Joe Swanberg has come a long way since his mumblecore roots. Ever since his debut film Kissing on the Mouth, Swanberg has made a dozen of low budget indies, with most of them being a mixed bag. Recently however, Swanberg has found his stride, particularly in his team up with Netflix. Drinking Buddies and Digging for Fire were great comedy/relationship dramas, while Easy is one of my favorite Netflix shows.
In his continuation with his Netflix deal, Swanberg is back in film with his latest Win It All. The film follows Eddie Garrett, a down on his luck gambler who is given the job to watch a package for a convict friend. Eddie is unable to resist gambling what’s inside, putting his life in danger.
Win It All may not only be Netflix’s best original movie, but is also Swanberg’s best film yet. Telling the story of an addicted gambler without the usual big-screen theatrics that come with it, Swanberg crafts a film with impressive naturalism and depth.
Stealing the show throughout is star Jake Johnson, who has finally found a role suitable of his acting chops. Johnson brings his usual charming self, but is also able to unpack some darker truths about Eddie’s gambling addiction. There is a vulnerability to Johnson here that we have yet to see, and its quite refreshing. Aisling Derbez, Joe Lo Truglio, and Keegan Michael-Key also delivers equally naturalistic performances.
As a director, few are able to achieve the aimlessness of mumblecore filmmaking successfully like Joe Swanberg. Considering the story on paper is somewhat formulaic, Swanberg’s unique perspective makes this material feel more fresh and impactful. Essentially after twenty minutes, this film picks up with most gambling movies end, with the protagonist opting to try and find a life of normalcy. He makes even the simplest scenes of dialogue engaging, getting the audience to care deeply about Eddie and his inner-circle. When the situation gets more dire, Swanberg is able to ratchet up the tension and create a surprisingly edge-of-your-seat experience.
At its core, much of the success of the film is dedicated to its loose script. Collaborated on by Swanberg and Johnson, the duo are able to craft a script that keeps audiences involved throughout. The dialogue here is quite seamless and humorous when it needs to be, with the film interjecting humor at crucial moments. Despite having little actual story, the naturalism of the dialogue keeps the audience engaged.
My problems with the film are very small, as this film mostly shares issues that plague most gambling films. The ending, while satisfying, is slightly predictable. The film also takes some time to get into its rhythm. These complaints are rather minute though.
Win It All is one of the year’s best films, with Joe Swanberg taking his mumblecore talents to impressive heights. Netflix viewers are in for a treat.