Unfortunate Lifetime TV Channel feel presentation

Rating: 7/10 (5 January 2018)

Haven't seen director Craig Glliespie's "I, Tanya" yet? Not to worry, you probably won't unless the amazing Allison Janney ("Mom" and "The West Wing") gets nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. Unfortunately, Glliespie ("Lars and the Real Girl" - 2007) presents a big screen film that has a cheesy TV Lifetime Channel feel. Adding to his odd documentary interview style directing here, is the over the top costume design by Jennifer Johnson, whose period outfits and extreme hair presentations are a distraction to the story. Margot Robbie (Tanya), best known for her "Suicide Squard - Harley Quinn" character plays Tanya consistently hard, making it almost impossible to be believe her character and/or feel sorry for her predicament. The handsome Sebastian Stan (Jeff - Tanya's wild husband behind the mustache) is a pleasant contrast to Robbie and Janney's (Tanya's hardcore mother) bull in a china shop relationship. Character actor Paul Waiter Hauser does a nice job here as the guy behind the Nancy Karrington (played briefly by Caitlin Carve "Paper Town" 2015) attact. Odd as his character is, he comes across as the most believable in the film. Regardless of the above, enough can't be said for Allison Janney's commitment to her in-your-face, foul-mouthed, distraught, put upon character. Because Janney is so well know for her current and past nice gal character roles, watching her in this role is both hard to watch, yet somehow extremely satisfying. If Glliespie has any credit coming his way for "I, Tanya," it's his casting of Janney in this Award worthy role.