Foxcatcher (12A.)
Directed by Bennett Miller.
Starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller and Vanessa Redgrave. 134 mins
Foxcatcher is primarily about a nose; the prosthetic nose planted in the middle of Steve Carell's face as he plays John Du Pont, an eccentric billionaire who took a creepily overenthusiastic, and ultimately destructive, interest in the American Olympic wrestling team in the late 80s. The nose resembles the one the retired, bloated Jake La Motta had in Raging Bull and it performs a wonderful task – it drains almost all the Steve Carell out of Steve Carell. What it leaves behind is a rather fine sketch of a man with little real sense of himself. His Du Pont is a void born into money and power, but without any personalty to back it up. It's chilling yet humorous: he tries to deliver motivation speeches in his dull and nasal voice.
Into his realm come the Schultz brothers, two Olympic gold medal winning wrestlers. While the elder Dave (Ruffalo) is successful and admired, Mark (Tatum) is still struggling along in his shadow. When Du Pont offers to put them up on his Foxcatcher estate and fund their training Mark jumps at the offer while Dave chooses not to uproot his family. We know that this arrangement will end badly but it isn't obvious how and the film is in no hurry to tell us.
Bennett (Capote, Moneyball) Miller's film is long, slow and very quiet with very little music to disturb its chilly brooding atmosphere. Considering its length and unhurried pace the film seems curiously vague and non-committal about events. Hints are dropped but never followed up on. Which is frustrating but by the end you see that this was the best way to handle it.
Directed by Bennett Miller.
Starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller and Vanessa Redgrave. 134 mins
Foxcatcher is primarily about a nose; the prosthetic nose planted in the middle of Steve Carell's face as he plays John Du Pont, an eccentric billionaire who took a creepily overenthusiastic, and ultimately destructive, interest in the American Olympic wrestling team in the late 80s. The nose resembles the one the retired, bloated Jake La Motta had in Raging Bull and it performs a wonderful task – it drains almost all the Steve Carell out of Steve Carell. What it leaves behind is a rather fine sketch of a man with little real sense of himself. His Du Pont is a void born into money and power, but without any personalty to back it up. It's chilling yet humorous: he tries to deliver motivation speeches in his dull and nasal voice.
Into his realm come the Schultz brothers, two Olympic gold medal winning wrestlers. While the elder Dave (Ruffalo) is successful and admired, Mark (Tatum) is still struggling along in his shadow. When Du Pont offers to put them up on his Foxcatcher estate and fund their training Mark jumps at the offer while Dave chooses not to uproot his family. We know that this arrangement will end badly but it isn't obvious how and the film is in no hurry to tell us.
Bennett (Capote, Moneyball) Miller's film is long, slow and very quiet with very little music to disturb its chilly brooding atmosphere. Considering its length and unhurried pace the film seems curiously vague and non-committal about events. Hints are dropped but never followed up on. Which is frustrating but by the end you see that this was the best way to handle it.
