Foxcatcher
Director: Bennett Miller
Year: 2014
Foxcatcher is a cold, class-warfare based mystery. To add
gravitas, we are told in the opening that this film is based on a true story.
It opens with stock footage that presents the wealth, animals and pomp and
circumstance of a traditional, historical British fox hunt. Dignitaries ride
horses. Dogs bark, jump and spin wildly, ready for the hunt. The fox just runs
for its life.
The fox is Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum). He is a gold medal
winning Olympic wrestler, two years removed from glory in the 1984 games. After
displaying some legitimate skill by wrestling a stuffed dummy, he speaks to an
auditorium filled with bored elementary students about what it means to be a champion.
Not only is his fee a mere twenty dollars, but he was the second Schultz in
line for the gig, with his older brother and fellow gold medalist, Dave (Mark Ruffalo), having
passed it down to him.
Where there is vulnerability, there is opportunity.
Jon DuPont, eccentric heir to the DuPont fortune, makes Mark
an offer to visit. Without any practical knowledge beyond that, Mark goes. It’s
a credit to Tatum and the sad, desperate need for affection he displays alongside
his physical prowess and wrestling acumen, that this large leap of reason
doesn’t present itself as a speed bump in the narrative. Director Bennett
Miller (Moneyball, Capote) is in full control of the material, bringing his
signature slow, methodical, open-frame style that invites the audience to
search, just as it seems he is searching for reason.
While some critics have criticized the film for not delving
deeper into DuPont’s psyche and overt quirkiness, I think one of the strengths
of the film lies in how simply and unquestioningly this man with tremendous
means operates. He is the type who genuinely, in a childlike manner, doesn’t
understand the word “no”.
One of the keys to the film's architecture is Ruffalo's steadying performance as Dave Schultz. He literally serves as the middle ground between Mark and John, two very damaged individuals at opposite ends of the class spectrum but who still find a way to serve each other in deep and meaningful ways. As this relationship frays, Dave is called in to steady the ship. When Dave lays a meaty arm on his brother and whispers in his ear, it is like akin to an animal trainer with a wild beast, gently coaxing him back to his safe place. In open space, Dave is extremely lost and quickly becomes his own worst enemy. Under his older brother's tutelage, he thrives, even if he wishes he could handle his freedom.
Having seen three worthy films over the past few days in this, Whiplash and Nightcrawler, I predict Foxcatcher will be among the ten selected for Best Picture. While worthy of this distinction, I strongly doubt it will win the grand prize because it is far more solid than spectacular.
Resonance Rating: 4 out of 5
One of the keys to the film's architecture is Ruffalo's steadying performance as Dave Schultz. He literally serves as the middle ground between Mark and John, two very damaged individuals at opposite ends of the class spectrum but who still find a way to serve each other in deep and meaningful ways. As this relationship frays, Dave is called in to steady the ship. When Dave lays a meaty arm on his brother and whispers in his ear, it is like akin to an animal trainer with a wild beast, gently coaxing him back to his safe place. In open space, Dave is extremely lost and quickly becomes his own worst enemy. Under his older brother's tutelage, he thrives, even if he wishes he could handle his freedom.
Having seen three worthy films over the past few days in this, Whiplash and Nightcrawler, I predict Foxcatcher will be among the ten selected for Best Picture. While worthy of this distinction, I strongly doubt it will win the grand prize because it is far more solid than spectacular.
Resonance Rating: 4 out of 5
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