Spinning a Tale

Like landing a triple axel, figuratively speaking, I, Tonya writer Steven Rogers and director Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl) conquer the difficult feat of bringing the complicated career of figure skater Tonya Harding to vivid life on the big screen.

Relishing in the ‘perception of truth’, Rogers and Gillespie develop a bio-pic mockumentary style approach, each character having their own version of the story. Complex in its narrative direction, multiple persons have their say, sometimes breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the audience – at one point, Harding (Margot Robbie – Academy Award nominee for Best Lead Actress), gun in hand, makes it quite clear that this portion of the tale never actually happened – a rebuttal to her husband, Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), and his unflattering perspective.

Walking the fine line that can easily alienate its audience, the very dramatic story – for those of you who may not know, I will simply divulge that Harding was somehow involved in a brutal attack on fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan – is written as a pitch black comedy.

Starting the story from a very early age, Harding (played by two different girls, Maizie Smith and Mckenna Grace) is raised by her vicious mother, LaVona Golden (Allison Janney – nominated for Best Supporting Actress). . . a woman that could best be described by another figure skating term, Salchow – pronounced sow cow. Both physically and mentally abusive, the best thing that can be said about her is that she feeds most of her money into her daughter’s natural talent – figure skating.

A case of what you see is what you know, Harding falls for almost the first guy she lays eyes on, Jeff. It does not take long for the man to abuse her as well, something she rationalizes in that her mother did the same – and she loves her. Rushing into marriage, she also becomes the acquaintance of Jeff’s best friend, Shawn (Paul Walter Hauser) – a delusional dude who believes that he is a security and anti-terrorist expert.

One of the premier talents on the figure skating circuit, she is coached by Diane Rawlinson (Julianne Nicholson), having given up the tutelage of every other student to focus on the prodigy. Though by far one of the best skaters in America, her redneck upbringing, brute strength, and unorthodox routines (often performing to hard rock songs instead of the traditional choice of classical or operatic music), ostracize her from her fellow opponents, and more importantly, the judges.

Never fully able to extricate herself from her scheming husband (he eventually becomes her ex), he is like the proverbial cat that keeps coming back – a pest that wreaks havoc, but, once ousted, attempts to ingratiate himself with his owner once again. It is this flawed relationship that eventually draws her into the above mentioned scandal.

A fascinating look into a story that almost seems so fantastical that it has to be made up, its superb execution and meaty narrative should appeal to both those who know the infamous tale as well as those who do not. What it really comes down to is whether you can accept its edgy comedic tone, something some will likely struggle with (after all, abuse and violence are no laughing matter). Yet, like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, this motion picture proves that with stylish writing and a director’s deft touch, it is okay to laugh out loud, only to be shocked soon after by the horrid circumstances of her existence. It is this clash of genres that gives it an almost absurdist tone. Just to give you an example, lines like, “look, Nancy gets hit one time and the whole world shits. . . For me it was an all-the-time occurrence”, can be found throughout.

Thriving in part thanks to its acting, each performer channels their respective character, savouring the rich opportunity. Arguably Robbie’s best performance thus far, it feels as though she is Harding, an ease in each and every one of her many moves. Her arc is what drives the story forward, and she draws us in – shock and awe at this bold trailblazer attempting to change a sport and its very politically correct, puritanical outlook. Yet, it is her environment that drags her down. Despite her sheer talent and fearlessness (the first American woman to land the triple axel – there have only been six women since who have been able to accomplish the difficult task), her lack of family roots hinders her nearly every step of the way. Stan’s persona really is a nasty piece of work, a man whose anger is always approaching boiling point. . . from loving husband to a bruiser in a split second. His friend, played by Hauser, is perhaps the most ludicrous character onscreen this year – comedic in his bizarreness, despite being a dangerous guy who misinterprets simple tasks by twisting them using his own obtuse vision. Bobby Cannavale also has a small role as a television producer who covered the events at the time (a solid turn from the Boardwalk Empire vet). Finally, there is the dynamic Allison Janney. Delighting in playing the villain, her flawed logic as a parent sees her as the burden-barer. She is cruel, cold, crass, and cantankerous – a woman who does not have a motherly bone in her body. Like the rest of the cast, she expertly plays with the script, finding comedy and drama in each line of dialogue – i.e. “I made you a champion, knowing you’d hate me for it. That’s the sacrifice a mother makes! I wish I’d had a mother like me instead of nice. Nice gets you shit! I didn’t like my mother either, so what? I fucking gave you a gift!”. One more for good measure, “you skated like a graceless bull dyke. I was embarrassed for you”.

Interviewing both Harding and Gillooly, their varied recollections are the fuel that directed the fire towards the film’s unique format. . . a nice change of pace from the traditional bio-pic. I, Tonya also features stellar performances and quality direction (and a rocking soundtrack – Heart’s “Barracuda” just one example), a fitting tone for an unbelievably (mostly) true tale of culture clashes, the competitiveness of sports and so much more. So, make up your own mind as to which viewpoint to believe and watch this intriguing feature film, only you can decide if it deserves a perfect score!