The Abuse Of Tonya Harding

As distant as it now is, between the 1980’s to 1990’s, figure skating was a sport that the Americans took extremely seriously, and the likes of Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill and Katarina Witt where all self-proclaimed legends of the sport. Yet no one has quite reached the fame and notoriety like Tonya Harding. Her link to the attack on fellow Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan, that was reportedly planned by husband at the time - Gillooly and jeopardized her career and the history she made landing the first triple Axel. The story took the world by storm and managed to spawn countless spin-offs, TV and interviews. Now, with more than 24 years distant Gillespie has brought the story back to life with the New movie; “I, Tonya” with the formerly mentioned

to be the Protagonist.

In portraying Tonya’s short, yet momentous victory over the years of abuse from her mother, director Gillespie seemingly out of nowhere brings back and reinvents the scandal, rectifying what was known about the Tonya/Kerrigan affair.

Inspired by numerous contradictory interviews, speculative guesses and circa videography, “I, Tonya” spans over 30 years, following the Harding’s tempestuous lives, the “Incident”, and the enduring effect on everyone who was associated. Following cues from other classic underdog stories, the account shows that in-between a family breakup Tonya (6), discovered a deep affection for skating.

Yet for all such positive reviews, the movie reeks. In an attempt to display the movie in a light-hearted way, the movie omits the things that really matter.

In spite of that, the cast has been crafted superbly, with Australian actor Margot Robbie both expressing the volatile personality of Harding and earning an Oscar nomination at the same time. She balances being a magnificent skater but also a target of abuse. Joining Margot is Sebastian stan playing Harding's incompetent Husband(at the time) Jeff Gillooly and Paul Walter as Gillooly’s nincompoop friend Shawn Eckhardt. The stellar acting was only to be outdone by Oscar award-winning Allison Janney - Tonya’s careless, acid-spitting mother LaVona Goldman who not only carries an air of menace but also a drugged java. Perhaps it was nostalgia or sadness but in the early scenes, despite claims from Tonya herself saying she was “not a good one” she obliged to tonya’s relentless dream to become a figure skater and brings her to the rink. But for Golden the concept of “tough-love” is tough rather than

love.

It’s in this early segment that we learn of Tonya’s upbringing, The hardships she must face, in a world lacking affection or care. And as a result, “I, Tonya” portrays her life was just continuous round of fights, jibes and abuse - Foremost, Lavona Golden throwing both anger verbally but also physically (in the form of a kitchen knife). Jeff manages to surpass this, by smashing tonya onto a wall and even shooting a gun. Steven’s screenplay makes quick work of showing the psychological effect all the abuse has on tonya, and her skating.

The film feels much more apt when it’s on the ice. It’s these moments when Robbie really shines, capturing the complexities of Tonya and her ruthless passion to the sport. The feeling that the only genuine happiness comes from skating is irresistible, and it’s truly nostalgic to see the famous triple axel, recreated in CGI using single shot techniques and Joanie Sommers’ Little Girl Bad.

Clearly marginalised and left out, Nancy Kerrigan as played by Caitlin Carver, the only appearance is when the baton struck her. It’s strange to think that events which made her so infamous are left out. Thus by omitting these violent events, the screenwriter, creates a script that begins to feel too unnatural and focuses more on the perpetrator of the crime rather than the aftermath for Nancy. considering the title, supposedly named after the movie: I, Claudius, this might not come as a surprise

But it doesn't stop there, the portrayal of abuse becomes more disturbing as the story continues - with Harding’s being regularly abused by both Golden and Gillooly only to be played down as theatrical entertainment. The part that really stuck with me was seeing Golden, angered by tonya, hurl a steakknife at her. It's an appalling part of the film and uncomfortable to watch, made worse when you see the knife stuck in her arm. Similarly, in another scene Jeff punch Harding on her nose, only for her to laugh about it in her on-camera interviews. And this is what truly sets the movie about from other Movies.

Jeffs directorial skills are undeniable. While movies usually portray events from one perspective, Jeffs film features multiple. Tonya, Golden, Gillooly and a narrator all feature re-created interviews. It’s this system that allows each individual a chance to tell their side of a very complicated story, often featuring many wildly contradictory version of events. (Getting details such as an odd bird correct). But who told the true story? Well according to Harding, "There's no such thing as truth – I mean, it's all bullsh*t." and even Steven said, “Their stories were wildly contradictory, they remember nothing the same”. The problem is that for there might be one side of the story, someone will always disagree, and in this case, Golden even claims that tonya “ lied so much she doesn't know what isn't a lie anymore.", leading on to say that all the parts about her are false.

Jeff, for instance, claims to be “pretty meek” and wouldn’t dare to hit Tonya. Unsurprisingly, from the get-go he is positioned as the antagonist, with scenes showing him hitting tonya.

In addition, Jeff deftly uses the fourth wall breaking to ingeniously connect with the audience. In one scene Tonya genuinely talks to the audience “this is bullsh*t. I never did this,” all the while cocking a shotgun, turning to Jeff and firing.

I, Tonya is a film that is disregarded and ridiculed. What might leave some feeling awed at the Performance and skating, leaves the rest cringing on what this movie should have done.