Georgetown students are well acquainted with the influence of legacy, and the dangers of unchecked wealth, a theme taken up in director Bennett Miller’s latest film, Foxcatcher.
The film tells the story of the heir to one of America’s greatest fortunes and trainer of the nation’s top wrestlers, John du Pont, as he works to restore his family pride with an Olympic gold medal. Du Pont, however, has no experience with the sport. Although this story may sound like an Adam Sandler movie, Foxcatcher is not a slapstick comedy in any capacity. Miller provides a harrowing, unflinching look at the contemporary American elite and the dangers that come with inheritance.
Du Pont can buy anything he wants. He orders a massive military tank, for example, only to refuse it upon delivery because it didn’t come with a 50-caliber machine gun. His wealth allows him to amass people, too. He recruits Olympic gold medalist Mark Schultz and his brother to train under his tutelage at the estate, and orders Mark to refer to him as his “father figure” in a speech. He even commissions documentaries to glorify himself, forcing interviewees to sing his praises.
The man with more money than he could possibly spend, however, has not worked a day in his life. Friendless and isolated, he simultaneously strives to win the admiration of his country and impress his mother, a quiet matriarch who dominates the Foxcatcher estate. The absence of sound at Foxcatcher Farms captures du Pont’s solipsism. The score’s nonexistence, particularly at times when the audience expects it most, also brings the wrestling grunts and du Pont’s heavy breathing to center stage.
Steve Carrell plays du Pont, a landmark role that reveals new depths for the actor. Prosthetics render The Office’s Michael Scott unrecognizable, and his voice becomes a chilling, maniacal whisper. The complex and sinister character nevertheless bears a striking similarity to Scott; they share the insatiable need to be loved. The difference is that, with du Pont, the stakes are higher and his delusions far greater. Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo, who portray Mark and Dave Schultz respectively, also deliver stunning performances, marking Tatum’s best dramatic performance to date. Miller lets these three leads drive the film, never dimming their spotlight.
Foxcatcher is more than a tragic wrestling tale. Miller conveys the dangers of privilege, showcasing what happens when the progeny of the families that built America believe they are due honor, respect, and glory. Miller terrifies his audience by exposing the myth of the noble elite and examining the pervasive and senseless bloodshed that has defined America since the Gilded Age.
