Based On: Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother's Murder, John du Pont's Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold
Written By: Mark Schultz
Director: Bennett Miller
Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo
Released: 2014
Personal Rating: 3.5/6
Oscars: Five Nominations
Plot: The greatest Olympic Wrestling Champion brother team joins Team Foxcatcher led by multimillionaire sponsor John E. du Pont as they train for the 1988 games in Seoul - a union that leads to unlikely circumstances.
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Not Much Character
I never felt much connection to the characters in the movie. They all seemed distant and I never felt much connection to their stories. Now John du Pont I can understand being distant as that was the point, but I would've loved to have seen a breakdown of his character nonetheless. This hurts to say as this movie is based on true events and I don't want people to think I'm saying this event wasn't tragic.
Steve Carell Being Serious
It was strange, at least at first, seeing the funny guy from The Office in a very serious role. Luckily that strangeness fades away quickly and I was able to picture him in the role. He is very distant and removed from everything which is good as that's what the director intended. Heck, Miller even kept Carell away from his co-stars to help build that sense of distance.
About the Oscars
I think Oscars are unneeded unless they start connecting more with the majority of today's movie going audiences. That being said, Mark Ruffalo's nomination was well deserved. He has a range which is awesome. Steve Carell...I think the whole thing there was that it was a role people usually don't see him in. Would need another viewing to solidify my feelings on the matter. Screenplay was meh as I don't think it really portrayed the characters in an interesting light. Makeup and Hairstyling fit the era. Directing...I take my time with directors. I need to see more than one of their works to get a feel for their style.
Final Thoughts
All in all this was a decent movie. While I love and adore movies like Sharknado, my favorite film of all time is 2001: A Space Odyssey. So me not being in love with this film has nothing to do with how 'cultured' I am. I truly feel that this movie was too dry. Some people described it as a documentary. If I wanted to watch a documentary I would've done so. It's good that attention is brought to this horrific event, but it could've been such a better movie. If you're a Mark Ruffalo fan, want to see Steve Carell be in a serious role, and/or are interested in the events portrayed in this movie I'd suggest it to you.
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