I, Tonya (2017)

At first glance Tonya Harding seems something of an odd choice for a bio-pic, especially a sympathetic one, but the new film I, Tonya works remarkably well. I came out of the movie thinking very differently about it's subject then I did going in. Tonya Harding's life came just shy of being one of those feel good, inspiring true stories. Coming from a background that Harding herself called poor and redneck, through talent and determination she rose to remarkable heights in the world of competitive figure skating, generally a domain of the privileged, and was the first woman to successfully execute two triple axels in a single competition, and the first to complete a triple axel in combination with a double toe loop. These were big deals. However some poor decisions by those in her orbit, particularly her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly derailed her. In a darkly comic turn of events a botched attempt to cripple one of Tonya's chief competitors, Nancy Kerrigan, insured that Tonya would forever be associated with the tabloids and little else.

While something like I, Tonya could have easily been a forgettable Lifetime movie, the material here is somehow elevated, by the script, direction, a pretty rad 80's heavy soundtrack, and the performances. As of now lead Margot Robbie is my preferred pick for the best actress Oscar, she really nailed it, humanizing her and making us feel for a woman who had become cultural shorthand for scheming villain. Allison Janney (who has already won a best supporting actress Golden Globe as Tonya's mom) and Sebastian Stan as Gillooly are both excellent as well. The film manages to stick just shy of being outright farce, sees the ridiculousness of the situation she found herself caught in, and the tragic consequences it had for a career that had been her entire life. Easily one of the five best films of last year. ****