Carell, Tatum leave comedy behind for compelling work in ‘Foxcatcher’

Posted on January 23, 2015

By MARK VIOLA

Of the five performances nominated for Best Actor at this year’s Academy Awards, four are for portrayals of real people: Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in “American Sniper,” Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game,” Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything” and Steve Carell as John E. du Pont in “Foxcatcher.”

Of these, the only historical figure I wasn’t previously familiar with was du Pont, a member of the famed du Pont family whose passion for wrestling led him to entice Olympian brothers Mark and David Schultz to join his Foxcatcher team while they attempted to make the 1988 Olympics.

I hadn’t heard of du Pont or the Schultzs or “Foxcatcher” until last fall, when the first wave of award season buzz started growing around a film about Olympic wrestlers with the unlikely duo of Steve Carell (“Anchorman 2,” “Evan Almighty”) and Channing Tatum (“22 Jump Street,” “Magic Mike”) in the discussion for award nominations. Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Academy Awards are simply not things typically associated with one another, so I was immediately intrigued. And while Tatum did not earn a nomination, co-star Mark Ruffalo did for his stellar performance in the film.

“Foxcatcher” is a slow boiling drama about a segment in Olympic history I’m sure most people are not familiar with unless they are already followers of amateur wrestling. It is a fascinating story about obsession, privilege, the drive to win and the self-destructive choices we can make along the way. It is also story destined to end badly for at least some of those involved, because otherwise, why would they be making a movie about it? (This is not a feel-good sports movie to be sure.) The journey to get to that ending is a long one, however, and despite the wonderful performances provided by the three leads, many will find it too slow.

“Foxcatcher” has an interesting story, but one that doesn’t immediately capture your attention like many of the other high-profile biographical films released in 2014. Still, thanks to excellent work from actors better known for comedy, this is a very powerful drama.

The film is rated R for some drug use and a scene of violence.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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