As they say, sometimes real life can be stranger than fiction ... and Foxcatcher proves it is absolutely true.

Rating: 7/10 (6 January 2015)

I walked into the theatre only knowing a few things -- Channing Tatum, Steve Carrell, wrestling and Oscar-contender. If that's all you know as well ... stop reading ... go to the movies and watch it ... then come back to us and tell us what you think! Going in cold did make the 134 minutes bearable. A little too long, of course! We all know my disdain for movies longer than 120 minutes and constant cry to Hollywood "Edit! Edit! Edit!"
But I digress ... this is an amazing story put on screen in a manner that is worthy of the Oscar-talk.
Steve Carrell did a wonderful job as John Du Ponte. And the make-up folks did a wonderful job letting him play this role without us thinking Michael Scott was on the screen. I can only imagine how difficult it is for actors such as Carrell to move beyond such a lovable character -- one that often defines our workspace and conversations. It's hard to be mad at Michael Scott / Steve Carrell therefore without incredible acting and make-up the Foxcatcher story could have been lost when they selected Carrell for the lead role. But it wasn't. If Oscar equals world-class, this team is worthy of the honor.
(I will admit, though, that I think Carrell borrowed some characteristics from Gru in Despicable Me ... just a bit.)
I loved Channing Tatum in this movie. I don't think it's because I'm a woman who loves Channing Tatum -- he earned a lot of street cred playing Mark Schultz. Yes, he is playing a guy that works out a lot. But Mark's character was complex while quiet -- which is very difficult to get across on screen. It's clear Tatum took this role very seriously and stepped up to the challenge.
Mark Ruffalo was outstanding. I don't know if he'll ever get recognized with an award, but I believe he is the premier supporting actor who really pulls out the best acting in the folks that share a screen with him. While Tatum seemed like a natural fit in his role, I was shocked to see Mark Ruffalo on screen as an Olympic wrestler. He was awesome. He was believable. If I were casting a movie, I'd want a role for Ruffalo and Edward Norton. In my humble opinion, these two actors are true chameleons. Except maybe as Hulks (interesting that they both have done those roles ... hmmmm ...)
Reading about the true story and behind the scenes is quite intriguing. In a recent interview, Carrell admits that the actors didn't interact much on set. "It wasn't anything planned, we just naturally didn't interact, aside from the scenes we were doing. We didn't hang out, or bond," he said. Reading other articles it's clear this wasn't a fun set to be on. Many of the real-life characters, including David Shultz's wife Nancy, were on set to bring reality to the movie. It's a very serious movie ... with a very serious message.
And to add to the real-life drama, Mark Shultz is not happy about how his life story ended up on the screen. He lashed out at Director Bennett Miller over the last few weeks regarding a specific scene in the movie ... and the true life saga from Foxcatcher continues.
I believe you will enjoy this movie on-screen and researching the story after wards off- screen. Definitely put it on your list if it is Your Turn To Pick!