Boasting a truly remarkable cast of heavy hitters, Bennett Miller's film is based on true events and is about the greatest Olympic Wrestling Champion brother-team and the multimillionaire sponsor who is desperately seeking the approval of his over cynical mother. It should have been one of the year's best. But Foxcatcher ultimately delivers its own stinger splash as sluggish pacing and a lack of on-screen chemistry keeps viewers experience at bay.
Led by Steve Carell, in one of his most dramatic turns to date, Foxcatcher shows its indie roots straight out of the gate. An unusual absence of music and rough scene cuts make the psychological drama difficult to tolerate even if you are familiar with the true story events on which the film is based. And while I respect a film that doesn't try to do too much or be something that it isn't, you still have to do something"¦anything. I was left trying to fill in the missing gaps of a story that relies heavily on unspoken exchanges and body language.
Carell, though entertaining as multimillionaire wrestling fanatic John du Pont, shares very little on-screen chemistry with co-stars Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo. Each of their interactions seem forced, if not unwilling, as they work their way through through the events that comprise du Pont's relationship with both Mark and David Schultz.
I do commend all three men for their physical transformations and ability to scream from the rooftops with barely a word as each uses his body well to tell his character's story. Their individual performances are haunting and complex, demanding that you pay attention and dig deep to understand their past, present and perceived future.
The problem lies within their interactions with one another. None of them appear willing to work together. And while I understand that this can be seen as symbolic to the characters they are portraying, their inability to connect with one another makes their connection with those watching on even more difficult. As an individual, each preforms masterfully, earning the accolades that have already been bestowed upon each of them. As a team, that is an different story.
Fortunately Foxcatcher is saved by a completely unexpected (and brilliantly hidden) finale that will leave you momentarily in a state of shock. The abruptness that Miller uses in revealing the unexpected is slightly cliché given the previous two hours of slow character development that nearly put everyone to sleep. But somehow it works here. It doesn't save the film entirely, but it does move it up a few notches, taking it from an immense disappointment to a moderate misfire.
