MOVIE REVIEW - Foxcatcher

They make movies for all kinds of reasons. Many contemporary movies are flavor-of-the-month, and many are there to give the "movie going public" what they want.  All that is fine, but sometimes a movie is made because is should be. That is Foxcatcher.

This is a true story from the 1980's and 90's.  This movie has so much going against it when you try to explain it to someone that virtually no one would find it interesting upon introduction.  But this is good...way good.  The backdrop would seem boring, the premise would seem lame, and there would be limited appeal and interest from most.  This will not be a mega hit. But it should find an audience.

This is the story of the Schultz brothers (Mark and Dave) played by Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo. They are each gold medalists in Olympic wresting from the 1984 Olympics.  They are now training for the 1988 Olympiad when they strike up a very strange business and sporting relationship with John E. du Pont (Steve Carrell) in 1987.  Yes, the du Pont Chemical Company. At the time, he was the richest man in the United States.

du Pont is a avid wrestling fan, and offers the boys and others a free ride on his estate in training for the Olympics.  They go to live with him and his sprawling Pennsylvania Estate that is complete with state of the art training facilities, which for Olympic athletes was a rarity at the time. But why is du Pont doing all of this really?  What is his motivation? And who is he really?  He is certainly a strange and unpredictable man, but is he dangerous?  Or is he insane or something worse? That is Foxcatcher.

See? The back drop of Olympic wrestling, a story you have never heard of, and a movie that seems dwarfed by other Christmas blockbusters. But the written story and virtually everything about this is great.   The script it so authentic, as it introduces us to the sport of wrestling and makes it interesting.  They develop great characters and our three main stars are terrific.  The physical transformation for all of our majors is amazing, especially in Carrell's case. You will not recognize him at all. And this is as good as he can be.  His performance here is simply brilliant.  He should be in he Oscar discussion.  They all look like the real people - it's simply astounding.

Foxcatcher is a slow burn movie. It takes its time telling is compelling story without brash fanfare, or bells and whistles.  There is barely a musical soundtrack, and that makes you feel like you are really in the room with these guys in every single scene.  You really do feel like you are part of the history of this story, and are watching it play out as it unfolds. This is wonderfully written, skillfully filmed and edited, professionally directed, makeup and costuming are award worthy, and this is brilliantly acted all the way around.  Plus, this movie leaves you wondering in every scene, what will happen next, and why is all of this unfolding?

Foxcatcher.  I don't know or care about one thing about Olympic wrestling, but this is really great.  One of the years best movies.