One of the Best Movies of 2017

Rating: 10/10 (4 November 2018)

When I first saw the preview for "I, Tonya," I laughed. It looked cheesy, like a soap opera on ice - but I definitely wanted to see it. I just didn't expect much. I remembered the events unfolding in real life. I was about 13 at the time and watched it all happening on TV. It was just the sort of drama that grabbed the attention of a young girl in the early 90's. What's more, I was a dancer back then and (of course) there was that one girl who was my main rival. So there was some projecting going on.
I went into "I, Tonya" thinking it would be nostalgic and funny to see the figure-skating drama queens. But by the time I finished watching it, I realized this movie was far more than a trip to the past. I discovered how much I can relate to Tonya, and how much she (in this movie) is really a metaphor for the American Dream. She's also a symbol of the obstacles faced in pursuit of it. Specifically, she's an excellent example of how class affects our pursuit of the Dream.
No matter how hard Tonya works, and no matter how talented she is, her working-class background stands in the way of her dream. It doesn't just affect her ability to afford nice skating outfits and such. It affects her on a deeper level, destroying her self-esteem. Then she makes one bad choice after another - like staying in an abusive relationship.
In America, we don't like to talk about class. We like to think there are equal opportunities for everyone. This movie puts the issue front and center. You get the feeling that Tonya suspects what a lot of working-class people suspect: that the world is rigged against them. That the only way to get ahead is to cheat. Is that true? I'm not sure. I like how the movie isn't sure, either.
On one hand, you get the feeling that Tonya could have won the Olympics. Her coach believed in her. She had the talent. There's a reason why Rags-to-Riches is a cliche. Even though we have class divisions, we love it when people rise about their economic status to achieve their dreams. If she had the confidence in herself, could she have pulled it off?
On the other hand, the movie hints at what I mentioned before: that the system is, indeed, rigged. We hear whispers that Tonya just isn't family-friendly or the image the skating world wants to project. The implication there is that, no matter how good she is, they still won't let her win.
That's why I loved this movie. It doesn't really give any pat answers. It leaves the possibilities open. It shows that, yes, things are stacked against Tonya. But on the other hand, she had opportunities. After all, she did make it to the Olympics.
I also loved the way the movie handled the Nancy Kerrigan incident. Was Tonya Harding involved? It's essentially left up for you to decide. The move basically says, "Here she is. Here are the choices she made in her life leading up to that point." Then it doesn't draw conclusions for you.
That's why I enjoyed "I, Tonya" so much. It was much better than that fish love movie, in any case.