“Foxcatcher” captures this, yet goes beyond to tell the story of lost souls, deceptive mentors and ultimate violence. This is, after all, a true story.
It would be easy to see this film and point out its allegorical references to homosexuality. While this is apparent, it is too simple. Rather, the film focuses on a different storyline. Its initial scene, one that shows Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) practicing with his brother, Dave Schultz (a nearly unrecognizable Mark Ruffalo), sets the tone for the entire movie. Stretching leads to slapping, which leads to hitting, which leads to pure and ferocious violence. Explosive, animalistic and savage. This scene mutates and cleverly repeats itself throughout the movie again and again.
Much of the hype has been about Steve Carrell’s performance as Mark du Pont. It is subdued, cold, calculating - a Carrell performance we are not accustomed to. However. the real stars of the film is E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman’s screenplay and Bennett Miller’s direction. Both are among the best work in film in 2014.
Halfway through the movie, Schultz introduces du Pont to a group in Washington by calling du Pont the father he never had. Schultz steps off the stage and into a hallway. In the background, slightly faded, are a line of waiters and waitresses - Schultz has joined the help.
A bigger game is above, each of us a pawn. Sadly, sometimes that game ends tragically.
