Foxcatcher ****
Dir:  Bennett Miller
Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller.

Wealth has the ability to absorb unsuspecting individuals into its orbit and provides its wielders with a sense of entitlement that allows them to chew up those same individuals and spit them out without remorse.

Foxcatcher is based on the true-life events surrounding John E. du Pont (Steve Carell), heir to one of one America’s largest fortunes, and his sponsorship of two Olympic wrestling champions, Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and his brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo) in the late ‘80s.

Bennet Miller’s retelling of the tale is atmosphere laced, deliberately paced and utterly absorbing as we watch the inevitable tragedy unfurl and he is superbly supported by three terrific performances.

Steve Carell is almost unrecognisable under a fake proboscis and his blank-eyed, monotone performance has grabbed most of the attention. It is certainly a career changer for a man previously best known for his body of comedic work (and there is an element of dark - very dark, in fact - humour in his performance here too) but Mark Ruffalo (just watch his physicality here - the way he carries himself, the way he moves - it perfectly captures the wrestler he is essaying) and Channing Tatum are just as good. In fact, Tatum is a revelation as a lunkhead of an athlete, desperate to connect with a father figure, and seething with a frustration and anger that he is unable to articulate.

The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards - Best Actor (Steve Carell), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Makeup and Hairstyling - and three Golden Globe Awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor). Miller also won the Best Director Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. All accolades were richly deserved.

Cut to chase: Dark, tragic and riveting.

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