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Film, TV and Streaming

Review: Foxcatcher

Not since David Fincher’s “Zodiac” (2007) has a period piece based on a true story brought a shiver down the spine like Bennett Miller’s now Oscar-nominated drama “Foxcatcher.” When it was announced last year that Steve Carell would be acting alongside Channing Tatum in a biopic by an award winning filmmaker, people were bewildered. Could this be Tatum’s and Carell’s Jim Carrey or Ben Stiller transformation to indie dramas? Maybe. But one thing is certain, their latest efforts have not gone wasted.

In 1987, Mark Schultz (Tatum) is a gold-medal winning Olympic wrestler who is overshadowed by his older brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo). While Dave is a family man and successful wrestling coach, Mark is alone and numb to the rest of the world.

His whole life is set up for change when a very wealthy, reclusive man named John du Pont (Carell), who has no past affiliation with wrestling, calls Mark and offers him the chance to be the lead wrestler on his own team called “Foxcatcher.” Although a strange pairing, Mark and John hit it off and are set to win gold in the 1988 Olympics. But when John asks Mark to recruit Dave for the team as well, things become tense.

Vanessa Redgrave co-stars as du Pont’s mother, and Sienna Miller and Anthony Michael Hall appear as Dave’s wife and du Pont’s assistant. Though the end results of du Pont’s time with the Schultz brothers was big news around Pennsylvania in 1996, some might be new to the story.

Miller’s direction, which recently earned him a Best Director nomination at the Academy Awards, makes use of the cold, gray climate of Pennsylvania and effectively uses little music to fit the eerie, haunting tone of the tale.

Carell, recognized for his comedy-based films and roles, grays his hair and applies a prosthetic nose to appear like the real du Pont, and replicates du Pont’s soft, unnerving voice and glare. While audiences are used to laughing with Carell, now they’ll feel uncomfortable with someone detached and determined to win.

Ruffalo delivers another great performance, but it’s Tatum who is really the standout actor in “Foxcatcher” In an introverted, yet effective, turn as a frustrated and depressed young man with too much trust in his new sponsor. Having the most screen time, as well as not a ton of dialogue, Tatum surprisingly hits all the right notes. He has already proved his star quality with his comedic timing in “21 Jump Street” (2012) and dance skills from his “Step Up” (2006) days, but now he shows he can carry his career in all sorts of genres. While it’s not a surprise the Academy chose Carell over Tatum for Best Actor, it’s unfortunate the latter’s efforts have been mostly overlooked.

“Foxcatcher” might not have been one of the feel-good films of last holiday season, but it certainly is one of the most memorable, and now, deservingly, one of the big contenders for the Oscars next month. Rated R.



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