Film: 'Foxcatcher'

Moderately interesting, fact-based story of two professional wrestler brothers training under the tutelage of a scion of 'the richest family in America' who wants them to capture gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Based on a book of the experiences of Mark Schulz, the younger brother, I had no inkling of this celebrated story - and if I'd known just the title of his book beforehand it would have pretty well given away the unexpected shock I received which comes very near the end of this film.

I hardly ever care for films where sport, any sport, takes centre stage. They invariably spend the time building up to a major competition at the end - and, as it is here, there's nothing more 'major' than the Olympics! The films always follow a tortuous path leading up to a big event, taking in the central players' highs and the lows on the way. So it is with this film, though I'm pleased to report that the showing of actual wrestling matches does not dominate, and none at all of these several scenes is extended. The true main concern here is the dynamics and drama between the three leads - Channing Tatum (emotionally withdrawn and envious of his brother's success), Steve Carrell (as the multi-billionaire mentor, creepy, dangerous and always simmering right on the edge of boiling over - and looking almost unrecognisable) - and Mark Ruffalo as David Schulz, the elder brother (liberal with his bearish hugs, particularly to his kid bro), full bearded, and looking woofier than he's ever looked, which alone is really saying something.

There are only two females in the film, both in the slightest of roles. Vanessa Redgrave plays the horse-loving, wrestling-disapproving matriarch, mother to Carrell's character, and who appears briefly and silently in a couple of scenes, and saying a few words in just a single one. With even less to say, and totally wasted, is Sienna Miller as Ruffalo's wife. (Did she end up mostly on the cutting room floor?)

The real Mark Schulz, on whose book this is based, has actually disowned the film in a spluttering rage, because of the way director Bennett Miller ( who also directed Philip Seymour Hoffman's 'Capote') has portrayed him through the Channing Tatum role. His indignation seems to stem from a subtext of implied attraction between the younger brother's character and his wealthy benefactor, who, I take it, he resents as being portrayed as  something of a sugar daddy towards him. If I hadn't known this beforehand I would have picked up on an implied erotic attraction from the apparently celibate Carrell character towards Tatum's, despite the fact that nothing on these lines is even slightly hinted at verbally - except for maybe a time when Carrell states that he's never had a true 'friend' until meeting Tatum. On the other side, I didn't detect anything at all to imply that, if indeed there had been any attraction between the two, that it was mutual. In any case, if the real Mark Schulz denies it so vehemently then it couldn't possibly be true. Matter closed!
Btw: The film's title is the name of Carrell's wrestling club, referring to his hippophilic mother's fondness for the hunt. (Oh dear!)

If I hadn't been knocked back by seeing a picture of Ruffalo in full beard (you'll have to look him up) I may well have given this film a miss. As it turned out, it certainly wasn't as bad as it could have been for me. In fact I wasn't at all bored despite its inordinate two and a quarter hours' length. In summary, quite good to watch but I wouldn't recommend going out of ones way to catch it.......................6.