4.5/5 Foxcatcher Foxcatcher, Bennett Miller’s new film about greed and paranoia and everything else wrong with the wealthy American psyche, has a glacial feel to it. It is slow-moving, the dramatic action and historical detail kept to a minimum; but with every passing scene, a creeping shadow of paranoia and dread seeps into your system. USA Today movie critic Claudia Puig has named this movie “the feel-bad movie of the year.” That just about hits the nail on the head. For many, this will be a turnoff. For everyone willing to give it a try, this is a movie that will shake you and leave you rattled. In the late 1980’s, John E. du Pont, heir to one of America’s oldest fortunes, reached out to two gold medalists, brothers Mark and David Schultz, to form a wrestling team for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. The bulk of the movie’s dramatic dynamics stem from the triangular relationship between these men. The film’s protagonist is Mark, a tragically subtle Channing Tatum, who forever lives in the shadow of his more charismatic brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo; outstanding, as usual). While Dave has meetings with the big dogs of US wrestling, Mark takes $20 speaking gigs at the local elementary school - this is made even more sad by the fact that they think he is Dave. So when du Pont offers Mark the star position in his new Foxcatcher team, seemingly out of nowhere, the insecure wrestler clings to the much-needed attention and father figure. Things become ever more despairing when you begin to get the feeling du Pont may be using Mark to get to Dave. | Director: Bennett Miller Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo Writers: E. Max Frye & Dan Futterman |
So not to get ahead of ourselves, let's take some time to shine some light on the ominous billionaire John du Pont (Steve Carell in a career defining performance). Right off the bat, you know something is wrong. Speaking almost in a whisper, du Pont rings unhinged from the beginning. As you learn more of his past and his unnatural relationship with his mother (who paid a boy to be John’s friend when he was a child), the clearer it becomes that this story is heading nowhere good. Upon researching du Pont, you will find that the film gives a pretty narrow portrait of the man. He held a doctorate degree and was involved in several other Olympic sports. That is not necessarily a complaint; movies often narrow or exclude facts for narrative purposes. So is the case here.
Exceptional directing aside, the success of this thing hinged on finding the right du Pont. The comedian behind The Office and The 40 Year Old Virgin may seem like an odd choice at first, but Steve Carell’s work here is not only the best work of his life, it is simply the best performance of the year. Sporting a fake nose and teeth that I never found distracting, Carell emerges himself into this role with the power and finesse of the business' most prized method actors (Day-Lewis, Bale, etc.). Not once did I think, “Hey, that’s Michael Scott acting scary.” Possessed by this character, Carell makes it impossible for you to remember anything that came before. That is the best compliment I could give to any actor or actress.
Any film boasting a performance like Carell’s would more than likely make my Top 10 list, but Foxcatcher is a spring of virtuoso acting. Joining Carell in my best-yet compliment is the former beef-cake Channing Tatum. Tatum has dabbled in some serious roles before in films like Side Effects and Magic Mike - both Steven Soderbergh productions -, but never has he took on a challenge of this magnitude. Tatum does not just read his lines and act sad; he acts and reacts, meshes with his costars, knows his character, and enhances the material. The tragic, beating heart of Foxcatcher begins and ends with Tatum.
It is not really surprising that Ruffalo is amazing. The actor has been offering up quality work for years and years. Saying that, Dave Schultz ranks up there with his meatiest roles. I believe the film, though 134 minutes, could have made a bit more room for the oldest Schultz brother, especially with his character playing such a heavy role in the last act of the film. Thankfully, Ruffalo makes the best of every second we get with Dave.
Director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) has become one of the masters of taking a real-world story and turning it into a dense reflection of the human condition. While Foxcatcher may not be his most thrilling drama, it is by far his most layered. Themes upon themes are stacked and intertwined in the workings of du Pont and the brothers Schultz. Each scene, each turn of phrase, houses a connection: father-son, older brother-younger brother, mother-son, money-vs-desparation, dreams-failures, etc. The list keeps going. I suspect there are even more that I did not pick up on. It would be easy to write Foxcatcher off as a slow mover with some good performances, but that would be missing the point. This is a tone poem to compete with the best of them. It is Kubrick or Mallick-esque in its musings; know that before you take this beast on.
If you can keep that mindset coming into Foxcatcher, I think you would agree that this is one of the year’s premier films that adds up to more than just a few exceptional performances. It deserves multiple viewings, even when the mere thought of experiencing again sends a chilly shiver down your spine. Count me in.
Exceptional directing aside, the success of this thing hinged on finding the right du Pont. The comedian behind The Office and The 40 Year Old Virgin may seem like an odd choice at first, but Steve Carell’s work here is not only the best work of his life, it is simply the best performance of the year. Sporting a fake nose and teeth that I never found distracting, Carell emerges himself into this role with the power and finesse of the business' most prized method actors (Day-Lewis, Bale, etc.). Not once did I think, “Hey, that’s Michael Scott acting scary.” Possessed by this character, Carell makes it impossible for you to remember anything that came before. That is the best compliment I could give to any actor or actress.
Any film boasting a performance like Carell’s would more than likely make my Top 10 list, but Foxcatcher is a spring of virtuoso acting. Joining Carell in my best-yet compliment is the former beef-cake Channing Tatum. Tatum has dabbled in some serious roles before in films like Side Effects and Magic Mike - both Steven Soderbergh productions -, but never has he took on a challenge of this magnitude. Tatum does not just read his lines and act sad; he acts and reacts, meshes with his costars, knows his character, and enhances the material. The tragic, beating heart of Foxcatcher begins and ends with Tatum.
It is not really surprising that Ruffalo is amazing. The actor has been offering up quality work for years and years. Saying that, Dave Schultz ranks up there with his meatiest roles. I believe the film, though 134 minutes, could have made a bit more room for the oldest Schultz brother, especially with his character playing such a heavy role in the last act of the film. Thankfully, Ruffalo makes the best of every second we get with Dave.
Director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) has become one of the masters of taking a real-world story and turning it into a dense reflection of the human condition. While Foxcatcher may not be his most thrilling drama, it is by far his most layered. Themes upon themes are stacked and intertwined in the workings of du Pont and the brothers Schultz. Each scene, each turn of phrase, houses a connection: father-son, older brother-younger brother, mother-son, money-vs-desparation, dreams-failures, etc. The list keeps going. I suspect there are even more that I did not pick up on. It would be easy to write Foxcatcher off as a slow mover with some good performances, but that would be missing the point. This is a tone poem to compete with the best of them. It is Kubrick or Mallick-esque in its musings; know that before you take this beast on.
If you can keep that mindset coming into Foxcatcher, I think you would agree that this is one of the year’s premier films that adds up to more than just a few exceptional performances. It deserves multiple viewings, even when the mere thought of experiencing again sends a chilly shiver down your spine. Count me in.