Foxcatcher

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Foxcatcher is a very good film. Inspired by a true story, which is interesting and tragic but the thing that made an impact on me is how the three characters and their arcs are presented. The actors were great especially Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo (both actors I like) and Steve Carell did a good job I suppose (I don't like him but there isn't a reason for it). The film is very loosely based to the real life story but the facts are there.

The three main characters are Marc who is a wrestler with an Olympic Gold Medal, his brother David who is the better wrestler. Marc is a loner who lives poorly in the economic sense. He gives it all to the sport though and despite having to survive on ramen and fast food burgers, he is dedicated.
One day he is approached by a very rich man who would like to sponsor a wrestling team to the world championship and olympics. He makes an offer to Marc, board at a very nice house in the estate and a great gym to work in, and a good salary. He takes it but his brother Dave didn't want to come (he has the better career and he is not only a good wrestler but also a good coach) since he has been offered alternatives.

Marc gets close to the rich guy who has mommy issues, and the rich guy manipulates him (easily since he focuses on the complicated relationship he has with his brother without whose support Marc wouldn't be as successful. He plays on his loneliness, feeds his jealousy towards his brother (who actually raised him when their father left them) and becomes a father figure and a friend to him. However Marc stops training, doesn't speak to his brother and there is some homoerotic tension between him and the rich guy. Due to this lack of training, continuous drinking and the rich lifestyle causes him to relax the wrestling and lose games. The rich guy makes David an offer he can't refuse and since his wife is on board he joins the team. Marc acts all pouty and sullen and doesn't even train with the rest of the team. He gives the rich guy the attitude too. But his brother is a decent man and he doesn't want him to waste his potential so he helps him out during a crisis and specifically keeps the rich guy away from his brother. He wins the match as a result.

Unfortunately one of the conditions of the rich guy to financially help out the team and the olympic committee (and David insists on financial security for this brother even if he loses) is that he is going to be present and acts as coach at Marc's matches. They agree but this had a bad affect on Marc and he loses. Marc gets kicked out from the estate.

The rich guy tries to see himself as a mentor and coach to the athletes and all that jazz but he is not stupid or illusioned enough to believe that. He gets jealous of David (not just his performance but his personality and coaching skills) and one day he goes to his house at the estate and shots him dead. Yeah he did that in real life but I don't know what his reasons were.