Foxcatcher (2014) Review!!

Synopsis – The greatest Olympic Wrestling Champion brother team joins Team Foxcatcher lead by multimillionaire sponsor John E. du Pont as they train for the 1988 games in Seoul – a union that leads to unlikely circumstances.

My Take – This film is anything but a wrestling drama. This is not a sports movie, but a slow-burning character study in which the wrestling serves as the visual, physical expression of the psychological struggle between the characters. Although based on the true story of Olympic gold medalist Mark Schultz and his brief years of training under multimillionaire John du Pont, the film expands well beyond the wrestling ring into the minds of two men longing to find greatness. The story follows Mark Shultz (Channing Tatum), living a rather lonely life in the faded glory of his 1984 gold medal & itching to accomplish more; his brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo), also a gold winner, is a family man & his trainer. When John du Pont (Steve Carell) contacts Mark about paying him to come train at his top-notch facility on his family’s estate, Foxcatcher Farm, he sees his opportunity. Mark and du Pont’s philosophies about striving to be the best align, and the two form a close, almost father-and-son bond, though more so because they both feel pressure to live up to others’ expectations. Du Pont, in particular, wants to prove himself to his mother (Vanessa Redgrave), who breeds world class horses and finds wrestling barbaric. He hopes he can make her proud by leading a team of wrestlers to gold in Seoul in 1988. But du Pont doesn’t just want to be a benefactor. Even though he’s little more than an extremely wealthy fan, with only a rudimentary knowledge of the sport, he wants to be seen as a coach and mentor to his wrestlers.

And so, when Dave arrives to guide his brother, jealousy develops. Dave is everything du Pont wishes he could be, but isn’t. He’s a great teacher, a great leader. This leads to tension that slowly builds toward the story’s shocking climax as du Pont’s demons emerge. John’s desperation, bottomless checkbook and unresolved family issues make for a dangerous combination, and his relationship with Mark slowly begins to change for the worse. Further complicating the matter is Dave, the only man capable of saving Mark from his demanding expectations of himself and whose coaching expertise intimidates du Pont. The often unspoken psychological warfare between the three (and, perhaps most importantly, du Pont and his mother) is the driving force of the story more than anything that actually happens on screen. Mark’s ups and downs as he competes at the ’87 World Championships and ’88 Olympic trials are symptomatic of his mental state and the state of his relationship with the other men. Director Bennett Miller allows us to study his subjects, and give the audience an in-depth understanding of all the motives involved plus the atmosphere he creates is truly compelling. The good performances is definitely the most enjoyable part. As du Pont, Carell is almost unrecognizable beneath make-up and prosthetic. It’s a quietly disturbing performance that will definitely have audiences and critics seeing the comic talent in a new light. 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.Action/comedy star Tatum also has a breakthrough turn as the intense and driven young Schultz who grows increasingly uncomfortable under du Pont’s subjugation.

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. With those two in transforming roles, it’s easy to overlook Ruffalo (who always seems to get overlooked). Dave is the comparison point for both these men. He’s a family man who is smart, has accomplished a lot and knows what it truly means to work hard. Ruffalo brings his trademark authenticity to his part as the “good guy” and does it so well.The normally wiry Ruffalo packed on a lot of muscle to play Dave Schultz. Here, he looks less like his Bruce Banner alter ego, and more like the Hulk himself. 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.On the whole “Foxcatcher” is terrifying, disturbing, utterly engaging & a long, at times brooding film that can drag in spite of the brilliant character development and internal drama. Definitely among the best to come out in 2014.