What did Tonya know and when?

Rating: 9/10 (13 January 2018)

Comparisons come to mind when thinking of both Tonya Harding and this excellent film about her life and that notorious incident that led to her disgrace
and banishment. The film is done almost as a homage to the faux documentary
style that Gus Van Sant used in To Die For which was based on the Elizabeth
Smart story. Both even had Australians as protagonists, Nicole Kidman for the
Van Sant film and gloriously memorable Margot Robbie for I Tonya.
I racked my brain trying to think of a sports figure like Tonya Harding and the
closest I came up with was Shoeless Joe Jackson who came from a similar trailer park background that Harding did. He too listened to the worse angels
of his nature and got himself banned for life in his sport. Jackson had far less
education than Harding did, in fact he was almost illiterate.
One thing about Jackson though his choice of life partner was a good one. By
all accounts his choice of life mate was inspired as Katie Winn Jackson stuck
loyally by him and was never a bad influence.
That could not be said for Jeff Gillooly who had the same kind of trailer park
background that Tonya did and who let being the husband of a celebrity just
totally go to his head. Sebastian Stan whom I consider one of the best actors
around today plays Gillooly with an explosive intensity. As the sports press
built up this rivalry between Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, Gillooly tries to think
of ways he can make himself indispensable to his wife.
Thus was born the knee capping incident which gained both Kerrigan and Harding a celebrity status far beyond the world of women's figure skating. It
was done by a man hired by a dim bulb friend of Gillooly's played by Paul Walker Houser. The scene with Houser being interviewed by the FBI is laughable and the expressions on the faces of the agents just says it all.
The investigation went almost Watergate like up the ladder until the real target was reached by law enforcement and public opinion. It's such an incredibly plaintive scene as Harding begs the Figure Skating Association not to
be banned. It's all she knows. The film is purposely vague as to how much
Tonya did know.
Best of all is Allison Janney and while the cast is great and many might get
Oscar consideration Janney I think is a sure bet for a nomination as the monster of a mother that Robbie has. Still alive she denies the child abuse
allegations. I kind of doubt it. Janney is unforgettable.
Two scenes are also real keys to Harding's character and how it developed. One is early on when Harding berates the judges. She knows she outskated
everyone, but they remind her that form and presentation count big for them.
And later on she's told she's not the right image. Figure skating champions have to be pristine princesses as they have from Sonja Henie to today. She
does make the effort to clean up her image.
She almost does and a scene that will break your heart just before the fall is her leaving an arena and being asked by a little girl for an autograph. In that
moment with dignity and class she shows herself the role model sports figure
she was expected to be. Poignant all the more because the audience knows
the fall is coming.
More than would be figure skaters should see I Tonya. It's the sad story of an
American tragedy.