'Foxcatcher' Reviews, Cast Rumors: Steve Carell and Channing Tatum Receive Praise From Critics

The upcoming "Foxcatcher" movie has drawn overwhelming positive response from critics who are all praise for the performance of its main stars, particularly that of Steve Carell and Channing Tatum.

The film will hit the big screen on Nov. 14 although it already debuted last May at the Cannes film festival where it got rave reviews. Since then it has been screened in various film festivals in the U.S. and abroad, including those held at Telluride and New York.

The dark-themed film focuses on three main characters -- John Eleuthère du Pont (played by Carell), Mark Schultz (Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo). Carell and Tatum play gold medal-winning wrestlers in the film.

Directed by Bennett Miller and based on a script penned by Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye, "Foxcatcher" is based on the events surrounding the murder of Dave Shultz by John du Pont.

After the film was screened for reviewers last week, the critics noticed how Carell fully immersed himself in the role.

Variety described Carell's portrayal of Dupont as "chilling," saying it has "thrust him into a race for the Best Actor Oscar." The magazine added that the Oscar awards this year are going to be closely fought as voters have several outstanding performances and productions to choose from.

Carell's work in the film has also been described as "surprising" as he normally plays the good-guy role in light-hearted comedies such as the "The 40-year-old Virgin," which went on to become a major international hit.

Tatum's performance has also drawn notice from critics who said they will not be surprised if he is nominated in the supporting actor category at the Oscars.

Opening next week in cinemas, "Foxcatcher" faces a major test on whether or not the audience will enthusiastically accept it just as the critics have. How the film fares commercially will, however, have very little impact on its Oscar chances.