Catching Foxes.

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2015)

Foxcatcher (2014): Dir: Bennett Miller / Cast: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller: Compelling and tense true story drama about reputation, fame, goals, and ultimately, sanity. Channing Tatum plays Olympic wrestling champion Mark Schultz who feels overshadowed by the broader achievements of his older brother David, played by Mark Ruffalo. Set in the late 1980's, story centres around Mark being summoned to the wealthy estate of wrestling enthusiast John E. du Pont. Steve Carell takes an impressive facial transformation as du Pont who suffers social alienation from his stern mother who views wrestling as a "low sport." He attempts to connect with Mark in order to form a wrestling team for the Olympics but convincing David to uproot his family to train there provides a challenge that further isolates him. This traces back to a childhood of never maintaining or finding the ability to mirror the du Pont legacy for success. Tatum beefs up as Mark, who accepts du Pont's cocaine offer but becomes distant and withdrawn when David arrives. Ruffalo as the skilled David is dedicated but also to his two children and wife. Vanessa Redgrave is seen briefly as the icy du Pont mother who owns several horses for sport. The film's one weakness is the lack of detail to other wrestlers at the estate or even Sienna Miller who seems wasted as David's wife who witnesses the concluding tragedy. After directing Capote and Moneyball Bennett Miller delivers the trauma of emotional isolation that eventually catches up to the fox in question. Score: 9 ½ / 10