Foxcatcher

Foxcatcher (2014)

Based on fact, a movie about Olympic wrestlers training at the estate of tycoon family du Pont near Valley Forge. Even though it's about sport and sports at the highest level, this is the opposite of an action movie. The central figure is mean to be one of two actual Olympic level brothers who wrestled in the 1980s, but in a way the tone of the movie is dictated by the patron, wealthy heir to the du Pont fortune, John du Pont. He's played with impeccable, disturbed restraint by Steve Carell.

The brothers are of course important, and slightly different in their makeup. Mark (played by Channing Tatum) is seemingly simple, almost slow, and he gets sucked into du Pont's plans rather easily. Dave (played by Mark Ruffalo) is more savvy, an older and more experienced wrestler.. And easy going, a family man who everyone likes. Except John du Pont.

Don't let the patience fool you. Carell is uncanny—his performance seems to be a non- performance, but it never flags. Tatum is right on with his feeling for an athlete devoted to his ability above all, but missing the larger picture. Ruffalo, though in a small role, ends up the most sympathetic character, and by the end, if you agree, you'll be in tears.

You sometimes wonder about how Olympic athletes get their support and what the price is to them personally. Though a long way from Communist bloc versions of control and abuse (and obsession), this is a perfectly horrifying and insidious American counterpart. Not to be missed if you like sports, sports movies, or the Olympics on any level.

Foxcatcher is a movie for those who value patience as a virtue. There is not a lot of dialogue and not even a lot of wrestling (which is bold for a movie centered around Olympic wrestlers) but rarely have I seen a film that had a constant buildup of tension throughout. One phrase that you will see a lot when reading about this film is that it is a "slow burn" which is accurate. It makes you uncomfortable and anxious to the point of frustration because you are constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The story centers around Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) an anti-social, brooding athlete who seems to be constantly living in his older brother David's (Mark Ruffalo) shadow. David and Mark have both won gold medals at the 1984 Olympics but more people are drawn to David because he is warm, charismatic, and open...everything that Mark is not. We watch Mark as he seems to go through life with a chip on his soldier, trying to forge his own path without the help of his brother. Mark receives a call from a representative of a John Du Pont (Steve Carell) who wishes Mark to visit him on his Foxcatcher farm and propose the idea of him and the entire USA wrestling team to make Foxcatcher their official training facility with Du Pont bankrolling the entire operation. From there, we watch an initial positive relationship sour as the we learn more about Du Pont and his intentions.

The cast is lights out here. Tatum gives the performance of his career in a dark turn as Mark and Ruffalo might score an Oscar nomination for being the one ray of light as his older brother David, who only has the best intentions for Mark and his future. It is Carell though, who steals the show. You always read about how comedians, whom Carell is more popularly known as, all have a "dark side" in them which is where they get there comedy from that allows them to make shockingly effective transition into drama (think Jim Carrey in "Truman Show" and Robin Williams in "Insomnia") and he will go down as another prime example of that here. Du Pont is a man of privilege who, like Mark, is trying to find a way to make his mark on the world and seek the approval of others. He is socially awkward, maybe even a coward and uses his money and family "dynasty" as its referred to in the film, to give him a sense of entitlement to gain respect from others.

From the point they meet we wonder why Mark would fall into a relationship with Du Pont but we see they do share similarities in terms of their personalities and both feeling the need to prove themselves. So it's no surprise to see the relationship eventually sour because in the fight to become the more relevant one, Du Pont will win due to his already established social status and wealth. Du Pont is always trying to seek the approval of his mother (Vanessa Redgrave), who sees wrestling as a "low sport", and Du Pont tries to create this deluded fantasy of what he is trying to do with this wrestling team to please his mother. Du Pont calls himself a "coach" of the wrestling team, when it seems he knows nothing about the sport, he claims his athletes see him as a mentor and a father figure when in reality, he is just the guy signing their checks. The tension comes to a head once David gets involved and begins to see Du Pont for what he really is and the climax catches you buy surprise and leaves you devastated. .

Director Bennett Miller has only made three films (Capote and Moneyball the other two) but it's safe to say he is three for three with this being his most ambitious work yet. Foxcatcher is the type of film that has failed in the past due to its' modest pace but the performances keep you engaged just enough to be blown away in the end.

A film that takes its time presenting its case, Bennett Miller's wickedly brutal "Foxcatcher" entices audiences to learn more about the questions around us, and where they could lead. Seated firmly in the center are a trio of dazzling performances from Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, and Mark Ruffalo, all of which make a compelling case for their career best works.

Written by Oscar-nominee Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye, "Foxcatcher" tells the story of Mark Schultz (Tatum), an Olympic wrestler who befriends billionaire John Du Pont (Carell) in the mid-1980's. Along with his brother Dave (Ruffalo) and his wife Nancy (Sienna Miller), that new relationship leads to unforeseen consequences.

At the core of this morality tale is Bennett Miller, the Oscar- nominated director of "Capote" and "Moneyball." He allows"Foxcatcher" to study its subjects, and give the audience an in-depth understanding of all the motives involved. With the help of Cinematographer Greig Fraser, and composer Rob Simonsen, the movie's melancholy atmosphere is truly compelling. Miller's brilliance isn't in things he chooses to show, but in the things he chooses not to. He draws out scenes that offer so much to the narrative. There's still so much left on the table that we do not know, which in itself, is perfectly acceptable. Life never gives us all the answers we seek. Miller, Futterman, and Frye understand this. Material like this calls to be made into a film. I'm so glad that these three answered the call.

What Steve Carell achieves as John DuPont is not just a performance by a full embodiment. With strength and precision, he understands DuPont, a man with an extreme outlook on reality. Carell doesn't just ask us to sympathize with John, between his awkward behavior and his constant yearning to impress his family's legacy, he demands our understanding. If I didn't already know about the film for the past two years, I wouldn't have recognized him. His performance is completely focused and profound. Looking at the way he carries himself through the film, you are witnessing one of the purest creations of a character this year. When he's not on-screen, you're secretly wishing he was.

When it comes to Channing Tatum, I have to admit that I never FULLY understood the appeal. Discovered the young ferocious actor in Dito Montiel's "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" nearly a decade ago, and afterwards was only mildly entertained by his presence in films like "21 Jump Street" and "Side Effects." What he does in Miller's film is something beyond anything I could have ever thought he could do. Tatum doesn't just do an imitation, he channels the inner workings of a man desperate for more. His peculiarities are richly on display as he yearns for a father figure outside of the shadow of his more successful brother. He embraces the odd DuPont, against all logical instincts, but you can see exactly why he would feel so compelled to do so.

Mark Ruffalo gives Dave the ticks and beats of an original creation. Picking at his beard (something I know all too well), constantly engaging in team leadership, and hugging his younger brother whose more of a son than anything. Ruffalo mounts himself on the perch of a loving brother just trying to create success for himself and his family. This is another solid outing for him.

Co-star Vanessa Redgrave, as John's fragile mother, is marvelous in her short scenes while Sienna Miller adds a needed dynamic to understanding both Mark and Dave. The two women both offer compassion and balance.

"Foxcatcher" is terrifying, disturbing, and utterly engaging. A slowly unraveled piece that is risky but pays off immensely. It's cautious yet strictly well-defined as a character study. Like all great films with great performances, its element of truth is plainly apparent. On the gray-skied farm, we will get to know three interesting men, some of which, we'll never truly understand.

John du Pont has more money than he knows what to do with. He is a miserable man who has spent his life trying to be something he can never be. He is pathetic as an athlete, so he brings in a man who suffers from an inferiority complex despite his earning a gold medal in the Olympics. Mark Schultz should have the world by the butt but he is caught in an aimless quest to earn enough to survive. His brother Dave, who has also been an Olympic champion, has gone on with his life. His love and affection for his brother keep the poor guy going, but it also overshadows him. DuPont decides to create a wrestling club and enlist the help of Mark Schultz and pretty soon the poor schmuck becomes his right hand man. Steve Carell is brilliant as the schizophrenic du Pont who imagines himself the savior of the country. He believe he is a real wrestling coach, even though he knows very little (he is able to look good because he gives huge sums of money to his stable of athletes). Carell's sickness pervades the entire picture as the men he commands begin to see his irrationality for what it is. There is also the classic Freudian stuff. This movie makes one uncomfortable from the get-go and yet we can't take our eyes off the sick man.

This is a fine film, but the story isn't told correctly, or more to the point, it tells one story but concludes with the climax of another, different story. The Mark Schutz's time at Foxcatcher began in the mid-80s and ended after the Souel Olympics of 1988. After that, Mark is no longer relevant to the narrative.

The story of Dave Schulz at Foxcatcher mainly takes place in the 90s. In fact, his murder in. 1996 took place 8 years after the main story of the film. 8 years are glossed over. Dave Schulz's murder had nothing to do with Mark. What went on in those missing years? The film tells us nothing about it. This is a problem for otherwise fine effort.

The cast is outstanding and Carel shines, but if you watch ESPN's fine 30 for 30 documentary about the Foxcatcher years you will see that DuPont the man isn't accurately captured in this film. The real DuPont was a lanky, thin man who actually smiled a lot. He had a goofiness about him that is nonexistent in Carel's stark portrayal. Ruffalo and Tatum do fine work even though they are nowhere near the physical specimens the Schultz brothers were.

I still recommend this film for its psychological study of a man-child like Dupont and how dysfunctional the lives of heirs to great fortunes usually become.