"Foxcatcher" Earns Praise from RogerEbert.com Writers

Bennett Miller's triumphant third directorial effort, "Foxcatcher," contains one of the best acting ensembles I've seen all year. Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo are perfectly cast in this fact-based drama about the chilling relationship between two Olympic wrestlers, brothers Mark and Dave Schultz, and their new sponsor, millionaire John du Pont. Even the smaller supporting roles portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller and Lee Perkins add to the psychology of this drama. I think this is one of the best movies of the year. Matt Zoller Seitz has reviewed the film on our site and I thought I'd provide you with an overview of the coverage the film has received at RogerEbert.com since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Director prize for Miller. It also just picked up the Best Acting Ensemble at the Hollywood Film Awards. Click on each of authors and you will be directed to the full article...

BARBARA SCHARRES AT CANNES

“There are many instances in which du Pont’s manic need to be idolized and obeyed has clear homoerotic implications, but I like that Miller holds back from pursuing this thread in any obvious way. When the millionaire, who fancies himself both a champion wrestler and inspirational coach, stages an evening of celebration with his team, there is a moment when he exuberantly tackles two of the men and rolls them to the floor. The wrestling moves are standard, the situation not unusual in the daily course of their interaction, and yet the vague feeling is created that something in the room has crossed a line.”

“There’s a deep, remarkably consistent undercurrent of sadness that courses through ‘Foxcatcher.’ Even when John, Mark and Dave find success, it’s often tinged with something dark under the surface. John’s mother doesn’t approve of the lowly sport of wrestling. Mark isn’t emotionally stable like his brother. And all the medals and wrestling match wins in the world aren’t going to fix the problems at the core of these two men. And so ‘Foxcatcher’ becomes a story about the futility of diversion. You can’t be a gold medal winner forever. You can’t win every match. You can’t buy everything you want in life, and the things and people you do buy won’t fix the fact that mommy had to pay someone to be your friend in childhood. ‘Foxcatcher’ is a stunningly complex piece of screenwriting, the kind of film that looks relatively simple but hides deeper meaning and character study than you first expect. It’s an even slower burn than ‘Capote’ or ‘Moneyball,’ and it takes time for the melancholy and unease to work their way under your skin.”

Tafoya: “‘Foxcatcher’ is one of the best depictions of broken expectations I’ve ever seen. My favorite writer, David Cairns, once hypothesized that the reason America is so full of violent outbursts is because we’re sold the ‘American Dream’ from a very young age. When we fail to achieve it, we feel cheated, like we failed, and that’s bound to make one upset, depressed, angry or all of the above. I don’t know that I’ve seen failure handled with such incredible intelligence and grace by another filmmaker. Steve Carrell’s vulture-like John E. Du Pont never amounted to the right things to himself. He wanted to be an athlete and a leader, and when he couldn’t be either, he bought those achievements for himself. Placed in opposition to Du Pont is Dave Schultz, who was both of those things naturally, but gave them up whenever he thought they’d interfere with his family life. If I’ve seen a better performance this year than Mark Ruffalo’s quiet transformation into the lanky, soft-spoken Schultz, I can’t think of what it might be. It’s appallingly great work in a film full of brilliant performances.”