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Foxcatcher is a eery disturbing film with outstanding performances by its male leads – Steve Carell (40 year-old Virgin, Crazy Stupid Love) as John du Pont, Channing Tatum (Magic Mike, 22 Jump Street) as Mark Shultz and Mark Ruffalo (You Can Count on Me, Shutter Island) as Dave Shultz.
Foxcatcher is a movie that claims it is based on a true story. However, it uses artistic license too liberally and introduces over-the-top plot lines that are not only false but unnecessary. The real-life story of Foxcatcher is harrowing and disturbing on so many fronts and therefore provides endless material for one scary and disturbing screenplay without a need to introduce elements and entire plotlines that are a total fabrication.
Carell is particularly effective. Although much heavier than the real-life du Pont, Carrell has perfected du Pont’s mannerisms and speech patterns. Facial prosthetics assist in making Carell highly convincing. Tatum, Ruffalo, Siena Miller (Layer Cake, American Sniper) as Nancy Shultz and Vanessa Redgrave (Blowup, AA Julia) as Jean Du Pont have also transformed to look and act very similar to the real people. In this aspect Foxcatcher works well.
The Production Design by Jess Conchor (No Country for Old Men, True Grit, The Devil Wears Prada) and Costumes by Kasia Walicka Maimone (Copote, Moonrise Kingdom) are total winners. Musical Director Rob Simonsen (Little Miss Sunshine, Life of Pi) expertly weaves the music into the story. The brooding score during a tense sequence where Mark Shultz is on the brink of possible failure harkens back the very best created by John Barry (James Bond, Out of Africa, Somewhere in Time).
One of the difficulties for sports oriented films is portraying the actual competition and training. Foxcatcher does a decent job in this area, but the reality is that the lead actors are simply too heavy and lumbering than their real-life counter parts in any of the action sequences.
If you want to see a scary, unnerving, disturbing piece of filming that is based on fiction with basic elements of truth then Foxcatcher is a solid bet.
American Sniper starring Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers, Limitless, Silver Linings Playbook) is a taught and intense film that uses its 132 minute run-time with great efficiency. American Sniper Directed by Clint Eastwood (Mystic River, Flags Of Our Fathers, Million Dollar Baby, Jersey Boys) tells the story of a man who lives by and stays true to the foundation set in his upbringing. Eastwood is known for his sparse style and it is used in American Sniper.
Cooper plays American Military Sharpshooter Chris Kyle with a level of transformation and accuracy rarely seen in film. British raised actress (but born in USA) Siena Miller (Layer Cake, Interview, Yellow) is not far behind in becoming Tanya Kyle.
Kyle’s commitment benefits American ground forces in an unprecedented manner. Kyle is perhaps the only soldier to have a publicly known, advertised, promoted and highly encouraged Reward for being killed offered by the enemy – $180,000 (2004). He feels he cannot let soldiers be at unnecessary risk – even if it is not “his job.” Kyle also cannot leave the battle behind – he volunteers for 4 deployments (1,000+ days in combat).
The implication of Chris Kyle’s commitment is that he is unable to transfer emotionally back to the guy Tanya Kyle married and is father to two kids who adore him. Kyle determines he is equally committed to effect this transfer and have his wife, children and military veterans at-home see the true Chris. American Sniper presents this aspect well.
As a Director, Eastwood has been most successful with a story-line that is mostly singular in notion (e.g., Gran Torino) than one of complexity (e.g., Invictus). The result is that back-story or underlying story-lines are underrepresented, treated as after-thoughts or missed altogether. Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby come to mind as Eastwood efforts that are the exception. American Sniper, devotes some time to sub-plot, but it ultimately misses on showing in both sympathetic and empathetic tones the impact on the family’s and loved one associated with the soldiers. In short, mostly standard type dialog with less effect.
American Sniper shows the brutality and tough choices of war with enormous efficiency and leaves little to the imagination on this front. People in war zones are killed in the cruelest of ways by others who are trained to place their emotions to the side and accomplish the task at-hand. American Sniper also shows the implications when people cannot let things go – Chris Kyle experienced all of these emotions.
The Imitation Game, the biographical film about Alan Turing is absolutely mesmerizing.
The Imitation Game tells the story about the father of Mechanical and Digital computing that reveals a person who is shy, loving, somewhere between socially-awkward and socially-inept, full-of-heart, heartless, overbearing, demanding, relentless, brilliant, does not suffer fools, and possesses (possibly) the driest and most sarcastic sense of humor ever documented on film. Oh… and he almost single-handedly saves the world.
The Imitation Game also tells a story of government secrecy, the fickleness of espionage, sacrificing a life or many lives for the-greater-good and destroying a life and public perception over one law, while demanding the same person remain quiet about the breaking of others by others.
Although not flawless (i.e. only 99.44379%), The Imitation Game presents Turing’s life with remarkable precision, timing, and story-telling. The largest and slightest differences in what is Britain in the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s is put on display with great acumen.
Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse) is to put it simply – sensational. Kiera Knightly in a supporting role (Bend It Like Beckham, Atonement, A Dangerous Method) as Joan Clarke is equally convincing.
The Imitation Game’s success is secured through a wonderful script by Graham Moore based on Andrew Hodges Book “Alan Turing: The Enigma”, and a memorable music score by Alexandre Desplat (Argo, Zero Dark Thirty).
The Imitation Game also works because the supporting cast is so convincing – even in the more conventional roles. Actor and Director Charles Dance (Alien3, Last Action Hero, Game of Thrones) is perfect as Commander Denniston, as is Mark Strong (Syriana, End Game, Zero Dark Thirty) in the role of Stewart Menzies of MI6.
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