Though there were worries when the film was held back from last year’s awards season so director Bennett Miller could tinker further with it, true-life drama Foxcatcher is proving to be worth the wait, with critics at Cannes predicting potential Oscars. The first official teaser, which had snuck out quietly previously, is now online.
Foxcatcher, which features a script from E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, tells the gripping, real-life story of Olympic Wrestling Champion brothers Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo). They’re invited to launch a wrestling academy funded by eccentric John du Pont (Steve Carell), heir to the du Pont Chemical fortune.
Though it initially seemed like a great opportunity, things turned darkly tragic when the paranoid schizophrenic du Pont murdered Dave, leaving Mark to seek justice. The film promises a very different performance from Carell, who has branched out into drama, but nothing quite as intense as this. Clearly, it would appear he’s succeeded, and is already being talked about as an awards contender.
Following the raves at the film festival, we’ll now have to wait to see Foxcatcher, which arrives in the US on November 14, but has yet to announce a UK date.