Foxcatcher

The story of billionaire John Du Pont and the Olympic gold medal winning Schultz brothers is so unbelievable that it definitely feels like something out of Hollywood. But it isn't. This is a shocking and thrilling true story. After all, the most unbelievable stories often are the true ones.

Channing Tatum stars as Mark Schultz, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling. He is an eager to please, hard working loner. His older brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) is also a gold medalist, who seems to be the brains behind the brawn. When Mark is approached by eccentric millionaire/billionaire/wealthiest man in America John Du Pont (Steve Carell) to train on the grounds of his mansion (the titular Foxcatcher), Mark jumps at the chance. What follows is a tale of power struggles and jealousy and homoerotic father / son relationships. Through the lens of Bennett Miller's intimate documentary like camera, Foxcatcher becomes suspenseful and enticing, capped off by a trifecta of powerful and profound performances. 

Based on trailers, I honestly thought Carell was going to annoy me in this movie. I thought his performance was going to feel over the top, but I was wrong. He nails his portrayal of the mysterious man who collects hobbies the way his disapproving mother collects horses. His physical transformation is one thing, but he also expertly taps into the mind of a man who is forced to live vicariously through a group of young wrestlers. I've never thought of Tatum as the best actor, though he certainly isn't the worst either.  Here he is on a completely different level. It's his performance that I can't stop thinking about as the eager to please, desperate to be loved (takes one to know one) man.

If Carell is an enigmatic presence throughout the film, and Tatum is the intense, electric center, then Mark Ruffalo is the heart and soul of this movie. His family man coach is the only real likeable character in the movie and the success of the third act depends entirely on how much the audience cares about him. And we care about his sweet and loyal character a whole lot. And, of course, Bennett Miller directs the hell out of this movie. Though it is a tragic film, it is also a beautiful one, filmed with wide open spaces and overhead shots to contradict with the intimate wrestling shots.

There is only one thing, really, that keeps this from being an A movie for me. It just really drags sometimes. At moments, it was simultaneously interesting and boring. With a bit better editing to make it feel sleeker and more fast paced, this could have been an instant classic. Though flawed, Foxcatcher is still a truly great story of the rise and fall of two men, and a fascinating character study of the complicated relationships we form.

Grade: B+