Movie review: Foxcatcher

It is a story about brotherhood and its complexities before misguided money and power destroys it. When multimillionaire John du Pont, heir to the du Pont chemical company, invites Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, played by Channing Tatum, to move to his estate and help form a wrestling team for the 1988 Olympics, Mark sees a way to step out of the shadow of his charismatic brother, Dave Schultz.

However, du Pont begins to lead Mark Schultz down a dark road, causing the athlete’s self-esteem to slip. Meanwhile, du Pont becomes fixated on bringing Dave into the fold, eventually propelling all three toward an unforeseen tragedy; suffering from paranoia schizophrenia he kills Schultz on his sprawling Pennsylvania estate in 1996. Find out which Schultz and why he was killed.

Thumbs Up

This psychological drama is chilling by itself, but once you realise that it is based on a true story, your blood freezes. It is the expert delivery of the cast who are a well-selected lot of Oscar winners, layered performances and emotionally precise storytelling, which leaves you spellbound and more than a little shaken. The smart, clean, insightful and meaningful dialogue is the necessary component that makes this an unforgettable movie.

The story builds up and the stakes are heightened as the story moves along, the tension rises and gets you more engrossed in it and equally terrified.

Thumbs down

The movie is more about character development than speed which may prove frustrating to adrenaline junkies. The remote tone is occasionally irritating but it feels appropriate because, unlike a more overtly sentimental film, it leaves plenty of room for the audience to respond.

Verdict

If you want to know what offers you should think twice about accepting, you need to watch this one. It may cost a life, literally.