'Foxcatcher' A Review

Foxcatcher is a drama based on the true story of Olympic gold medalist brothers Mark & David Shultz and their relationship with wealthy wrestling patron John du Pont. In the wake of their Olympic the more charismatic and engaging David(Mark Ruffalo) has secured himself a university coaching position and is raising a family. The more reserved Mark(Channing Tatum) exists in his brothers shadow but yearns for a way to separate himself and get some recognition apart from is revered brother. Enter John du Pont(Steve Carrell) eccentric infantile heir to the du Pont fortune who hires Mark to run his wrestling training facility: Team Foxcatcher. After some time du Pont also brings on David.

The mood of the film is somber, its color muted. the score almost non-existent. Compromised mostly of long takes and wide shots there is a palpable sense of naturalism and impending doom. The texture and tone of the film make certain promises- sincerity, depth, tragedy, catharsis- but the script and the performances don't fully follow through on that commitment. Some of the motivations are elusive to a point of disconnection.

Carrell and Tatum shoulder most of the burden, and subsequent blame, of Foxcatcher. Both provide phenomenal efforts but their characters are too far outside their current ability. Carrell is handicapped by his prosthetic nose and overzealous age make up. His nasal voice, entitled petulance, and odd cadence are a beginning to du Pont but he doesn't go much further. We never glimpse who this person is or why they are acting the way they are. He is so mysterious he is almost completely unknown which is unsatisfying. Tatum similarly doesn't give us enough depth. He finds moments of complicated, aggressively restrained emotion, but only moments. His default is a flat-lined oafish jealousy with occasional sparks of complexity. These deficiencies could also be attributed to a script that's ambition exceeded its substance. Carrell and Tatum put in valiant efforts and each finds a couple moments of inspiration but the parts do not make a whole.

The exception in the film is Mark Ruffalo. He plays David with a casual authenticity, a cool brilliance, a lived-in complexity, he's the only character in the film that has real dimension. Any time he is on screen the vitality is increased. When he wrestles there is an assured validity in the way he moves. Similar to Christian Bale's performance in The Fighter watching Ruffalo you wish the supporting actor was the lead.

Vague and lacking depth despite some inspired casting.

Rent It.