Foxcatcher

Directed by Bennett Miller.

2014. Rated R, 134 minutes.

Cast:

Steve Carell

Channing Tatum

Mark Ruffalo

Vanessa Redgrave

Sienna Miller

Anthony Michael Hall

Guy Boyd

Brett Rice

Samara Lee

Jackson Frazer

Mark Schultz (Tatum) won a gold medal in wrestling at the 1984 Olympics. He is having trouble making ends meet, but still trains every day with his brother Dave (Ruffalo), also an Olympic gold medalist, for the '88 games. Out of nowhere, Mark gets a call from John du Pont (Carell), an extremely wealthy man who flies Mark out to the luxurious du Pont estate which includes an immaculate training facility. Mr. du Pont is more than just a wrestling aficianado. He wants to help the US team achieve as much success as possible. He offers Mark a job and residency on estate grounds, free of charge. The job is to train and train with other wrestlers hopeful of making the team at least until the Olympics roll around again in two years. Mark happily accepts. And off he goes on what turns out to be a rather bizarre journey. Based on a true story.

Like many other movies, the success of Foxcatcher hinges on its villain. It gives us an excellent one. John du Pont is a man who has come into his fortune by way of birth. Not surprisingly, we find out that even though he's a middle-aged man, he's still a spoiled brat. We recognize right away that he is used to getting his way simply because he has money. It seems he is fairly unfamiliar with the word 'no.' And he's still trying to impress his mother Jean (Redgrave). Also unsurprisingly, he has an out-of-control ego and desperately desires to be seen as a great man. To this end, he uses philanthropic means. an easy way to earn praise is by throwing money around. He does this with ease, earning kind words from people all over. He even funds his own documentary to show how wonderful a benefactor he is to the US wrestling team. While things like this are off-putting, it's something else that makes us really dislike him. He's a bully. As far as he's concerned, something going against his wishes for any reason is not an option. He's going to get his way come hell or high water. Fully inhabiting the role is Steve Carell. It's a turn reminiscent of Robin Williams in that Carell's a normally comedic actor finding his dramatic footing playing a deeply troubled and morose individual. Carell completely exits his comfort zone and gives himself over to the character. The result is a career-best performance.

Though set up as the good guy, Mark is not the hero of this affair. That would be his brother Dave, played excellently by Mark Ruffalo. He is a thoroughly good guy, a true family man, always looking out for his little brother. No matter the situation, he is more than willing to do the right thing, even if it means riding in to save the day. This leads us back to Mark and the role he fulfills. Thanks to a mid-movie falling out with du Pont, Mark becomes our damsel distress. He comes to hate his situation, yet cannot extricate himself from it. Early, Mark is shown as not very bright, or perceptive. As things go downhill, he becomes appropriately sullen and standoffish. It's a great turn by Tatum who has really stepped up his game over the last tow or three years.

The disposition of Tatum's character during the second half of the film gives us what feels like a missed opportunity, though. As the two men grow close during the early parts of Foxcatcher, their relationship has some serious homoerotic undertones. While watching things transpire, a sexual encounter of some sort is expected. At the very least, it seems that one, probably du Pont, would declare a physical attraction to the other. When the falling out happens between them, Mark's behavior can't help but be seen similar to that of scorned lover. It's obvious enough and plays out in a fairly public manner so I was shocked not one of the other characters speculated on the possibility of there being more to their relationship. Not having read anything about this story before sitting down to watch this movie, I have no idea if there was a romantic link between the two, or not. If there wasn't that's fine, but the way things unfold here, it's fair to say it's something people would be talking about. More than likely, it's a subject Dave would bring up with his brother when trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with him. If becomes a question I need answered whether it is in the affirmative or the negative. Even if the thought of Mark and du Pont being more than platonic friends subsides, it comes rushing back to mind when we reach our grand finale. We only get a couple of epitaphs and the credits roll. We even realize that it's an excellent movie filled with compelling characters that pull us into their world. However, it feels like we put together 499 pieces of a 500-piece puzzle. And the box is empty.