Reviewed by Ramona Prioleau

Part drama, part black comedy, part sports film, 2017’s I Tonya is one of the most curious and interesting sports films to come out of the last few years. Following the multifaceted, ever-controversial story of ice and figure skater Tonya Harding, the film, which stars Margot Robbie in the leading role, follows the life of the athlete and specifically the events leading up to and following her connection to the 1994 attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan.

Since the film is juggling a few genres, I, Tonya’s biggest issue is when it fails to keep all the figure skaters in the air. I, Tonya tries to do too much at once—the film attempts to be funny but dramatic, honest but salacious—and because of this, it fails on a number of levels. It’s as if, like so much of America, the film can never quite decide what it thinks about Tonya Harding. It can’t quite choose what tone it wants to take, and the film is less effective because of this. Do we trust Tonya? Who knows. The film certainly doesn’t seem to have an answer.

The film’s unevenness is also apparent in the manner in which the film is produced. Everything, not just the tone, is inconsistent. The narration, the point-of-view, the on-screen text, it all changes and shifts throughout the movie, in a way that’s anything but clever. This results in a film that feels patchworked and thrown together.

Robbie, however, as she so often does, redeems all of this and carries the film. She delivers a roaring performance full of charm and personality. The actress disappears completely into the character, and it’s one of the few roles in the actress’ career that seems to match her unstoppable talent. Sebastian Stan and Allison Janney also deliver fantastic supporting roles that – despite the messy narrative and the half-baked execution – keep the film interesting throughout.

I, Tonya is a messy movie — it’s inconsistent and halting, oddly paced and jolting— but then again, so is the story it’s trying to tell. Perhaps, on that level, the film is a roaring success. Either way, the movie is an off-beat and oddball of a film that has a little something for everyone. M

January 2018