinary fully rounded characters who are doing whatever they can to survive.

Admittedly there was a moment where I thought it was going to become a cliched inspirational sports drama but director/writer Tom McCarthy is too good for that and keeps the movie grounded and honest. Wrestling becomes a metaphor for life without ever becoming heavy-handed. Kyle's signature move in particular describing Giamatti's characters attempt to keep his business afloat - Do whatever the f*ck it takes.

Paul Giamatti was predictably excellent as the flawed but well-meaning Mike. Managing to make a potentially unsympathetic character fairly likeable. Mike's motives, as wrong-headed and misguided as they are, are understandable. But the rest of the cast are really solid too. Amy Ryan was very good in a role that could have just been a thankless loving wife character. Her partnership with Giamatti was completely believable. So yes Alex Shaffer as Kyle was clearly hired more for his wrestling skills (he's a champion wrestler in real life) than his acting but he was still very good as the sulky teen with hidden depths. His subtle coaching of Stemler, the team's worst wrestler, was oddly touching. Although I fully expected Jeffrey Tambor to steal the show (though he is fantastic), that honour actually goes to Bobby Canavale as Terry, who gets the lion's share of the laughs (many laugh out loud). But he's not just there for comic relief though and his portrayal of a man who's hiding his inner pain by reverting to his teenage years of companionship with men, sports and computer games was very impressive. Burt Young also gave a very moving performance as the old man suffering from dementia. The only disappointment for me was the fact that it took about 70 mins before Melanie Lynskey came into the film, having been a fan of hers since Heavenly Creatures.

Win Win won't please everyone obviously but I found it very charming. The more I think about it the more I like it. It's a deceptively simple film with plenty of depth that still manages to have a fair few laughs.
And it's got a fantastic brand new song by The National over the end credits.

[McG]

Win Win is probably not going to appeal to everyone but my friends and I enjoyed it. A feel-good film with good acting. I would probably not have pa*d to see this movie as the topic did not really appeal ie wrestling, but glad I've seen it. I find this is one good thing about free previews. I have been to see many different films and been pleasantly surprised by many of them. Hope to see lots more!

[sandypiper]

I went to see this last night at Milton Keynes, the Cinema was only half full. I was surprised that I really enjoyed this film, and was very pleased to have seen it.

Thank you to The Sixth Sense for his excellent review, on this thread of the film and Actors.

best wishes to all

SP

[carlos100]

Really disappointed after the excellent reviews, this film was the very definition of average and for something billed as a comedy really didn't raise many laughs.

[tarantinoed]

Really liked this a lot. Paul Giamatti was superb as usual. Very sad ending I thought but all the better a film for it.