I, Tonya (2017)

The story of Tonya Harding is a complex one, with more twists and turns than one may think going into this biographical film. From early childhood, to the infamous incident that knocked her from fame 'I, Tonya' tells every little detail with semi-perfection. Director Craig Gillespie is admittingly a director I'm that fond of. Directing very few hit films, with 2011's 'Fright Night' remake particularly drawing my ire but 'Tonya' is by far his best work to date. Now to be fair, it is a little difficult to mess up a true story, but you'd be surprised how many films do and while I won't say 'I, Tonya' is one of the best bio flicks, but it is one of the better ones.

If this film nails anything right away, it's the performances from the outstanding cast for sure. Margot Robbie is one of my favorite actresses and she once again gives her best here, becoming Tonya Harding and despite her crass attitude you still feel for her when necessary. Allison Janey plays her horrific mother with the same professionalism and will make you absolutely hate her. The weakest of the three here is Sebastian Stan, best known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tonya's ex-husband. While he's far from terrible, for being the ultimate catalyst in what happened during the Olympics he seems to be on the sidelines and feels more like a plot point than a real person.

The film's biggest issue is in what kind of tone it wants to portray and juggles it a bit too much. It's as if Gillespie wanted his own 'Wolf of Wall Street' but the issue with comedic tones in a story such as Tonya Harding's is that she did not have lighter moments throughout her life. She was abused by her mother and husband, and was denied and discriminated against by nearly everyone her whole life. I get that inserting humor here and there can work in real life stories and some do hit and had me laughing, it can leave the audience confused.

'I, Tonya' deserves its various award nominations this year, with great performances and compelling true life story. But its comedic attempts stumbles more often than not, and the film's performers can be inconsistent. The director is unfortunately not the most visual based one either, but overall I recommend the movie for those interested in the story or if you're a fan of Margot Robbie.

7/10