FOXCATCHER
****
Director: Bennett Miller
Screenwriters: E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
Principal cast:
Steve Carell
Channing Tatum
Mark Ruffalo
Vanessa Redgrave
Sienna Miller
Anthony Michael Hall
Country: USA
Classification: M
Runtime: 134 mins.
Australian release date: 29 January 2015
Dorothy Parker has been quoted as saying, “If you want to know what God thinks about money, just look at the people he gave it to.” A perfect example of this dictum is borne out in Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher, which is based on the rise and spectacular fall of one of America’s richest men, John E. (Eleuthère) du Pont, whose family initially made their fortune during the Civil War from the manufacturing and sale of gunpowder and ammunition. He was a philanthropist who was interested in ornithology, conchology and philately but who, above all, yearned to be a wrestling coach to satisfy his excessive compulsive enthusiasm for the sport.
In the ‘80s, Du Pont (Steve Carell) set up a wrestling facility at his Foxcatcher Farm on the family’s estate in Delaware and became the sponsor of the USA wrestling team training for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His particular protégé was Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), who had previously been ably coached by his brother and fellow champion wrestler Dave (Mark Ruffalo). Du Pont, one of the creepiest characters you’ll ever see on the big screen, encouraged Mark to break with his brother, telling him it was time he stepped out from Dave’s shadow. Taking up residence at the farm, Mark performed well initially but, as he fell further under Du Pont’s toxic spell, his career became compromised by the use of alcohol and cocaine. The end result was, not unexpectedly, a mess, as the brothers’ lives were torn apart by the mental and physical changes that were demanded of them by du Pont. But it was du Pont himself who was to undergo the most extreme changes, leading to tragedy and scandal.
Steve Carell’s portrayal of this insidious character is compelling. He was in make-up for a number of hours before the shoot each day. He then spent more time having it taken off, long after the other actors had left the shoot, all of which added to his sense of aloofness and isolation and intensified the level of unease on set as he was distant from his fellow actors the whole time. It was the perfect atmosphere for playing this complex, twisted character who was always looking to please his mother, Jean (Vanessa Redgrave), despite the fact that she didn’t approve of his passion for wrestling. She viewed it as a “low sport” and declared she did not like seeing him being “low.”
The performances in this film are all stunning. Tatum and Ruffalo are both utterly convincing as wrestlers. The Oscar nominations for both Carrel and Ruffalo are well-deserved and it will be interesting to see if they win (frankly, Tatum deserved a nomination too). This is a highly competitive year and even though Foxcatcher has lost out on a Best Picture nomination, there is hope that Miller, who brought us the magnificent Capote, will break through the ranks and take home a gong for Best Director, or the writers for Best Original Screenplay. Go see this film, you won’t be disappointed and it may make you question where you were when this all happened. It’s an explosive story that seems to have been forgotten until now.
Screenwriters: E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
Principal cast:
Steve Carell
Channing Tatum
Mark Ruffalo
Vanessa Redgrave
Sienna Miller
Anthony Michael Hall
Country: USA
Classification: M
Runtime: 134 mins.
Australian release date: 29 January 2015
Dorothy Parker has been quoted as saying, “If you want to know what God thinks about money, just look at the people he gave it to.” A perfect example of this dictum is borne out in Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher, which is based on the rise and spectacular fall of one of America’s richest men, John E. (Eleuthère) du Pont, whose family initially made their fortune during the Civil War from the manufacturing and sale of gunpowder and ammunition. He was a philanthropist who was interested in ornithology, conchology and philately but who, above all, yearned to be a wrestling coach to satisfy his excessive compulsive enthusiasm for the sport.
In the ‘80s, Du Pont (Steve Carell) set up a wrestling facility at his Foxcatcher Farm on the family’s estate in Delaware and became the sponsor of the USA wrestling team training for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His particular protégé was Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), who had previously been ably coached by his brother and fellow champion wrestler Dave (Mark Ruffalo). Du Pont, one of the creepiest characters you’ll ever see on the big screen, encouraged Mark to break with his brother, telling him it was time he stepped out from Dave’s shadow. Taking up residence at the farm, Mark performed well initially but, as he fell further under Du Pont’s toxic spell, his career became compromised by the use of alcohol and cocaine. The end result was, not unexpectedly, a mess, as the brothers’ lives were torn apart by the mental and physical changes that were demanded of them by du Pont. But it was du Pont himself who was to undergo the most extreme changes, leading to tragedy and scandal.
Steve Carell’s portrayal of this insidious character is compelling. He was in make-up for a number of hours before the shoot each day. He then spent more time having it taken off, long after the other actors had left the shoot, all of which added to his sense of aloofness and isolation and intensified the level of unease on set as he was distant from his fellow actors the whole time. It was the perfect atmosphere for playing this complex, twisted character who was always looking to please his mother, Jean (Vanessa Redgrave), despite the fact that she didn’t approve of his passion for wrestling. She viewed it as a “low sport” and declared she did not like seeing him being “low.”
The performances in this film are all stunning. Tatum and Ruffalo are both utterly convincing as wrestlers. The Oscar nominations for both Carrel and Ruffalo are well-deserved and it will be interesting to see if they win (frankly, Tatum deserved a nomination too). This is a highly competitive year and even though Foxcatcher has lost out on a Best Picture nomination, there is hope that Miller, who brought us the magnificent Capote, will break through the ranks and take home a gong for Best Director, or the writers for Best Original Screenplay. Go see this film, you won’t be disappointed and it may make you question where you were when this all happened. It’s an explosive story that seems to have been forgotten until now.