Review of I, Tonya

I absolutely, positively LOVE this movie. An instant favorite. The story of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan fascinated America (and the world) in the early nineties and the two became inadvertent archetypes for good and evil. Harding became the white trash punchline and pariah of an entire nation and, eventually, fell off the radar.

In this extremely clever and original take on the whole affair the creators of "I, Tonya" give us a look back into the inner workings of the ordeal through the filter of conflicting stories from the wild, colorful, but very real, people involved. In the process they recast Tonya Harding as a hard luck, tough talking, trailer trash underdog that, oddly enough, you find yourself cheering for the whole time.

The movie itself is a unique blend of tragi-comic mockumentary and crime caper that flows and ebbs with life through fantastic camerawork, fourth wall breaking transitions, subtle and incisive dark humor, and unexpected charm. The writing is incredible and often reminded me of the Coen Brothers at the height of their powers. The performances are top notch and even though Margot Robbie is, adequately enough, the showstopper here, Allison Janney as her tough as nails mother almost steals the spotlight when she's onscreen.

All in all, the result is that Harding is finally torn down from headline sensationalism and humanized. We are given a hero that, truly, more likely reflects the working class than some of the more fantastic ones cinema offers. "I, Tonya" is not only clever, funny, and refreshing...it's one of the best movies I've seen in the last couple of decades. LOVE IT!