I, Tonya

Released: January 19, 2018

Director: Craig Gillespie

Starring: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney

Bechdel Test: Passes

Worth Spending Money On

I actually watched this because I thought it would a somewhat light fare to end my night on. I had heard it was a dark comedy, but no one had told me that it was erring closer to the side of dark than comedy. There were certainly moments where I chuckled but nothing got me really laughing the way I had expected. And I guess I've been an easy crier lately because I teared up more than once while watching this film.

Tonya Harding is no longer a familiar story so it's an interesting movie to sit down for. The fact that it chronicles her life from a young age helped set the stage for the "incident" as they call it throughout the film. But watching her grow up is not easy due to the abuse she receives throughout most of her life. Where this could easily have been filmed as an underdog story the ending negates any and all accomplishments she makes and the fact that she never really had a chance reveals the tragic reality that is competitive sports like this.

Everyone in the film is a dream. Not one person miscast or out of character and the interviews scattered between were well timed. That all these characters are real people is remarkable. The film also managed to capture the era so well, partly due to the fantastic soundtrack and mostly due to the wardrobe and makeup. The only thing that's a bit jarring is something that should have set it apart: when the cast addresses the audience. It could have been a brilliant move but it felt scattered and besides the final lines it didn't really pack any punches the way it should have.

Tonya Harding today would be a different story, and in the light of #MeToo I think her story has the best chance of resonating with audiences. It's best that she's not depicted as a hero, or as innocent, but it's also best that she's depicted as a woman in trouble, and those jarring lines about her audience being her abusers, too... that's the moment when everything really falls into place. This is a movie worth watching and a woman worth apologizing to.