Cafe Society

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Woody Allen/Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Blake Lively, Corey Stoll, Sari Lennick, Ken Stott, Parker Posey and Jeannie Berlin

These days, I'm always prepared to write Woody off, particularly after his last two forgettable efforts; Magic in the Moonlight and Irrational Man. But with Woody, consigning him to oblivion is always a mistake, for he can still surprise, as with Blue Jasmine. I'm happy to say he has done so again with Cafe Society; his new story about ideal love and its emotional pitfalls. Though some scenes and plot points resemble moments from his cinematic past, he shows he can still write terrific dialogue and give his characters dimension and depth. In his latest, we see his characteristic charm, wit and his romantic pessimism about love but also present is his irrepressible romanticism, particularly for the city he loves most. Cafe Society is fun, funny and is irresistibly charming.

Set in 1930s', Woody narrates his own story about a young man; Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg), who leaves Brooklyn for the sunny coast of southern California. Hoping to find a job with his wildly successful Uncle; Phil Stern (a terrific Steve Carell) in his casting agency, he stakes out temporary digs in a hotel and waits for a meeting. Lonely and hungry for female companionship, Bobby arranges for a call girl to visit his hotel room, but finds he is her very first customer. The failed encounter yields funny results.

In another scene, we see Phil hosting a swank Hollywood party in his home. Sitting poolside, Phil talks with all manner of movie industry people, dropping names of stars in nearly all his conversations.

As the story moves forward, Woody's narration remains steady, embellishing the story and providing insightful comments about the characters. We meet others, like Bobby's older brother Ben (excellent Corey Stoll), whose life in organized crime troubles his mother Rose (Jeannie Berlin). Though Rose's relationship with her husband Marty (Ken Stott) is contentious; their arguments contain some of the film's funniest lines. Another character is Bobby and Ben's sister, Evelyn (Sari Lennick), who stays in touch with her little brother via letters, which, when read; provide the film supplementary narration.

Bobby is finally granted a few minutes with his Uncle and after a what-are-you-doing-out-here probing overture, he explains his want of a change of scenery and a job in the agency. Although Phil initially mentions the mail-room, he suggests Bobby run errands for him. He then introduces Bobby to one of his secretaries; an lovely young woman named Veronica (a luminous Kristen Stewart, made more so by soft focus), or Vonnie. As Vonnie shows Bobby around, sparks crackle and glow between them. Before long, Vonnie and Bobby enjoy lunches and drinks together until one day he feels confident enough to ask her out. She tells him she is seeing someone but enjoys his friendship, which continues in spite of his rejection. Bobby (and we) learn Vonnie is one of the many young women who migrated to Tinseltown hoping to make it in the movies before becoming disillusioned.
The conversations between Vonnie and Bobby are often magical. Woody shows he can still craft intelligent dialogue that is also pleasing to the ear. Some of the best moments in the film are Bobby and Vonnie's tete a tetes.

In time, Bobby finds himself meeting his Uncle's big name associates, who bandy the names of stars and starlets about, which becomes a source of annoyance to both he and Vonnie. But life in Hollywood has a way of working on those most resistant to its charms. Vonnie herself shares an anecdote about Samuel Goldwyn and his peculiar voice.

The visuals in the Hollywood party scenes are particularly intriguing. In nearly every scene featuring an industry soiree, we see the guests dressed uniformly in khaki-color clothes. Woody's cinematographer; the famed Vittorio Storaro, casts everything in soft, golden light, as if to compete with the soft hues of khaki. The effect leaves us with something fairy-talish; a heady foray into the unreal.
Hollywood's seductive but shallow charms begin to wear on Bobby. He finds the beautiful women, stars and the lush mansions to be a fascinating curiosity but they eventually lose their charm. He begins to miss New York. Before long, he plans his return home. But complicating his idea is his relationship with Vonnie, which takes a dramatic leap from the platonic to romantic. In love and happy, Bobby plans for their marriage and their move to New York, where his brother Ben has offered him a job running his nightclub. But before Bobby's plans are consummated, the plot takes a startling twist when Bobby discovers the man Vonnie has been seeing is none other than Phil, who plans to leave his wife for her. Phil later tells her he is unable to walk away from his 25-year marriage, only to experience yet another change of heart. The situation becomes stickier when Phil and Bobby become aware of the other's interest in Vonnie. Faced with a painful decision, Vonnie chooses Phil, leaving Bobby to return to New York, alone and crestfallen.

Bobby's east-coast homecoming serves as a transition to Part II, as he leaves his Los Angeles experiences behind for his brother's nightclub, which he helps christen The Cafe Society. Bobby becomes popular with the nightclub set, which is a colorful mix of the city's upper crust society and members of New York's active social scene. Excelling at his job and taking to the club's giddy atmosphere, Bobby is able to put Los Angeles behind him.

One evening, he meets a beautiful blonde, whose name also happens to be Veronica (Blake Lively, who was kicking shark butt the last time we saw her onscreen). I found this contrivance to be a little too convenient but oh well. The two quickly fall in love, which leads to a happy courtship and marriage; helped along with a surprise pregnancy.

Of course Woody won't let us forget Vonnie, who happens to drop back into his life one evening when she and Phil appear at the nightclub. The scene where Bobby stands before their table; staring dumbstruck at Vonnie, may remind one of the scene in Crimes and Misdemeanors where Woody's character happens upon Mia Farrow's at a wedding where she is embraced by his rival. Dismayed at seeing Phil and Vonnie together, Bobby reluctantly sits down to chat but excuses himself after she tries to regale the table with a long-winded, gossipy Hollywood story; the type he and she once loathed. It isn't long before the two meet for coffee, which reawakens their latent love for one another. One knows how it will play out if one has seen enough Woody Allen films. The key word is melancholy.
A significant subplot unfolds; involving Ben and his violent, criminal past, which has a grim but almost inevitable outcome.

Woody manages his multi-character story with aplomb and like his best work, makes us care about them. He has helped create one of the movie industry's emerging great couples in Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, whose onscreen romance marks their third together. How and why such an offbeat pairing works so well can be chalked up to the mysteries of chemistry but they are magical together; particularly in a scene where the two share an intimate moment on a Central Park bridge; the skyline a romantic tableau. Woody's other characters are wonderful, particularly Corey Stoll as Bobby's thuggish brother and Jeannie Berlin, who is quite amusing as Bobby's mother.

Woody still has it. He is still capable of making good films. Everything that characterizes his best films is conspicuous here. Terrific camera work, beautiful cinematography and brilliant performances. Let's not forget witty dialogue and great lines. My favorite: live every day as if it were the last and one day it will be true.

Cafe Society isn't a Woody masterpiece but it redeems his last two efforts and it is done well. It might not set the world of cinema alight but it is a mild intoxicant. In summers, bad Hollywood is the occupying force, but films like Woody's always come along to give us respite from the drek. Let's hope he has more of these films in his bag.

The Big Short

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Adam McKay/Starring: Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Marisa Tomei and Hamish Linklater

I thought all the horrors of the economic recession of 2008 had been dramatized in film. The Company Men, Margin Call and the more recent 99 Homes have all given movie audiences a taste of what preceded or followed the near collapse of the American economy; a tragedy whose impact is still being felt domestically and abroad. But with director Adam McKay's The Big Short; adapted from Michael Lewis' non-fiction book of the same name, we learn there is still much to say--and learn--about the subject. And what may or may not be surprising to the viewer is that a film about said crisis can still elicit a powerful gag response. McKay's film, which is at times darkly comic, is absorbing from the opening bell while challenging us to fathom the abstruse minutiae of the housing market's rise and fall. Unlike the aforementioned films, The Big Short makes an earnest attempt to educate the viewer about the hows and whys of how the bubble burst.

Though the story is factual, McKays's characters are wont to tell us when the story strays into the fictitious with into-the-camera asides that lend the film an element of stage theatricality.

The story is told from the perspective of several Wall Street outsiders. One of them; a numbers prodigy and former doctor named Michael Burry (Christian Bale), is a hedge fund manager who foresees the imminent collapse of the mortgage lending market; a prediction for which he asserts much confidence. Unable to find anyone who will heed his warnings, Burry buys what are called credit default swaps (CDS). I'm not nearly qualified to explain the nature and functions of CDS', though characters in the film make an earnest attempt to illuminate the audience. In essence, they allow the holder to profit from defaulted housing loans.
Burry is seen as a loon when he visits several investment firms; Goldman Sachs among them, to buy up CDS' in mass quantity. His bulk purchases draw the attention of Wall Street and a major investor under Burry's consultation, who is less than happy with what he sees as investment disaster in the making.

But not everyone believes Burry is out of his mind. An investor named Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) sees that Burry's prognostication is worthy of attention, which prompts his own high volume purchase.

A misdirected phone call brings Vennett's investment to the attention of a trader named Mark Baum (Steve Carell), who, along with his fellow group of traders, becomes intrigued with the sudden interest in CDS traffic. We learn early that Baum is a man of unassailable integrity; his crusade against foul play and fraud on Wall Street is his most salient characteristic. Sometime later, Vennett meets with Baum and his team and in explaining his interest in CDS, he also takes the time to explain the intricate workings of sub-prime loans.

Skeptical of Burry's prophecy, Baum and his team embark on a fact-finding mission to Florida; a hot-spot for housing loans. Among those Baum and his colleagues encounter are a couple of arrogant real estate agents, who divulge their unethical practice of loan disbursement to those who would otherwise be unqualified. Baum's probing questions reveal disquieting facts about said lending practices, which the two men hardly feel the need to hide. Baum's associates confirm the real estate agents' claims when they visit an upscale home in an upscale neighborhood; where they find one occupant living beyond his means. This is followed by an absurdly funny scene where Baum visits a gentleman's club to talk to a stripper who has also benefited from lax housing loan practices to secure not one but several loans. Confident that what they've found confirms Burry's warnings, Baum initiates his own purchase though his superiors balk at what they believe to be a foolish investment.

A couple of young novice investors; Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock) and Charlie Geller (John Magaro) also hope to purchase CDS' but a lack of reputation and standing on Wall Street stands as an impediment. Needing investment capital to achieve their goal, the two men seek a Wall Street player who might vouch for them and serve as their entree into the lofty world of investing. The man they approach is an eccentric retired banker named Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt), who sees Jamie and Charlie are on to a solid, money-making scheme but also recognizes their success might come at the expense of the American economy.

In time, as the collapse approaches, all the parties invested in the CDS purchases begin to realize the magnitude of fraud involved the housing market decline, which they rightly attribute to the banking system. And when the collapse actually occurs and the economy goes to hell, we see its horrific effects as Wall Street personnel are dismissed from their jobs en masse while many of the unemployed are forced to join long queues of those looking for work in the hourly-wage world.

And as the collapse commences, Burry, Baum and Rickert are all very aware of what is to come while the more amoral Vennett, seen sitting at his desk alone; stares contentedly at a 47 million dollar check; the noxious fruit of his investment.
Given the widespread unscrupulousness of Wall Street, it is astonishing to find anyone felt any of the mess to be sordid and immoral.

McKay's film gives us a valuable and penetrating portrait of the causes and the aftermath of the 2008 economic collapse. This is accomplished with an outstanding script, expertly adapted by McKay and screenwriter Charles Randolph. The jargon and terminology of the Wall Street world is never an impediment to the drama. Without oversimplifying the material, McKay ensures we can follow along without succumbing to the dizzying developments, which never seem to be completely comprehensible (at least to me).

The ensemble cast is one of the best I've seen this year. Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Christian Bale and Brad Pitt are all outstanding, as are the supporting cast. Carell's growth as an actor is proceeding swimmingly; showing us his flair for drama, which began with Foxcatcher.

McKay never adopts a self-righteous tone; the story itself speaks volumes about the evil perpetrated by the American banking system. We see a particularly affective scene near the end, where Shipley and Geller's exuberant celebrations are squelched by Rickert's sober reproach, who remind them that their windfall from their CDS' comes at the price of the lost jobs and homes.

The end subtitles tell us something about the aftermath. Rather than being punished, the bankers behind the disaster were instead bailed out by the American people. To render an already horrid tragedy ludicrous, the unrepentant bankers also received staggering bonuses. Another subtitle tells us about how Burry proposed informing the government how he came to anticipate the collapse, only to become the the subject of an investigation.

The Big Short is easily one of the best films of the year. Its intricate but riveting plot keeps our minds alert while showing us--contrary to what we've been taught--crimes do go unpunished, particularly those on Wall Street. It also demonstrates that accountability has become a whimsical notion in America. If only McKay's brilliant film could bring about some arrests...that would be lovely.

Freeheld

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Peter Sollett/Starring: Ellen Page, Julianne Moore, Michael Shannon and Steve Carell

Films that deal with contemporary issues are emotionally charged and often timely but they also tend to not be very cinematic. They also would seem to be more suitable for television.
Freeheld; a new film about the late Laurel Hester; the police officer who fought the Ocean County Freeholders in New Jersey to allow her partner to receive her pension, is the latest "issue" flick to make its way to screens nationwide. Don't get me wrong; her struggle for equality is an important subject but its artistic ambitions are stubbornly modest. The film elicits tears but it feels so much like a small screen production one might instinctively reach for a remote.

We see Hester (Julianne Moore) and her partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon) making an undercover drug bust in the opening scenes. In the rough and tumble process, Hester is knocked to the ground. The scene effectively captures her courage and willingness to risk her life for her job; a fact that later becomes paramount.

Later, we see Hester at a women's volleyball game, where her lack of adroitness hardly escapes the notice of a young player on the opposing team; Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). Sparing Hester further humiliation, Stacie gently serves the ball to her, which earns her thanks from her opponent afterward. Standing in the parking lot after the game, Stacie asks Hester for her number, which progresses to a relationship from a series of dates.

We see a little of the sexism and homophobia the two woman face in their jobs and in public as the story unfolds. In one scene, three toughs take exception to the couple's public display of affection, then aggressively demand their money, only to be driven off when Hester pulls her gun. The act takes Stacie by surprise, as Hester is forced to reveal her occupation; much to her partner's dismay.

As the two become closer, they decide to buy a house. Wells himself becomes aware of his partner's orientation one day while delivering a house-warming gift. After meeting Stacie, he becomes angry with Hester for not trusting him enough to share her personal life with him.

As the two women settle into their domestic partnership, Stacie becomes aware of a chronic pain that Hester mentions one day while the two dance in their living room. Stacie urges her to see a doctor and in a heartbreaking scene that follows, the women learn of Hester's terminal lung cancer. Undaunted by the grim news, Stacie is unfailingly optimistic until they learn Hester's condition is incurable.

Certain of the hopeless situation, the couple realize that without Hester's income, Stacie will be unable to keep the house. Recognizing her partner's need for extra income, Hester initiates the process which will allow Stacie to receive her pension. Aware that local and state laws ensure Hester can pass on her pension to a domestic partner, the women learn the Ocean City Freeholders have decided otherwise. Several bigoted members reject her formal request. Weakened by her therapy and illness, Hester makes a formal plea to the Freeholders during a public meeting, only to be rejected again.
A reporter present at the meeting writes an article on the story and as it attracts local and regional attention, a gay activist named Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell) decides to take up her cause; organizing demonstrations and flooding the Freeholder meetings with protesters.

Stacie and Hester's struggle and Goldstein's efforts are widely known and public record, so it's hard to actually spoil the ending, though I will still refrain from mentioning it here.

One would have to be heartless or Republican not to be moved by Hester and Stacie's story. It is astonishing to consider how much has changed since the story made national headlines. The fact that the Supreme Court only recently ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right makes the film's arrival very timely. But though the Supreme Court's decision is a legal victory, the film shows how virulent opposition has been and is. Of course it would be difficult to not think of recent headlines while watching the movie and the controversial case of Kim Davis, which makes Hester's story all the more relevant.

But as much as the subject matter moves me, I never felt I was watching a movie. I was emotionally involved in the story but I could see little reason for the movie to be projected on a large screen when a Samsung flat-screen would serve as well.
I have no quibbles with the performances, which one would expect to be top-notch. Both Ellen Page and Julianne Moore were quite terrific as was Michael Shannon though Steve Carell seemed to belong in another movie. The scene I found to be the most powerful is Wells' appeal to his colleagues to lend their support to Hester at a crucial Freeholder meeting. To see Shannon, who concurrently plays as a stone-hearted real estate speculator in 99 Homes portray someone more sensitive is startling and refreshing.

Freeheld is so heavily character-driven, the look and direction seem to be an afterthought. Director Peter Sollett has made better movies; one of which comes to mind is Raising Victory Vargas. But it is difficult to make movies about true stories that carry a social message and make them not seem like true stories that carry a social message. Try as he might, Sollett can't elevate screenwriter Ron Nyswaner's script to something cinematically poignant, as Jonathan Demme did with his script for Philadelphia.

Despite the film's sense of urgency, it can't shake its tee-vee-ness. It will play better on DVD, which should better accommodate its low-scale, visual ambitions. If nothing else, Laurel Hester's courageous story is never trivialized or made quaint. Her struggle for equality is still gripping a decade later.

Foxcatcher

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Bennett Miller/Starring: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller and Vanessa Redgrave

I wish I hadn't known about the John du Pont story before seeing Bennett Miller's extraordinary new film Foxcatcher. I followed the developments in the local paper in the mid 1990s'; finding the story compelling for many reasons. But though I knew how the story on the screen would play out, it didn't detract from the experience nor did it make the film any less powerful.

I also found Miller's Moneyball to be equally absorbing but his new film has catapulted him into the dizzying heights of creative brilliance. If that sounds like fulsome praise, then I suggest you see the film for yourselves.

The du Pont family fortune was made substantial by arms manufacturing and its chemical industries, which allowed them to pursue excellence in equestrian sports, for which they were renown.

For reasons explicable only to John du Pont, he developed an obsessive interest in Olympic and world class wrestling. By providing wrestlers with a training facility in which to pursue a world championship or gold medal, he probably felt (as we see in the film) he could attain and experience a vicarious victory; one that might challenge the family's equestrian achievements--at least in his mind.

When the story begins in the mid to late 80s', we meet the two 1984 Olympic gold medalist brothers whose lives became entwined with John du Pont's; older brother David Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), and his younger brother Mark (Channing Tatum). We see the brothers training; grappling on a mat and trying to maneuver with arms and hands to execute moves. Mark's demeanor; angry and brooding, contrasts sharply with his older brother David's, which is more gregarious. Miller lets the camera rest on the two brothers as they exchange throws. The scene plays for awhile as we get some sense of the brothers passionate commitment to the sport and their competitive spirit. Mark eventually draws blood from his brother's nose when he upper-cuts him with his head. Rather than grouse, David merely wipes his nose then resumes practice.

Channing Tatum affects an under-bite, which gives him a neanderthalic appearance and lends his anger extra intensity. We don't understand the origins of his anger but we know years of wrestling have hardly served as a coolant.

One day, as Mark kills time alone in his very modest apartment, he receives a call from one of John du Pont's assistants, who suggest Mark visit the wealthy industrialist on his estate in Pennsylvania. With all travel expenses paid, Mark agrees. Arriving by helicopter, Mark discovers the du Pont estate is located near historic Valley Forge, which we soon learn plays a mythic role in John's life.

The first meeting between John and Mark is very odd. John is phlegmatic and reserved as he watches Mark with the eyes of a carnivorous bird observing its prey. John even mentions his nickname is "Golden Eagle" and suggests to the bewildered wrestler that he go bird-watching on his estate but not without presenting him a book on birding, which he happened to write.

But we learn John's interest in Mark has little to do with birds. With patriotic fervor, he tells Mark that he and his brother Dave should have been better recognized by the country for their achievements in the Olympics. Shortly thereafter, John leads Mark to a building which on the inside is an impressive gym tailored specifically for wrestlers. Stunned and pleased, Mark is further awed by John's offer to allow Olympic hopefuls to train on the Foxcatcher grounds. He also offers Mark a $25,000 salary and the use of a chalet as his residence on the estate.

Also intrigued by Mark's brother David, John deploys the young wrestler as an emissary to lure his brother to Foxcatcher. David asks Mark the very pertinent question: "What does he get out of this?" The deceptively simple question proves to be more complicated than John's "contribution to America" explanation.

Unable to convince his brother to join him at Foxcatcher, John and Mark develop a friendly relationship and become closer as training begins in earnest. In the relationship that blossoms, Mark accompanies John on an inspection of a military vehicle of DuPont industries' design, only to watch him angrily demand a .50 caliber machine gun for the armored carrier. He then sees John slap the clipboard out of the military contractor's hand. We, like Mark, get a taste of John's violent temper, which seems all the more shocking coming from someone so seemingly unflappable and kind.

And we wonder, as David does, what really motivates John to provide so much for a sport his mother (Vanessa Redgrave) believes is "low." It's in the tension between John and his mother where the psychological footprints of his actions are laid bare. The mother's gallery of Equestrian trophies is suddenly sharing space with medals earned by John's Team Foxcatcher at an international competition. Like the sibling rivalry John perceives between Mark and David, we see a similar rivalry between he and his mother; one more subtle and just as fierce. After John sponsors a wrestling tournament in Phoenix for more mature men, he shows his mother his first place trophy, which she recognizes as the sham it is. We see that John has been scarred by his failure to please his mother.

But it isn't only a rivalry John shares with his mother. During a conversation, John relates his lonely childhood to Mark and an incident where he discovered his only friend was actually someone hired by his mother to fulfill the role. In a moment of commiseration, Mark divulges that he too had no friends growing up, which completes the empathetic bond the two men share.

Before John is finally able to draw David to Foxcatcher, we see him slowly become unhinged. He inexplicably (and ominously) visits--with gun in hand--the training facility where the wrestlers are waiting to begin practice. After briefly watching the wrestlers, he raises his gun and fires off a round, much to the shock and dismay of the team. Another incident follows soon after when John visits the wrestlers, who are gathered to watch T.V. at Mark's chalet. When John confronts him about the wrestlers inactivity, Mark mentions giving the group the morning off. What follows is hardly unexpected, as John slaps Mark. The relationship deteriorates soon after and with it, Mark's performance on the mat. After David moves to Foxcatcher to become part of the training regimen, Mark qualifies for the 1988 Seoul Olympics but only with difficulty. Complications arise at Foxcatcher when John's Svengali-like control of Mark is threatened by the brothers troubled but close relationship.

In one of the film's strange ironies, Mark tries to convince David to leave Foxcatcher to coach at BYU, only to be told his brother has no wish to leave.

Mark performs badly at the Seoul Olympics, losing in a first round rout. On his return to Foxcatcher, we see John watching Mark's moving van pull away from the chalet. What follows soon after seems almost tragically inevitable.

Even though I followed the story in the New York Times, I realized how little I knew about the interpersonal dynamics and John du Pont's frail psyche. The film concludes horrifically as we come to understand how one man's brittle self-image and feeble self-esteem could be the catalyst for a grisly, violent act.

In my recollection of the movie, I try to exercise objectivity by identifying the film's flaws but Foxcatcher is nigh perfect (in my estimation) and it easily challenges the year's best for cinematic excellence.

Steve Carell's performance has been heralded by considerable buzz, and I must say he lives up to it. Unrecognizable in his facial prosthetic, he quite simply vanishes; allowing an entity to inhabit his body. To watch Carell gaze stolidly over his upturned nose at those around him is enough to give one the creeps. Behind the veneer of calm seethes something dark and disturbed, which Carell captures expertly in his tour de force performance.

No less impressive are Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo. Tatum has been careful, at least in recent years, to guard his career from excessive second-rate Hollywood filmic incursions. Here he balances his physical performance with psychological nuance. His rage-induced mayhem inside a hotel room is powerful and self-destructive, which Tatum executes with emotional cogency.
Ruffalo is excellent as David and again shows what he can do with choice material. And for her brief appearance as John's mother, Jean du Pont, the ever-excellent Vanessa Redgrave is able to convey so much about a mother's disappointment for her son while also infantilizing him.

Miller maintains a somber mood throughout, which is made possible in part by the use of muted colors. Everything indoors and out seems monochromatic and devoid of life and joy. Like the monument to Valley Forge seen earlier in the film, the Foxcatcher grounds seem very much like a memorial rather than an estate, which is echoed in the colonial facade of the du Pont home.

The theme of class difference and its attendant mutual hostilities isn't lost on screenwriters E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, who have imagined Mark and David to be pawns of a rich man's whims. For all of John's talk about America and his patriotism, and the pride he takes in discussing the sacrifices made by men at Valley Forge, he has few qualms about buying men he deems heroes while regarding them as a hobby.
Foxcatcher will no doubt be on many cinephile's and critics' year's best lists; a distinction it richly deserves. It is a resonant, cinematic achievement and another stop on Bennett Miller's artistic, upward spiral.