Alternate Best Actor 2014: Channing Tatum in Foxcatcher

Channing Tatum did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Mark Schultz in Foxcatcher.

Channing Tatum, who wasn't exactly taken seriously as an actor, or even a performer, or even as a comedic performer, pre-2010's, underwent a fairly drastic revision, particularly in terms of the outlook of both the public perception and critical acclaim. Although he had a few decently regarded dramatic turns, in films like Magic Mike and Side Effects, the shift towards goodwill seemed to more strongly inspire from his comedic work in 21 Jump Street. I suppose then 2014 would have to be considered the pinnacle for Tatum's career shift at this time. This as he successfully recaptured that comic ability, even overshadowing better known as a comic performer Jonah Hill, in the aptly titled sequel 22 Jump Street. More than I anything I think one could see just from that work if Tatum managed to loosen up a bit, he not only could be an engaging performer, but also an endearing if not hilarious one. There Tatum excelled in playing with sort of his "hunk jock" persona, and just having fun in making fun of it and subverting it a bit more. His even greater challenge though perhaps would come with this film, which honestly is interesting in that Tatum again is working within that idea of an initial persona, however then too subverting it. This as the character of Mark Schultz is this Olympic gold medalist when we open the film, and his physical ability technically defines the man, in more ways than one would even perhaps expect. Given that my thoughts are already known, I should not beat around the bush too much, and I will declare this brilliant performance from the outset, although brilliant in a way that I would say is quite unexpected, not only just for Tatum, but even beyond the potential one might've expected from Tatum even found in his earlier successes.

Tatum who began with a dance movie, does deliver that same type of physicality, that shows the good casting here as Tatum as this wrestler. Tatum's performance though is not one resting on the laurels of this, as he wholly subverts any graceful qualities you might expect from a dancer in his portrayal of Mark. This only being the very first fantastic choices by Tatum in the role, this as he very much transforms himself here, even though his overall appearance is far more tempered than one would likely compare to his Oscar nominated co-stars. This in that other than the cauliflower ears it is in Tatum's work, as he protrudes his jaw slightly, and his whole physical work though says so much about Mark without even saying a word. This as his manner is fierce in that you very much get the sense of a man who lives by trying to physically impose others in the ring. There is a shyness though that Tatum brings in this in the way his head is almost always cocked down. This as a man who is mighty to look at but even as you do, Tatum grants the sense of the man retiring from sight. We can see him as not whole in terms of the control of himself even as you do get the sense of the physical strength of the man. The most essential thing about this, unlike a certain co-star, every physical mannerism Tatum employs feels wholly consistent and natural. He instead simply makes us feel like not only are we seeing Mark Schultz, we also know something about him just by looking at him.

Tatum's earliest scene is actually one of his most essential ones where we see Mark go to speak at an elementary school. Tatum is brilliant in this scene as he so effectively accentuates the incomplete man that Schultz is. This is as he speaks his poor speech with little articulation, even showing off his medal with this importance, however without a real sense of accomplishment of the pride of a refined athlete. Tatum instead brandishes it as though he won it in any old contest for a man who doesn't quite know what to do with it. We see the same as he is getting paid by the school for his speech, where they mistake him for his brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo). Tatum's way of correcting the person is fantastic as he notes that he also won a gold medal is not as this boast, but as this like rush to try to show that "he's good too" as he notes it. Of course what is essential here is found in the actual relationship between the two brothers, as we see them practice together. This as we meet Dave as a successful, but straight forward and modest man. I love the physical chemistry between Tatum and Ruffalo, in that you get in their grappling really the sense of the brother's bonding with one another, and with Dave almost hugging his brother affectionately even within the practice of grappling. An idea that isn't forced but rather so naturally just felt within their performances that grant a sense of a long loving relationship between the two. This being Dave as someone who has simply just tried to look out for his brother, while Mark struggles, in his own eyes, to be his own man.

It seems that Mark is given his own chance when offered an opportunity by millionaire John Du Pont (Steve Carell) offers to sponsor him and a wrestling team on his large estate. John speaks encouraging words to Mark, and Tatum makes so much in the moment of just listening. In that his eyes spark a sense of worth almost as the man only speaks to Mark as basically being a hero who isn't appreciated. The followup scene then is amazing when Mark brings up the chance offered by Du Pont to Dave. Tatum is outstanding as he speaks the words with passion, however how he articulates each individual word is as this copy and paste of whatever Du Pont said. Tatum finding this balance in his delivering of showing a man who believes in what he is saying only because it is saying the thing that the man who believes in him was saying. There is no sense of individual words with meaning in Tatum's delivery, just the generalized message, and in that Tatum shows how the man is just really going along with someone who seems to believe in him. This in not a way that show a depth of understanding of the ideas said to him, but rather just a sense of being appreciated at all. When Dave, for legitimate reasons, turns down the request, Tatum is again so remarkable in the way he physically withdraws again from the world. This as he shows a man now no longer with the words of others to speak, and lost particularly sense of self he had created through those words for a moment.

Mark takes the opportunity alone then and seems to be successful initially in this. This with John seemingly being generally supportive, even in his odd insular ways, and seeking what seems to be a friendship with Mark. Tatum is excellent in he portrays no manipulation on Mark's part in these moments. This is rather just revealing a man genuinely appreciative of the opportunity initially, and Tatum is terrific in the way he opens up his performance a bit as it seems he even is becoming a leader in the environment. In the earlier friendly moments with John, Tatum presents the right earnestness in his reactions, showing that Mark does appreciate this friendship and opportunity at first. Tatum though still finds the right deferring quality now in his scenes with Carell. He's open, but just the way he looks and listens the man, it is again of a little brother as he was with Dave. One of the earliest problems though coming when he and John visit Dave and his family in a hotel room, and it appears as though John was slighted through Dave's family's genuine though muted greetings towards John. Tatum portrays so well this defensiveness that is immediate and messy. This as he speaks as he doesn't quite know what he's mad at, but gives the sense of anxiety that the perceived slighting is something he has to fight against. Tatum portraying again not a strong sense of self-thought but rather again in reaction for another person's influence. Although of course that is contrasted by the immediate warm moment between the brothers, where Dave refuses to really even recognize the conflict instead just offering Mark support and wisdom towards his next wrestling match.

Although initially Mark and John find success, quickly that degrades through John's questionable behavior including drug taking and general abuse of Mark's friendship, which the film leaves ambiguous to the most extreme extent of that abuse. Tatum's performance though plays well the sense of this reducing Mark back to that sort of shyness within himself, particularly when John basically tries to replace him with Dave. Tatum doing so well in becoming this shell of a defense basically against John's abuse and his perceived unworthiness compared to his brother. At this point Tatum honestly has very few lines to himself as we just see the downward spiral of Mark, yet his impact is not at all muted as we see the weight of it almost destroy him. This particularly being after a lost match where we see Mark breakdown by lashing out in his hotel room and binge eating as a point of self-destruction. Tatum is simply astonishing in this scene in without saying a word he delivers such raw intensity and completely exudes the man's anguish in the only way he knows how. The entire scene being such a tremendous work from Tatum as just all that Mark is dealing with and can't deal with mentally, spilling out into this physical display of decay. This only being brought back from the brink by Dave's support, which includes trying to keep John away from him. Tatum in his final scenes, before the film shifts towards the tragic antagonistic relationship between John and Dave, is excellent though showing him reverting truly to Dave's little brother. This in his silent deferment towards his brother, and just a wary suspicion of John. This is exceptional work by Channing Tatum, as he grants only honesty to this portrayal. This portrait of a man who cannot define himself and therefore allows himself to be defined by others for better and often for worse. Tatum uses his presence to amplify the work, however transforms himself in a way that is only convincing of the character never showing off for the sake it. Sadly this approach made Tatum ignored in favor of  Carell's more overtly against type performance, however Tatum's work was a true show of range and talent that far exceeded most expectations of him as as performer.