Bennett Miller (director)
Sony (studio)
15 (certificate)
134 mins (length)
09 January 2015 (released)
04 January 2015
For someone who doesn’t like sports Director Bennet Miller certainly excels at making films about them. Although, it’s never really about the sport is it? Money ball, the film he made with Brad Pitt is much more about innovation and overcoming adversity than just baseball. Foxcatcher, Bennett’s latest film, is much more than just about Olympic Wrestling. So much more. It is a dark story about the power of money, desire for approval, the attainment of glory and the slow descent into madness. The really scary part about this film, is it’s true.
Foxcatcher tells the story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers. When Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont (Steve Carell) to move on to the du Pont estate and help form a team to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics at his new state-of-the-art training facility, Schultz jumps at the opportunity, hoping to focus on his training and finally step out of the shadow of his revered brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo). Driven by hidden needs, du Pont sees backing Schultz's bid for Gold and the chance to "coach" a world-class wrestling team as an opportunity to gain the elusive respect of his peers and, more importantly, his disapproving mother (Vanessa Redgrave). Flattered by the attention and entranced by du Pont's majestic world, Mark comes to see his benefactor as a father figure and grows increasingly dependent on him for approval. Though initially supportive, du Pont's mercurial personality turns and he begins to lure Mark into an unhealthy lifestyle that threatens to undermine his training. Soon du Pont's erratic behaviour and cruel psychological game-play begin to erode the athlete's already shaky self-esteem. Meanwhile du Pont becomes fixated on Dave, who exudes the confidence both he and Mark lack, knowing that these are things even his money cannot buy. Fuelled by du Pont's increasing paranoia and alienation from the brothers, the trio is propelled towards a tragedy no one could have foreseen.
Foxcatcher is a great film and Bennet Miller is a brilliant director, the slow pace of this film draws you in without you realising it. By the end you feel like you are witnessing these events not just watching a film about them. What will also leave you open mouthed are the actors. This is Channing Tatum’s career best performance so far- without a doubt. He shows an ability to play very deep serious dramatic roles. However, jaw dropping of all, former American Office star Steve Carrel as Du Pont. Carell manages to make Du Pont seem both pathetic and darkly sinister all at the same time. The Oscar talk about him is well deserved and his performance is worth the admission price alone. The only downside to their excellence is that Mark Ruffalo is left overlooked, which is a shame because Ruffalo being outstanding in a movie is actually quite ordinary these days- because he is always outstanding. Vanessa Redgrave too is a little bit overlooked, she plays Du Ponts disapproving mother so well, and so gets under your skin it makes you feel uncomfortable, and exasperated and a little bit embarrassed to be such a failure at everything. And she’s not even talking to you- and she’s only in a handful of scenes.
This is not a film to be missed. Be foxy, and catch it in the cinemas as soon as you can.