I, Tonya

Unless you find parental and domestic abuse amusing, this is not a comedy. Craig Gillespie's glibly fictionalized, bizarre bio-pic begins with the note that it is "based on irony-free, wildly contradictory, totally true interviews with Tonya Harding and Jeff Gillooly." In 1994, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was kneecapped by thugs, so rival Harding would have a better chance at winning in the upcoming Winter Olympics. Tonya's story is told here from several perspectives. There's Tonya herself (Margot Robbie), her sadistic mother (Allison Janney), and her stupid ex-husband Gillooly (Sebastian Stan). As a 3-year-old in Portland, OR, Tonya was a remarkable ice skater. Her strength and athletic ability were exploited by the relentless bullying of her hypercritical mother. Caricatured as "trashy Tonya," her lack of refinement and working-class background were reflected in her costumes, hairstyle, choice of music, and aggressive style. Yet, to the surprise of the skating world, Tonya became the first American woman to complete the triple axel in competition. Tonya was attracted to obnoxious Gillooly, whose best pal was scheming, delusional Shawn Eckhardt (Paul Walter Hauser). Although Tonya maintains that she had no part in the moronic assault plan, she was subsequently found guilty and banned from competitive skating for the rest of her life. Robbie and Janney both deliver remarkable Oscar-nominated performances in this dark film. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Craig Gillespie, deleted scenes (18 min.), and behind the-scenes featurettes (16 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this actors’ showcase bio-pic.] (S. Granger)