PHOTO COURTESY | WIKI COMMONS
‘I, Tonya’ reveals Tonya Harding’s side of one of the most controversial sports moments.
It is amazing how much a single person’s actions can screw over someone who is innocent. Or at least that is what Tonya Harding’s side of the story is portraying.
Tonya Harding, a disgraced figure skater from the 1990s, gained national attention first for her figure skating prowess but was later known as the other skater in the Nancy Kerrigan assault, which was carried out by people associated with Harding.
“I, Tonya” seeks to tell Harding’s side of the story. With amazing performances from Margot Robbie (Tonya), Allison Janney (Tonya’s mother LaVona) and Sebastian Stan (Tonya’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly), “I, Tonya” paints a dark and depressing story that makes you feel like there is hope, even though you know how it ends.
“I, Tonya” paints one of the most controversial sporting stories in a vivid and, at times, extremely dark tone. There are graphic fight scenes between Harding and Gillooly, including punching, slapping and even a scene with a gun.
These scenes don’t seem out of place, considering that the whole movie is full of them. Even younger actresses experience the wrath of LaVona, who this whole time you are questioning whether to hate or not. Sure, she is beating her kid, but damn she makes me laugh with her unabashed bitchiness.
“I, Tonya” breaks the fourth wall a ton and it makes it seem that much cheekier. The characters are sassy, such as when Robbie’s Tonya tells a panel of judges to, “Suck my dick” — which didn’t happen in real life — although Harding did say she wishes she would have said that.
The main difference between “I, Tonya” and the legacy that Harding left behind is perspective. On one side, there is the adoration that Kerrigan garnered for her bravery to skate weeks after the attack.
On the other completely possible, impossible to confirm hand, we have Harding’s tale of betrayal. According to “I, Tonya,” who doesn’t hide from the controversy, the attack was carried out by her bodyguard, Shawn Eric Eckardt (played by Paul Walter Hauser) who took these actions without Harding’s knowledge.
Mix that with rampant abuse and a parrot on LaVona’s shoulder and you have Harding’s side of the story. A story of how Eckardt and Gillooly ruined the career of Harding without any regard for Harding and without Harding’s knowledge.
Another thing great about this movie: the soundtrack is fire. Featuring classics like, Heart, Supertramp, Bad Company, Cliff Richard and Fleetwood Mac, if you don’t like the skating scenes you will at least like the music accompanying them.
Overall, I have found an appreciation for her side of the story. Empowering, dark and overall a tragedy, “I, Tonya” is worth a watch. Make sure to go on a Tuesday or a Thursday or illegally stream it; I know you are all on a budget.