Review of I, Tonya (2017) by Aw C — 26 Dec 2017

Taking a mostly tongue-in-cheek approach to the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan faff at the 1994 Winter Olympics, I, Tonya is a gloriously insane movie, constantly breaking the 4th wall, frequently cutting back and forth between interviews where the characters try their best to outdo each other in the dishonesty department.

The film has a crazed energy that matches the interactions of the actors, and it's downright savage at times. The incident that forms the centrepiece of the film is so difficult to fathom, and while the film falters when trying to make itself feel like an espionage thriller, it makes clear the point that everyone was basically a lying scumbag, and that Tonya herself was more than just a spoke on the spinning wheel.

Margot Robbie continues to prove herself as an immensely talented actress, transforming from mad country girl obsessed with skating to devious, scheming Olympian obsessed with winning at all costs. It was an odd choice to have Robbie play Harding at 14 years old, since she doesn't look anywhere near young enough to do so, and the same goes with her on-screen love interest.

The other standout is Allison Janney, a boiling pot of fire, vulgarity and reckless abandon. Janney keeps the character from lapsing into caricature, and there's an honesty to her words and actions that make her relatable, if not entirely likable.

Overall, it's a fascinating story full of wit, shock, humour and gravitas. A terrific sports biopic and an equally entertaining character study.