Carell and Tatum are Just Fantastic in FOXCATCHER

Rating: 8/10 (28 October 2015)

FOXCATCHER is one of those powerful character-driven dramas that I couldn't turn away from. Each of the three main cast membersSteve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffaloare at the top of their game. I have zero interest in the sport of wrestling and I would normally steer clear of a movie with a subject that bores me as much, but there was so much positive buzz circulating about it that I opted to give in and watch. I'm really happy I did because Tatum and Carell give mesmerizing performances. FOXCATCHER is based (loosely, as I have found) on the true story of Olympic gold medalist Mark Schultz (Tatum) and millionaire John de Pont (Carell). Schultz won the gold medal for wrestling in the 1984 Olympic games and, as the movie begins, he lives a quiet life training with his brother, fellow Olympic gold medalist Dave (Ruffalo), for the next competition. He receives a call from representatives of John du Pont requesting a visit and Schultz, with little else going on, obliges. Du Pont is a wealthy man and member of the famous family behind DuPont Chemicals, and he's interested in sponsoring and coaching Schultz in preparation for the world championships and, eventually, the 1988 Olympics. Schultz agrees to his offer and moves to the estate at Foxcatcher Farm where he trains with the old man. What starts as a well-oiled symbiotic relationship between two wrestling/USA enthusiasts turns sour when Du Pont insists Dave join them at Foxcatcher and the bond between Mark and Du Pont crumbles.
To call John du Pont an interesting man would not be doing it justice. At least in the film, he is a bizarre individual and Carell does it to perfection. Apparently, Carell spent hours studying video footage of the man and even the real Mark Schultz says his performance is almost indistinguishable from the real person. From the start, you can tell Du Pont is abnormal. Perhaps from his isolated, wealthy upbringing or perhaps from a lingering form of mental illness, Du Pont does not interact well with others. You can tell from his speech he views those in lower stations in life as below him. He's narcissistic. He views himself as a patriot, interested in building America's image on the international scale with his attempts at sponsoring an Olympian. But he shares one thing in common with Mark and that is a passion for wrestling. Shunned by his mother (Vanessa Redgrave) for his interested in a "low" sport, Du Pont strains for her approval. There's an incredibly awkward moment in the film where Du Pont is lingering around the gym while Dave Schultz is training the Olympic team when Mrs. Du Pont is wheeled in. In an effort to showboat, Du Pont takes center stage and insists on a coaching moment where he feebly shows off a few of the most basic moves. When Mrs. Du Pont loses interest and wheels out, Du Pont drops the act and everyone goes about their business. It makes you cringe at how embarrassing it is for the man and his team, who play along.
I'll try not to let my entire review focus on Carell/Du Pont but it's difficult because he's just such a bizarre character. He finds kinship with Mark and, for a while, both seem the better for it. Before moving to Foxcatcher, Mark lived a lonely existence in his barebones little apartment where he mulled away the hours between visits to the gym. The opportunity presented to him via Du Pont gives him a chance at getting back in the ring while also providing a warped sort of mentor. Tatum deserves as much credit as Carell because this is the best I've seen him. He's a load of fun in the Jump Street movies but this is probably my first time seeing him in a serious drama. Schultz doesn't do much in the way of dialogue but he's got an imposing physical presence. We're introduced to him in the beginning as he's speaking before a school class on his accomplishments and you can tell how out of place he feels. Muscle-bound, he walks with the gait of a large ape and his communication is generally limited to short sentences. This is a man who's focused his entire life on sculpting his body for one purpose. But Tatum injects a lot of character into what at first feels like a simple man. He seems to operate primarily on instinct and the most important part of his life is his brother Dave. He takes a shine to Du Pont early on but eventually sees through the man, altering their relationship in a way that eventually leads to tragedy.
I won't go into detail about the ending here but those who know the story from the news know where it leads. I, for one, knew nothing of it. If there is one major flaw with FOXCATCHER, it's that the finale doesn't have much of a lead in. I had to do additional research on the side to get motivation for the act because the film left me with no clue. It seemed sudden and unmotivated, almost tagged on at the end because the movie was expected to close with it. Still, FOXCATCHER is an intriguing movie and I'm willing to accept its issues. Carell and Tatum are enough of a reason for those who are curious to find time for FOXCATCHER and I think they'll enjoy it.