Foxcatcher – from the Director of Moneyball and Capote

Based on true events Foxcatcher (Cert 15A) tells the dark and fascinating story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers.

When Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont (Steve Carell) to move on to the du Pont estate and help form a team to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics at his new state-of-the-art training facility, Schultz jumps at the opportunity, hoping to focus on his training and finally step out of the shadow of his revered brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo).

Driven by his needs, du Pont sees backing Schultz’s bid for Gold and the chance to “coach” a world-class wrestling team as an opportunity to gain the elusive respect of his peers and, more importantly, his disapproving mother (Vanessa Redgrave).

Flattered by the attention and entranced by Du Pont’s majestic World, Mark comes to see his benefactor as a father figure and grows increasingly dependent on him for approval. Though initially supportive, du Pont’s mercurial personality turns and he begins to lure Mark into an unhealthy lifestyle that threatens to undermine his training. Soon du Pont’s erratic behaviour and cruel psychological game-play begin to erode the athlete’s already shaky self- esteem. Meanwhile du Pont becomes fixated on Dave, who exudes the confidence both he and Mark lack, knowing that these are things even his money can’t buy. Fueled by du Pont’s increasing paranoia and alienation from the brothers, the trio is propelled towards a tragedy no one could have foreseen.

Foxcatcher is a rich and moving story of brotherly love, misplaced loyalty and the corruption and emotional bankruptcy that can accompany great power and wealth. As with Acadamy Award nominee Bennet Miller’s previous feature films, Capote and Moneyball, he explores large themes in society through his complex charachter portraits of real people.

Release in Ireland on the 9th January 2015. View the trailer here.