There's no need to have class when you have talent. 

"I, Tonya" is directed by Craig Gillespie (The Finest Hours) and written by Steven Rogers (P.S I Love You). Oscar nominee Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) plays the infamous ice-skater, Tonya Harding. Her co-stars include fellow Oscar nominee Allison Janney (The Help) and Sebastian Stan (Captain America). "Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes". "I, Tonya" is Margot Robbie's vehicle to showcase her talent to critics. Robbie is Oscar-nominated for her performance; was "I, Tonya" a great career move?

This is the film I have been anticipating the most this awards season so when it was the choice for Odeon's latest #ScreenUnseen; you can bet I was full of joy and excitement when the BBFC certificate revealed the film that was being shown. "I, Tonya" did not disappoint; it was everything I hoped it would be. For me, this is the best #ScreenUnseen Odeon has put on yet, and it was one of the rare occasions where no audience members walked out of the screening. Margot Robbie is one of my favourite actresses; her performance in this film has received high praise from critics (which makes me very happy!) and a well-deserved Oscar nomination. Margot Elise Robbie is now an Oscar-nominated actress (felt amazing to type that). The film's other two nominations are for Best Supporting Actress (Allison Janney) and Best Editing; I wish "I, Tonya" was nominated in more than three categories but it certainly deserves the recognition it is getting. I loved "I, Tonya" and I am looking forward to telling you why...

Firstly, the performances across the board are excellent; there is no weak link in this cast. Margot Robbie leads as Tonya Harding. It was refreshing to see Robbie cast in a high-brow film and in a role that gives her the opportunity to be taken seriously as an actress. Due to the structuring of the script, Robbie does often get overshadowed throughout the first half of the film as scenes are stolen by Allison Janney's hilarious one-liners and dark sense of humour (more on her soon). However, Robbie truly comes into her own in the second half of the film. She allows the audience to sympathise and relate to Tonya Harding, a widely disliked person. It also seems like Robbie was committed to the role when it came to learning the basics of ice-skating. Although the complex routines were performed by a double, Robbie always appears to start and finish each routine, and she does it well. This film's depiction of Tonya Harding and Robbie's Harley Quinn are both very similar characters; they both are in abusive relationships, have big personalities and are skilful. Robbie manages to differentiate these two performances; they do not feel like the same character. Tonya Harding is an outspoken, strong-willed and devious individual; Robbie encapsulates all of these qualities tremendously. The brief scene below is one of Robbie's strongest moments; she gets the audience to feel compassion for Tonya, and she gets the audience to understand the inner demons and sadness that is behind her smile. This is one of the few scenes where Robbie's Tonya lets her front down and bares all to the audience; the direct address helps create this effect further.  

Allison Janney will likely win an Oscar for her performance as Tonya's mother, LaVona Golden. Does she deserve it? If you had asked me towards the start of the film I probably would have been hesitant to say yes. As the film continued though, I realised what Janney was doing with her performance. She was intentionally cold, blunt and vociferous. Janney's performance elicited the biggest laughs from the audience. Janney is a scene-stealer, delivering her lines hilariously. I left the cinema impressed by Janney; I have not seen a performance from her like this. What I also liked was the chemistry between Robbie and Janney; both actresses developed similar mannerisms, and although neither expressed much love for the other, a mother/daughter bond was present. Sebastian Stan has been robbed; he deserves so much more attention for his performance in this film than he is getting. This could be down to Stan playing Jeff Gillooly, a man who was convicted of organising the assault of a woman. It is understandable that Hollywood may not want to recognise this character considering the current issues that are occurring, but it is unfortunate that Stan's performance has been ignored. Stan and Robbie's relationship is convincing, when they are fighting and when they are loving. Sebastian Stan can do comedy, romance, crime and drama; all of which are showcased in "I, Tonya". The entire supporting cast is impressive: Julianne Nicholson, Paul Walter Hauser, McKenna Grace are just a few of names that make up the talented ensemble. 

"I, Tonya" does not just have great performances, it is fabulously edited too. Creative editing was not something I was expecting from "I, Tonya", therefore making the choppy docufiction-style a pleasant surprise. It was smart for director Craig Gillespie to tell this story as part-mockumentary; it is made clear at the beginning that the film is based on a series of contradicting interviews; this docufiction approach could be being utilised satirically, commenting on how much truth lies within this story. "I, Tonya" also breaks the fourth wall. This was another apt and fitting choice that was unexpected. The fourth wall was mainly broken when a character wanted to have input in somebody else's reinterpretation of a story. For example, when Jeff states that Tonya threatened him with a rifle and she turns to the camera to inform the audience that this did not happen. Tonya's trainer also breaks the fourth wall while Tonya is being put through her paces to confirm that Tonya did train and work hard. My favourite example of the fourth wall being broken was when Tonya begins to talk about 'the incident' and states that this is the reason the audience is watching. Tonya then goes on to attack the audience for hating on her in the past. This was quite an intense moment; I even felt confronted despite not knowing anything about Tonya Harding before watching the film. I also liked when Tonya turns to the audience at the end and says 'this is the truth'. It was a suitable final line and encourages thought-provoking discussion of the film. 

The cinematography was good, especially during the ice-skating performances. The camera followed Tonya around the screen eloquently, capturing all of her tricks and her every move. Gillespie and cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis work well together to create this film's most memorable and visually pleasing moments. Finally, the facial mapping VFX could be vastly improved. In the film's defence, it was made on a smaller budget, $11 million, but I think even the most passive viewer would notice the dodgy visuals during the ice-skating scenes. I would not say this hindered the film though as what set Tonya Harding apart were her incredible skating skills; it would have been impossible for Robbie to get to the same level as Harding in a matter of months. 

Regarding the narrative, "I, Tonya" successfully fills its 120-minute running time with quite a large-scale story. It shows Tonya growing up, Tonya's love life, Tonya's skating life and the Nancy Kerrigan assault scandal. The film did not feel rushed; it moved at a steady pace. Telling such a large story allowed the audience to get lots of character development, not only with Tonya but also Jeff (and to some extent LaVona). This also meant that "I, Tonya" dips its toes into many different genres: biopic, crime, drama, sport and comedy; it excels in each. Speaking of comedy, "I, Tonya" has some hilarious moments; Allison Janney's comedic delivery is excellent (when she swears in response to parents telling her not to around children) and Margot Robbie also has her share of funny moments (the resolution she offers Jeff when he acts like it is the end of the world); the script is full of amusing, witty and often hysterical lines. Some may argue that "I, Tonya" has tonal problems; I would be able to see where they are coming from. The narrative jumps between serious and light-hearted moments frequently. 

There are many messages to be taken away from "I, Tonya". Firstly, this is an unconventional story (a choppy narrative that makes abrupt time jumps) about unconventional people. Tonya Harding does not fit the mould of the typical skater - she dances to different music, she dresses differently, and her appearance differs from the ideal; she is judged unfairly because of all of this. However, Tonya does not let this stop her, and when it does, she confronts the issue head-on. This shows that there are no boxes or ideals and if you fight for something, you will get there. Commentary is also made on how the media portrays celebrity life. Tonya's rivalry with Nancy Kerrigan is what many thought would be the focus of this film. This topic is addressed, but only briefly, as Tonya states that she and Nancy were good friends but the media liked to portray them as enemies. Tonya is in an abusive relationship with both her mother and her partner. The film does not handle this with a heavy tone (possibly suggesting that Tonya's allegations are overexaggerated?), but it was shocking and uncomfortable to watch. It was also interesting to find out that this aggression made Tonya perform better; suggesting that in later life, all of the drama caused by 'the incident' only made her more determined. As the Nacy Kerrigan-assault-case concludes and both Jeff and Tonya are sentenced, it was shocking to see the flaws of the American justice system. Jeff, who has hard evidence against him, is sentenced to 18 months jail time and as time moves on, the press stops caring about him. As for Tonya, she avoids jail time but is fined and is banned from ice-skating for life; the one thing that made her determined that she could always rely on, she could no longer do. Margot Robbie portrays the absolute sadness Tonya would have been feeling brilliantly. As Tonya says in the film, she has essentially got a life sentence and will always have the press following her because she is a public figure. The film does end on an upbeat note as Tonya finds a new passion - boxing - and while she is partaking in a match, her voiceover comments on America wanting someone to hate (most of this can be heard in the trailer). Tonya is getting brutally beaten during the match, and I think this symbolises all of the hate and backlash she has received. I also liked how the film ends in a way that will provoke conversation and discussion after watching. Was Tonya telling the truth? More importantly, I thought it was nice that the film highlighted that everyone has their own truth and only each individual can account for themselves. 

I have fallen in love with "I, Tonya"; I am already desperate to watch it again. Margot Robbie was a great choice to play Tonya Harding; not only is she clearly committed to the role but she definitely showcases her acting chops. Robbie is fantastic. Allison Janney deserves every award she has received; she is a scene-stealer with her hilarious performance. Sebastian Stan may also be the most overlooked performance for the Best Supporting Actor category. Although the face-mapping is not great, the ice-skating sequences are otherwise captured terrifically. The film is full of many poignant and relevant but also timeless messages. "I, Tonya" is funny, thrilling and shocking. It shows a more sympathetic side to Tonya Harding, a woman who has been hated for years, which was insightful. Despite this being an awards contender, it never feels pretentious, the artistry may not be as prominent as in other contenders, but this is a well-made piece in every area. This film has great performances, clever editing and a well-paced narrative. Throw in the superb soundtrack, and that's a triple axel of great things that make up "I, Tonya".  

86

/100

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