Foxcatcher

Three years ago, Mark Schultz — a freestyle wrestler, a mountain of muscles with a bewildered look — won Olympic gold for his country, but now he is barely making ends meet and quietly envies his exemplary and more successful older brother. One phone call pulls him out of this hopeless routine: eccentric millionaire John du Pont offers Mark his estate as a training base for the next Olympics. The offer includes a state-of-the-art sports complex and an unlimited salary, with only one condition — du Pont will be listed as Mark’s coach in the competition.

“Foxcatcher” is nothing like standard biographical sports dramas celebrating the power of overcoming obstacles through sport. Long and languid, full of both dialogue scenes and nonverbal struggles between personalities, it is closer to a psychological thriller, in which the director methodically reveals the weaknesses and flaws of his characters and, with a cold hand, leads them toward the ending already known from the newspapers.

What is the price of a deal with the devil? Is it worth compromising your principles for the work of your life? And where can the hackneyed phrase “everyone understands everything” lead? These are among the questions explored by director Bennett Miller, an acclaimed master of adapting true stories, who gained international recognition for this film.

🏆 Palme d’Or for Best Director, Oscar nominations for Best Director, Screenplay and the male acting performances.