{jatabs type="content" position="top" height="auto" skipAnim="true" mouseType="click" animType="animFade"}
[tab title="Movie Review"]
{googleAds}
I must say, director Bennett Miller, for the few films he has directed (three feature length, one short, one documentary), is on a quite a roll, considering that his other two full length films, (Capote and Moneyball) have received Oscar nods. Such is the same with his newest endeavor Foxcatcher.
Miller’s screen adaptation of the true life story between the interactions of John Du Pont, and brothers Mark and David Schultz, and the murder of the latter by Du Pont, brings storytelling to a whole new level.
As former Olympic Gold Medal winner, Mark Schultz, Channing Tatum, delivers his best performance to date, (which unfortunately was snubbed by the Golden Globes, and did not receive a nomination). Bar none. Schultz, after winning the medal at the 1984 games, is at the peak of his game, and only looks to get better. With partnership and training from his older brother David (Mark Ruffalo), Schultz looks to maintain his position on that peak.
Concerned with the state that the American society is currently in, millionaire mogul, and child of the Du Pont chemical corporation, John Du Pont (Steve Carell), is ready to win gold at the next Olympic Games, and restore the storybook character admiration to those involved, and his muse; Mark Schultz. After receiving a call from the man himself, Mark, with the reluctance of his brother, journey’s to Du Pont’s home in hopes to continue his championship caliber performance, as well as deliver himself on a pedestal as a true American hero, Schultz and Du Pont, work in tandem as coach and competitor to dominate the world of competitive wrestling.
However, not is all as it seems at Foxcatcher Farms. As the façade of the overly-generous millionaire starts to fade, the audience is taken through the mechanics of the decimation of a finely tuned machine. As the psychological abuse begins to take its toll on the competitor, the metaphorical gloves are about to come off.
Apart from Tatum, Ruffalo, and Carell, arguably gives each’s best performance to date. Ruffalo’s portrayal of the late David Schultz, is an incredibly difficult task to uphold, considering his only reference material would be that of perhaps some archival footage, but word of mouth from family and friends. However, Carell’s performance, is unmatched. His portrayal and embodiment of the more recently deceased Du Pont, is meticulous, is beautiful, and most of all, is mesmerizing. As Du Pont, Carell, for a solely comedic actor to date, an incredibly gripping, dramatic embodiment of a true patriot.
With help from the brilliant performances, the incredibly gripping context material itself, and incredibly eerie, theme provoking presence of that of composition of Rob Simonsen (500 Days of Summer), Miller is able to deliver an incredibly, transfixing story, and get the performances of a lifetime out of his actors, Carell, as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote).
Foxcatcher invokes a plethora of themes, from the examination of the psychological toll of competition on athletes, the relationship between coach and competitor, and the violent results of fixation on a subject.
A must-see film.
[/tab]
[tab title="Film Details"]
MPAA Rating: R for some drug use and a scene of violence
Runtime: 134 mins
Director: Bennett Miller
Writer: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
Cast: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo
Genre: Biography | Sport
Tagline: Based on the shocking true story
Memorable Movie Quote: "Coach is the father. Coach is a mentor. Coach has great power on athlete's life."
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Official Site: https://www.facebook.com/FoxcatcherMovie
Release Date: November 14, 2014
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: No details available.
Synopsis: Based on the true story of Mark Schultz, an Olympic wrestler whose relationship with sponsor John du Pont and brother Dave Schultz would lead to unlikely circumstances.
[/tab]
[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]
No details available.
[/tab]
[tab title="Trailer"]
[/tab]
{/jatabs}
