Review of Foxcatcher (2014) by Miki L — 26 Mar 2015

A little makeup goes a long way.

This is a film more notable for the performances than anything else -- and boy are they some dynamic performances. Carell's transformative work (he almost completely disappears into the role) certainly stands out for obvious reasons, but Tatum and Ruffalo both kill it as sibling wrestlers with a somewhat strained relationship made even more strained by the arrival of a wealthy benefactor/would-be coach (Carell) who arrives on the scene to assist in their Olympic aspirations. These two really feel like brothers. Their history is palpable to the audience.

Director Bennett Miller and his writing team (E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman) offer interesting, dark twists on things like sportsmanship, patriotism, and the American dream. They also build the tension and foreboding very well throughout the film. It is, however, the three main actors who really sink their teeth into these ideas and really sell the inevitable dark paths that their characters must traverse.

The Oscar nominations earned here are certainly appropriate. If the Best Actor field hadn't been so strong this year, Tatum may have been able to clinch a nomination for his work here. I also applaud director Miller for his obvious care and support as an "actor's director" who allows his performers to freely explore larger-than-life characters without their work venturing into caricature (also seen in Capote with Philip Seymour Hoffman). But I also wish that he would start cultivating a discernible voice outside of "objective observer of strange, real-life people and events." Perhaps he purposely stifles his own voice for the sake of those of his actors.