Great movie not to be missed!

Not a bad movie, but one of the WORST mis-uses of music I've encountered. One hit after another, just blasted at you. Added nothing to the ambiance of the film - and was just a total distraction. I imagine the idea was to get a sense of the time it took place, but jesus, they just hit you over the head with it. I turned off the sound just to get through it. Whoever made this movie needs to take a few lessons from Tarentino, a movie maker who understands how to use music in a film.

In my opinion this should have been Margot Robbie’s oscar. She absolutely smashed this role out of the park and don’t think it gets enough credit! It’s an extremely well delivered film made with a smaller budget than most.

Margot Robbie gives an incredible performance in this sports drama/comedy biopic of disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding. The film follows the early life and career of Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) and her alleged involvement in an attack on figure skating rival Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver), alongside husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan). Craig Gillespie does an excellent job of building suspense and sympathy for the characters as he includes interviews/testimonials of the characters, as the story builds. It provides a unique perspective into the events unfolding. The dialogue and acting is incredibly naturalistic, which is especially clear during the interviews of characters with slang and profanities being heavily used. The cinematography is very consistent and primarily utilizes eye level and shoulder level shots which put emphasis on the acting and story rather than the editing. The structure could be considered non-linear and very similar to Orson Welles’ 1941 drama “Citizen Kane”. Orson Welles pioneered the art of filmmaking as we know it today, and the structure of this film can be seen heavily influencing “I, Tonya” with the entire story being told as a flashback and through multiple points of view (P.O.V). The primary P.O.Vs in “I, Tonya” are Tonya (Margot Robbie), Jeff (Sebastian Stan), and LaVona Golden (Allison Janney) who is Tonya’s mom. Each provide perspectives of the attack on Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver), that are different. This contrast really helps to build suspense and engagement from the viewer. Even at the end of the film, viewers are only provided with the conclusion that each person involved has a different recollection of the events, leaving the viewer to formulate their own opinion. This is unique as it is not quite a formal and obvious cliff-hanger but still leaves viewers feeling somewhat unsatisfied as it lacks a conclusion. This is intentional from Gillespie and contrasts the very textbook plot structure of his film “Lars and the Real Girl” for example. The editing of “I, Tonya” is very well done. The slight use of CGI really enhanced the movie and was done in an inconspicuous way, and only used to supplement figure skating moves such as the triple axel (a move only done by about 6 women in the world). This meant using a stunt double would be impossible; however, the CGI did not take away from the film and instead enhanced its realism. The mis-en-scene was again realistic and very well balanced, always showing just enough of the background to add context but not take away from the character, which could not be said from filmmaking of the German Expressionist movement (where the background played a vital role alongside actors in creating the tone and mood of the film). I would recommend “I, Tonya” to everyone. You don’t need to have a particular interest in figure skating. The film really drew me in through its unfiltered style and added just enough humour to make it palatable to anyone.

If Martin Scorsese grew-up in a trailer park in the Pacific Northwest, he would have made this film instead of "Goodfellas". A+ flick!

I, Tonya - 9/10. Craig Gillespie's I, Tonya was heralded for the standout performances of Margot Robbie and the oscar winning performance of Allison Janney when it first came out. But as a film, its a brilliant heightened fictionalized biopic which tells the tragic story of olympian Tonya Harding. A movie I remember watching for the first time at TIFF, I was blown away by the inventiveness of making the true life story told in a dynamic way. Though easily a story that could have been a strict sports drama, the film tells the ups and downs of the character through dark comedy. Its through the brilliant performances and the writing that create such an entertaining watch. Shot and edited at times almost like a Martin Scorsese film, the film creates intrigue and interest in the story of Tonya by delivering the story through interviews with the main characters. The way the backstories are told, and seeing how her life unfolds is quite impactful. There are many moments where you really feel for Margot as that character, and she really makes you feel deeply sad for Tonya at times due to the predicaments she faces in the figure skating environment. The way the director shows the classism and judgement found in the sport is quite eye opening, and really helps you empathize with the title character. Though a tragic story, you can't help but laugh at the logic that some characters have and some of the dialogues they say in tense situations. Its that brilliant tip toeing of drama and comedy that makes me feel this movie should deserve more love outside of the acting.

Margot Robbie- I am not sure if there is a film I dont like with her in it- Her ability to get into the character to the T with her flare is really impressive. The story itself is pretty devastating I appreciate how close to the actual story it got which is really when I enjoy biopics. Margot though and her leading role and ability to stand out as an impressive actor is the reason for this film for me.

Probably the most over the top biopic that you will ever see.

Una película fantástica, con una comedia cruda pero que funciona muy bien para contar una historia tan sensible y que te llena de muchas emociones. La actuación de Margot Robbie es simplemente perfecta.

Enquanto os minutos de I, Tonya passavam, não pude deixar de pensar sobre quão expressiva é a ambiguidade que o filme transmite, a trilogia nacional A Menina que Matou os Pais conta o mesmo caso criminal sob diferentes perspectivas e precisou de três longas para isso. I, Tonya poderia ter sido uma obra biográfica dramática, assustadora ou com um teor que buscasse inocentar a protagonista, mas Craig Gillespie não escolhe percorrer nenhum desses caminhos, a melhor maneira de retratar a realidade é através do humor, I, Tonya tira sarro da América e de toda a sociedade americana, Tonya Harding não é uma escória da sociedade, sua vida é um dos relatos mais pontuais sobre o modo de vida estadunidense, Tonya pode ser um monstro ou uma heroina dependendo de quando é conveniente para a mídia que ela seja. Mas como numa tragédia grega, nós ainda torcermos para que Tonya vença, mesmo sabendo desde o primeiro minuto de projeção que ela não vai. O filme é consciente sobre suas limitações quanto a verdade do incidente, a verdadeira-verdade é inalcançável e transita pelo meio de todas as versões do caso, Gillespie está mais preocupado em contar uma boa história, se o filme buscasse moralidade, hoje estaríamos assistindo a cinebiografia de Nancy Kerrigan. E claro, o êxito de I, Tonya não seria possível sem Margot Robbie, com uma performance que passa desde The Red Shoes até Carrie. -publicado 3 de agosto de 2024 no letterboxd @stollendance -

I think about this film a lot.. a must watch! Insane storyline and even better acting. A brilliant portrayal of such an unfortunate situation!

Movie is a crazy ride and her mom is something else.Good performances and great film direction.

A história é emocionante e comovente. A narrativa é perfeita e te entretém o filme todo, e a atuação da Margot é incrível!!

Had a really good cast with a very good story!

Margot Robbie's Best Film not even a question. The acting is incredible. As good as Robbie, Stan and Janney often overpower her because they are larger than life characters. But she is just as good though, her physical acting is excellent also in this. The music goes hard and is super memorable. The self aware biopic is style is extremely original and has amazing cinematography. I love how the majority of this film doesn't focus on the incident though it's the majority of the second half it focuses on the characters and never puts anything above that, including the incident. The ice skating shots are done very well and are very original. The characters are so riveting and the dysfunctionality is intoxicating. You feel sorry, are riveted, and disgusted at the same time. This is masterfully done and really this movie can be summed by the line in unforgiven: "Deserve's got nothing to do with it" Everyone should give this a shot once. All Time Classic.

Brilliant acting in this documentary-style Film. Well shot, well set in scene. In the end, it shows but one side of the story - and let's not forget that the victim was Kerrigan. Still very good.

A lot of info I didn’t know or recall about the full story, was interesting and a good movie about it overall.

That crazed smile.... the origins of Harley Quinn

Allison Janney deservingly won an Oscar for Hardings mom and Margot is no slouch in this film. "The office" style breaking the 4th wall was great.

For those of us who remember this scandal from the news, the movie offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on the events and the people behind them. It also shows the harsh realities of Harding's life, from her abusive mother and husband to her constant struggle to fit in the elitist world of figure skating. The movie balances the tone between satire and drama, and uses various techniques such as mock interviews, breaking the fourth wall, and unreliable narrators to create a dynamic and engaging story. The movie also features stellar performances from the cast. I Tonya is a movie that challenges our preconceptions and makes us rethink what we know about Harding and her legacy. It is also a movie that entertains us with its sharp humor, thrilling action, and powerful emotions. It is a movie that deserves to be seen and appreciated by both fans and critics of figure skating.