This was a little (lot) vague at times, whereas at the end I had to Google the events that happened to get the whys of it. Based on a true story about millionaire John Du Pont and his relationship with two brothers, Dave & Mark Schultz, Olympic wrestlers he engages to train at his estate so that he can be an "Olympic coach." Mark initially idolizes Du Pont but slowly realizes the depths of his benefactors madness.Things are hinted at...sexual misconduct and the actual murder is done in such a vague way it doesn't appear to have any motivation. Its slow at times and sorta feels like a documentary in its style which keeps the viewer at a distance. The make up and acting from all involved is phenomenal though. Steve Carell, wow creepy brilliant job. Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo as the brothers also do a great job.

Finding his run in the remake of The Office to be hilarious,I've been meaning to see Steve Carell's Oscar nominated role,but have somehow always missed the chance. Finding out it was to be shown on the BBC, I got set to finally catch the fox.The plot:Whilst they have both won Olympic gold, Olympic wrestling champion Mark Schultz still feels he is being overshadowed by his brother Dave. Training one day, Mark gets an invite to meet multi millionaire John E. du Pont. Previously having success at Olympic wrestling, Pont invites Mark to be the star player for the new team he is starting up: Team Foxcatcher. Accepting the offer, Mark at first finds Pont to be a father figure he has always wanted, but overtime,they both find their relationship to get trapped in a foxhole. View on the film:Keeping any punchlines in the foxhole, Steve Carell gives a reptile- like performance as du Pont, whose stoic manner and fading vocal delivery cast a shadow of a man worn down to the bone. Smashing his head into a mirror as an improve, Channing Tatum gives a very good performance as Mark,whose passion for the sport Tatum turns from energetic to tired, whilst Mark Ruffalo gives the bio-pic some real folk charm as David.For the third in his "Based on true life" trilogy, director Bennett Miller & cinematographer Greig Fraser wrestle with a raw, unsettling calm atmosphere,as lingering shots on the conversations between Pont and Mark grab the sour turn the almost father/son relationship takes. Backed by a very good sombre Industrial hum from Rob Simonsen, the screenplay by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman successfully grapple with the decade spanning time-line, by wonderfully building the gradual breakdown of the relationship between the Schultz and the increasingly reclusive du Pont, as the foxcatchers get outfoxed.

Foxcatcher is a brooding slow burn film from director Bennett Miller about two men looking for approval. One from his more gregarious older brother, the other from his disapproving horse fixated mother.Channing Tatum plays Mark Schultz, an Olympic gold medal winner in the 1984 Olympics somewhat living in the shadow of his older brother David (Mark Ruffalo) also an Olympic gold medal winner.In the opening scene we see Mark talking uncomfortably to a class of children at school. This is good for Mark as it allows him to get out of his brother's shadow. Yet when we see Mark wrestle he is always more effective when David gives him a pep talk.After a disagreement between Mark and du Pont, David is persuaded to join the training team. You can see his more effective training methods at play but at the same time it has a negative effect on Mark who already descended to a spiral of booze and cocaine under du Pont's influence and he becomes embittered performing poorly in the Seoul Olympics.The film is based on true life and tragic events with du Pont's influence suffocating those around him. He wants approval, he wants to be a mentor when all the time you think when you see him wrestle with the young men that he just wants to cop a feel of them.This is an actor's film. Carell looks unrecognizable under heavy make up with Tatum also putting more of a performance where less is more. The film is absorbing and despite the slow pace, yet at times it can also be lifeless.

Wow - this movie was an unexpected discovery! It's a real gem, with superb performances and an intelligent script and what makes it all the more remarkable is that it's a true story! I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who is looking for something with some depth and who enjoy deep, layered performances.