Foxcatcher

A film that takes its time presenting its case, Bennett Miller's wickedly brutal "Foxcatcher" entices audiences to learn more about the questions around us, and where they could lead. Seated firmly in the center are a trio of dazzling performances from Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, and Mark Ruffalo, all of which make a compelling case for their career best works. Written by Oscar-nominee Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye, "Foxcatcher" tells the story of Mark Schultz (Tatum), an Olympic wrestler who befriends billionaire John Du Pont (Carell) in the mid-1980's. Along with his brother Dave (Ruffalo) and his wife Nancy (Sienna Miller), that new relationship leads to unforeseen consequences. At the core of this morality tale is Bennett Miller, the Oscar- nominated director of "Capote" and "Moneyball." He allows"Foxcatcher" to study its subjects, and give the audience an in-depth understanding of all the motives involved. With the help of Cinematographer Greig Fraser, and composer Rob Simonsen, the movie's melancholy atmosphere is truly compelling. Miller's brilliance isn't in things he chooses to show, but in the things he chooses not to. He draws out scenes that offer so much to the narrative. There's still so much left on the table that we do not know, which in itself, is perfectly acceptable. Life never gives us all the answers we seek. Miller, Futterman, and Frye understand this. Material like this calls to be made into a film. I'm so glad that these three answered the call. What Steve Carell achieves as John DuPont is not just a performance by a full embodiment. With strength and precision, he understands DuPont, a man with an extreme outlook on reality. Carell doesn't just ask us to sympathize with John, between his awkward behavior and his constant yearning to impress his family's legacy, he demands our understanding. If I didn't already know about the film for the past two years, I wouldn't have recognized him. His performance is completely focused and profound. Looking at the way he carries himself through the film, you are witnessing one of the purest creations of a character this year. When he's not on-screen, you're secretly wishing he was. When it comes to Channing Tatum, I have to admit that I never FULLY understood the appeal. Discovered the young ferocious actor in Dito Montiel's "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" nearly a decade ago, and afterwards was only mildly entertained by his presence in films like "21 Jump Street" and "Side Effects." What he does in Miller's film is something beyond anything I could have ever thought he could do. Tatum doesn't just do an imitation, he channels the inner workings of a man desperate for more. His peculiarities are richly on display as he yearns for a father figure outside of the shadow of his more successful brother. He embraces the odd DuPont, against all logical instincts, but you can see exactly why he would feel so compelled to do so. Mark Ruffalo gives Dave the ticks and beats of an original creation. Picking at his beard (something I know all too well), constantly engaging in team leadership, and hugging his younger brother whose more of a son than anything. Ruffalo mounts himself on the perch of a loving brother just trying to create success for himself and his family. This is another solid outing for him. Co-star Vanessa Redgrave, as John's fragile mother, is marvelous in her short scenes while Sienna Miller adds a needed dynamic to understanding both Mark and Dave. The two women both offer compassion and balance. "Foxcatcher" is terrifying, disturbing, and utterly engaging. A slowly unraveled piece that is risky but pays off immensely. It's cautious yet strictly well-defined as a character study. Like all great films with great performances, its element of truth is plainly apparent. On the gray-skied farm, we will get to know three interesting men, some of which, we'll never truly understand.

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There are many slow-moving movies that are full of meaning and depth. This is not one of them. It drags on and on and on and on and provides not a shred of moral decisiveness or character development. If the character portrayed by Channing Tatum is supposed to be "slow" and/or autistic, then he did a great job, but I can't find where his character was meant to be so afflicted. You didn't see a single thought flash across his face the entire film. Steve Carell did a fine job of acting, but his character, too, showed no depth nor development. Mark Ruffalo provided a fairly solid performance and somehow overcame the dismal script that plagued this movie. No one else succeeded in that regard. I wouldn't watch this movie again if you paid me half a million dollars. A million, maybe.

This movie is extremely unnerving from beginning to end, and having knowledge of how the story ends only makes it more unnerving. This is a slow movie. Like, a very slow movie. But thanks to the fantastic performamces from Channing Tatum, Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo, the pace never becomes an issue. While I don't think this is a movie I would want to rewatch, it is one that must be seen. It's really damn good.

The absolute epitome of "show don't tell." This film builds its tension and develops its characters with actions...not words. Plus, the performances - from Carrell to Ruffalo - are fantastic. Granted the plot is uneven and slow, but the overall effect is chilling nonetheless.

Based loosely on the story of multimillionaire heir John Eleuthère du Pont (Carell) financing 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Mark Schultz (Tatum) for participation in wrestling competitions. Excellent performances all around—Carell definitely transforms, while Ruffalo is also memorable for the very charismatic Dave Schultz (Mark's older brother). The plot slowly heats up to a boiling ending, with its characters spiraling downhill—more of a quiet and intense film of crime and tragedy rather than wrestling. Not fully accurate, but Miller certainly tries to build multiple layers in order to compensate for cut corners. The script took several years to get off the ground, and the film spent almost an entire year in post production… the effort shows. ***½ (out of four)

While this is a good film with strong performances, it could have been a masterpiece had the director been a little more bold with the material. The real-life stand-off with the police and liberties with the time lines affected the flow of the narrative. It is also a shame that the mother figure was glossed over. Vanessa Redgrave is too great an actress to keep on the fringes of a film. The real matriarch was as evil as they come. It is clear that this family has something wrong with them at the genetic level as the evil continues

This is about Dave and Mark Shutlz who are wrestlers. Mark just won the olympic gold medal in 1984. He now wants to be coached by Jon De Pont played chillingly by Steve Carrell. This is a great film about what it takes to be a champion in the sports arena. It is quite a quiet film in the sense there is not much dialogue. But there things going on beneath the surface that are sinister. Steve Carrell as the coach i have never seen him do such an interesting and chilling performance. They way he delivers dialogue and carries himself in this film is scary. Channing Tatum is also effective as his protégé. Also Mark Ruffalo as Tatum's older brother is great as well. This film has dark moments and some great moments. There are chilling and scary moments as well. This is very well directed by Bennet Miller who did Capote and Moneyball. I highly recommend this film for film buffs who want to see something a little different. 5 stars

This movie is a complete disappointment. I was so excited to see it after watching the trailers and knowing that Steve Carell was in it, I think he has great potential as a dramatic actor. The movie has a lot of awkward scenes and doesn't give you any back story into the characters. There's a lot of things that don't make sense and that are never explained. At the end of the movie they don't even tell you what Mark's reaction to his brother's death was or the sentence that du Pont got. I didn't even think the acting was that spectacular. Channing Tatum literally acts like an ape and Steve Carell is just creepy and uncomfortable. One of the worst movies I've seen.