Film Review – Win It All

Building an impressive filmography of modest, improvised dramedies (including “Happy Christmas,” “Digging for Fire,” and “Drinking Buddies”), writer/director Joe Swanberg adds to his fortunes with “Win It All.” Joined by co-writer/star Jake Johnson, Swanberg constructs an itchy, funky depiction of a gambling addict on the path to a bruised redemption, navigating impulses and an unlikely romance along the way. Like everything Swanberg does, it’s unassuming work, but this time he’s dealing with a special disease, which offers the normally sedate helmer a chance to experiment with more defined tension. Hilarious and horrifying, “Win It All” gives Johnson the best role of his career, reuniting with Swanberg to portray a dimensional human being who can’t quite work up the interest to pull out of his personal tailspin, gifting the actor a psychological challenge he completes with impressive skill. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com