I, TONYA
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Julianne Nicholson, Bobby Carnavale, Allison Janney
Rating: (R16) ★★★
One of the great media scandals of its day, albeit quickly overshadowed by the subsequent O. J. Simpson saga, it still lingers in the memory, not least because the truth of what actually happened has always seemed a little unclear.
I, Tonya aims to fill in the blanks, focusing on the enigmatic Harding and her rise from working class roots to superstardom and back again, by way of abusive relationships with both her husband Jeff and mother LaVona, the centrepiece being, of course, "the incident". I should probably mention too that it’s a comedy ...
Aussie director Craig Gillespie (The Finest Hours) takes on the story with a Scorsese-esque vigour, generously allowing for much breaking of the fourth wall and contradictory direct-to-camera statements from the participants, acknowledging that what we’re seeing may or may not be how events really played out.
Technically it’s ambitious and inventive, barely stopping to catch a breath, the camerawork shining in the CGI’d skating scenes in particular. The acting is strong throughout, the absolute standout being Allison Janney as the chain-smoking, hard-drinking LaVona, although Margot Robbie is fully engaging and empathetic in the title role.
When it works it’s very good, but there’s a fundamental shallowness about it which, while still making for a pretty entertaining flick, ignores the opportunity to, you know, say something a bit more meaningful. Cautiously recommended.
- Jeremy Quinn
