Review of I, Tonya (2017) by Donna W — 18 Jun 2018

From the opening title card, you're prepped to expect unreliable narration; the story is told from two "wildly conflicting" views by Tonya Harding and her former husband, Jeff Gillooly. On the surface I, Tonya is a recontextualization of the 1993 incident with Nancy Carrigan, but underneath it's a commentary on social class and abuse.

Margot Robbie is amazing as Tonya, whose desire to share her side of the story (and clear her name) overshadows the abuse she endures. The mistreatment at the hands of everyone from her mother to her husband, to the skating community at-large is almost comedic in that it's addressed so nonchalantly.

A scene where Tonya's head is pushed through glass is described so matter-of-factly that it has the opposite effect and actually highlights the characters struggles. I, Tonya's unique structure and fantastic performances are not only thoroughly entertaining but compelled me to google her story for hours after watching the film.