Foxcatcher Movie Review

When you see the names Channing Tatum and Steve Carell, it isn't wrong for you to expect a slapstick comedy. With Foxcatcher, however, you get the complete opposite. And that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Foxcatcher is the true story of Olympic gold medalists Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo) and their relationship with billionaire and DuPont chemical fortune heir John DuPont (played masterfully by Steve Carell) after they join Team Foxcatcher, a wrestling team funded and coached by DuPont. DuPont is an eccentric who, after taking up an interest in wrestling, contacted Mark to join the team. At the time, wrestlers (whether professionals or amateurs) made close to no money. DuPont brought many wrestlers on board and and paid them large amounts of money to train for participation in the Olympics and to promote Team Foxcatcher. The film shows DuPont's spiral into madness as it progresses which eventually leads to the unfortunate shooting of Dave Schultz. Foxcatcher brings the mostly ignored sport of wrestling onto the screen. While the film does start slowly, it quickly picks up and you'll find the time just speeding by. Carell is convincing and scary with his portrayal of DuPont. If the cover didn't show his name you probably wouldn't have even guessed it was him. Tatum is also great with his portrayal of Mark Schultz as is Ruffalo with his portrait of Mark's brother Dave. Bennett Miller, who previously directed Capote and Moneyball, is no stranger to dramatic portrayals of real-life events. He gives Foxcatcher a dark and grim tone as it should be. It isn't a movie for everyone. But it definitely deserves the praise that it received.