A dark comedy of many, many errors

Rating: 6/10 (25 June 2018)

In the history of American competitive athletics, there are a few moments that stand the test of time and are remembered many years after they happen. One of these moments is profiled in 'I, Tonya' - the 2017 quasi-fictional documentary-style film that follows the tumultuous life of former U.S. figure skater Tonya Harding (portrayed here by Margot Robbie), who had a swift rise to the top of the podium and an even swifter fall from grace thanks to the actions of her former husband.
But 'Tonya' is about more than just "the incident" (as it's referred to in the film) - it takes us behind the curtain to see how the self-professed redneck was able to defy the odds, fending off constant verbal and physical abuse from her monster mother, LaVona (played brilliantly by Allison Janney), and her one-time husband, Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), to make the U.S. Olympic team twice in two years. 'Tonya' is filmed in an unusual way, where the story's characters are interviewed present day, reflecting back on the events, and we then see these events play out. Director Craig Gillespie takes liberties with this approach, doing things like having the actors break the third wall multiple times to dialogue with the audience and editing together reflections to tell a disjointed story.
But as serious as this story could be, since it's not a happy one, it's interesting to see how much sarcasm is injected into 'Tonya.' Of course, this was likely something that was cleared with Harding herself, but it still is almost shocking to see some of the things that are depicted onscreen and are then basically shrugged off. Because Gillooly and her mother were such domineering personalities who controlled Harding, the relationships are what drive the entire film more than anything else. Also not lost on us is the stupidity of nearly everyone involved here - from the attack on Nancy Kerrigan to the cover up, it's like a comedy of error after error - and everything is captured in a way that makes it feel almost unreal.
'I, Tonya' is not an amazing film in and of itself, but it's a vehicle through which standout acting performances are carried. And for that reason, it should be recognized.