I, Tonya is a biopic that moves beyond the sensationalized 1994 scandal and into the troubled life and rise of figure skater Tonya Harding. Through Craig Gillespie, it combines dark humor with tragedy, rewriting convention in a unique way- Harding is a multidimensional persona trapped in ambition, abuse, and media chaos.
Well, let me get it out in the open first and foremost: I, Tonya is one crazy ride. Fans of films with an element of darkness and undercurrent humor who are okay with no sugarcoating whatsoever should take this film. The 2017 biographical drama directed by Craig Gillespie translates onto the screen one of the most notorious stories to make the news in the skating world-Tonya Harding. It doesn't stop at being outrageous. It's hard not to have an opinion about Tonya's rise to fame and subsequent fall from grace. And having seen I, Tonya, it's clear this film is as much about the messy complexity of her life as it is about the media circus surrounding her.
This movie does not only outline the involvement of Harding with the scandal in the attack against Nancy Kerrigan in 1994 but gives raw exposure of her disturbed upbringing, troubled and tumultuous relations, and the pressure laid on her as an elite athlete. This story is told by many voices: Tonya's, her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly's, and even her mother LaVona's. By the clever use of breaking the fourth wall, the characters address the audience directly, offering their versions of the truth, leaving us to decide where the truth really lies.
The Strength of Margot Robbie's Performance
Smack in the middle of I, Tonya is Margot Robbie's powerhouse performance as Tonya Harding. Robbie not only captures the essence of Tonya-both fierce and rebellious-but also her susceptibility from constant judgment shadowed by onlookers in life. Tonya, through Robbie, is an awesomely complicated character. She's no angel, but the film allows us to see the layers behind her actions: a girl trying to escape an abusive upbringing, someone desperate to prove herself, and ultimately, a woman caught in a whirlwind of media sensationalism.
Robbie does an outstanding job of humanizing Tonya, and, while she was undoubtedly one who made a string of bad choices, she was also a victim of circumstances beyond her control. You can't help but feel sympathetic while watching her struggle with her toxic relationship with Jeff and her tyrannical mother, LaVona-also played brilliantly by Allison Janney.
The Supporting Cast and Its Impact
The supporting cast is also fine, especially Allison Janney as LaVona, Tonya's icy, manipulative mother. Janney's LaVona is darkly comical and really chilling. She brings a level to an otherwise one-dimensional character that a lesser actor would have failed to do. The movie does not skirt around the cruel treatment Tonya suffered at the hands of LaVona, yet it depicts the dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship as some sort of twisted loyalty.
The other noteworthy performance here is from Sebastian Stan as Jeff Gillooly. Of course, interesting would be the role of an ex-husband who played a key part in the Kerrigan attack. While he came off both ridiculous and pathetic, he's still somewhat sympathetic in his own messed-up way. It never fully absolves him, but it allows us to see how his insecurities and manipulation of Tonya contributed to the chaos.
Visual Style and Tone of the Film
Another thing that makes this film unique is the tone. It's a dark comedy, yet it is a tragedy. The movie fluidly manages to balance its humorous moments with the sad realities of Tonya's life. Quick-witted dialogues, exaggerated characters, and real-life footage of the infamous events create a strange mix of entertainment and discomfort. But, of course, the movie is funny, yet its uncomfortable laughs-like when you get the realization that what you just saw is not just some farcical story but a real-life tragedy to the people involved-is what really stands out.
The skating sequences, too, are achingly beautiful. Robbie really trained hard for the role and did some of her own skating stunts, adding to the realism of the film. You can feel the grace and strength that Tonya brought to her craft, and this film really allows us to appreciate her skills, which were so often overshadowed by the scandal surrounding her.
The Controversy – Is Tonya Harding a Victim?
One of the most interesting things about I, Tonya is how it plays with preconceived notions about Harding. The film doesn't excuse her actions, but it does complicate the narrative. It makes you question if Harding was truly a villain in the scandal or if she was the victim of circumstance and manipulation. Was she a calculating mastermind behind the attack on Kerrigan, or was she, as she often claimed, unaware of the plot? The movie doesn't give an answer to this. It leaves us to wrestle with the ambiguity, showing us that often the truth is elusive, and the people involved are far more complicated than we might have assumed.
The film treats Tonya as the villain, which mirrors the way the media did in the 90s. We see her being stereotyped as "white trash" and "unrefined" from the media, something that brought her down rather than her real achievements as an athlete. The movie questions how much of the public's judgment was about the scandal and how much about a judgment upon her as a person based on class and appearance.
Final Thoughts – A Profile of a Multidimensional Lady
I, Tonya is fundamentally a movie that deals with abuse, media manipulation, and classism, as well as the price of fame. It asks important questions of how we treat the people we elevate then tear down. Through a mix of humor, pathos, and tragedy, the film humanizes Tonya Harding in ways the media never did. It's a wild ride that will make you laugh, cringe, and at times feel heartbroken for the woman in the middle of it all.
To me, I, Tonya is one of those films that kick you in the guts and make you think. One could hardly feel anything but empathy for Tonya, who went through so much in the face of public scorn and personal hardship. The film does not get her off on easy terms, but it does bring us into the messiness of her life in a very engaging and enlightening manner.
If you haven't seen I, Tonya yet, do watch it-just be prepared for a film that doesn't pull any punches. It's an unflinching look at a woman who deserves more than just the scandal she became known for.
I watched the movie multiple times as a child. I didn't exactly understand it then but now older I understand it a lot. Me and my sister used to spend our winter days just rewatching it. After many years it's still one of my favorite movies to rewatch. The idea for me to write about this I got from my friend who just watched it.
My review of the movie: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What did you think of the movie?
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