Title: The Program Momentum Picture Director: Stephen Frears Writer: John Hodge, Inspired by the book: Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong by David Walsh Cast: Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd, Guillaume Canet, Jesse Plemons, Lee Pace, Denis Menochet, Edward Hogg and Dustin Hoffman Running time: 1hr 43min Rated: R (Language) In Theaters, Available On VOD And iTUNES: March 18, 2016 Lance Armstrong (Ben Foster, 3:10 To Yuma) was an American champion cyclist that won 7 consecutive Tour de France titles since 1999. He was followed by journalist David Walsh (Chris O’Dowd, Bridesmaids ) for most of his career. In 1996 Armstrong developed stage 3 testicular cancer and underwent some serious [ Read More ]
The post The Program Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Program Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/21/2016
- by juliana
- ShockYa
It’s proving to be a couple of busy months for legendary director Stephen Frears, fresh off his delightful true-life story Philomena making an Oscar run in 2013. Not only does he have his Lance Armstrong biopic The Program opening Us theaters this Friday (March 18th), but his newest Florence Foster Jenkins also hits UK screens May 6th. It appears the filmmaker has embraced telling the tales of real people whether of empathetic note or infamy.
This hectic schedule made cementing an interview very difficult, regardless, we were still able to procure a few soundbites from the extremely laconic Frears about Armstrong, the wonderful cast and crew who worked on the film, and the state of sports at large. Check out the full conversation below.
The Film Stage: Lance Armstrong was very much a bona fide hero here stateside. Did he have that same heroic status in England or was he...
This hectic schedule made cementing an interview very difficult, regardless, we were still able to procure a few soundbites from the extremely laconic Frears about Armstrong, the wonderful cast and crew who worked on the film, and the state of sports at large. Check out the full conversation below.
The Film Stage: Lance Armstrong was very much a bona fide hero here stateside. Did he have that same heroic status in England or was he...
- 3/15/2016
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Once upon a time, it was all the rage to love Lance Armstrong. After all, his story was a ready made feel good movie. Now, having learned the truth about the athlete and seeing him disgraced, the story has taken on a whole new level and meaning. As such, there is a second wave of projects tackling Armstrong, this time in far less of a flattering light. This weekend, one of the higher profile ones hits theaters in The Program, which was posted to be an Academy Award player at one point. It doesn’t seem likely anymore, but I suppose we can’t count anything out this early on, can we? The film is a pseudo biopic, though that probably misrepresents what is going on here. The Program is more of an investigation tale, looking at Armstrong through the lens of a suspicious journalist and what he winds up finding out.
- 3/15/2016
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Review by Stephen Tronicek
The Program almost gives the impression of a biker riding quickly down a hill, and then running him/herself into a wall. The cyclist can go quickly. He/she can burst forward with such a thrilling momentum that it can’t be conceived. That might be entertaining, but they still hit the wall.
That thrilling momentum is the best thing that The Program has going for it (besides a performance by Ben Foster too researched and nuanced for the film he’s in). This is the type of pacing that fits comedies, and action films better, but it’s interesting to see how much director Stephen Frears (The Queen) gets away with by keeping the film going quickly. He’s able to cover the entirety of Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France career, and David Walsh’s investigations into the cyclist into a tight one hundred and five minutes.
The Program almost gives the impression of a biker riding quickly down a hill, and then running him/herself into a wall. The cyclist can go quickly. He/she can burst forward with such a thrilling momentum that it can’t be conceived. That might be entertaining, but they still hit the wall.
That thrilling momentum is the best thing that The Program has going for it (besides a performance by Ben Foster too researched and nuanced for the film he’s in). This is the type of pacing that fits comedies, and action films better, but it’s interesting to see how much director Stephen Frears (The Queen) gets away with by keeping the film going quickly. He’s able to cover the entirety of Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France career, and David Walsh’s investigations into the cyclist into a tight one hundred and five minutes.
- 3/10/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Teasing the rise and fall of a sporting icon, today’s new Us trailer for StudioCanal and Stephen Frears’ Lance Armstrong biopic The Program places Ben Foster at the helm as the shunned Tour de France champion.
Marking Frears’ second cinematic portrait of a famous figure after directing Helen Mirren in The Queen, The Program will shed light on the meteoric rise of Armstrong, who won the gruelling Tour de France seven consecutive times in the early 2000s. A staggering sporting achievement that almost defied description, the former cyclist found his reputation lying in tatters after he was found guilty of doping, effectively stripping him of those coveted titles.
Also starring Lee Pace, Chris O’Dowd, Dustin Hoffman, and Jesse Plemons, The Program may not have lit up the festival circuit in 2015 in the way StudioCanal would have hoped, but the intriguing subject matter alone has us cautiously optimistic that...
Marking Frears’ second cinematic portrait of a famous figure after directing Helen Mirren in The Queen, The Program will shed light on the meteoric rise of Armstrong, who won the gruelling Tour de France seven consecutive times in the early 2000s. A staggering sporting achievement that almost defied description, the former cyclist found his reputation lying in tatters after he was found guilty of doping, effectively stripping him of those coveted titles.
Also starring Lee Pace, Chris O’Dowd, Dustin Hoffman, and Jesse Plemons, The Program may not have lit up the festival circuit in 2015 in the way StudioCanal would have hoped, but the intriguing subject matter alone has us cautiously optimistic that...
- 2/11/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
"When you say, 'I can't go any further', say to yourself: 'I'm flying!'" eOne Films has debuted the official Us trailer for The Program, the film by Stephen Frears telling the story of Lance Armstrong, played by Ben Foster. The film covers his entire career, including early introduction to the Tour, his era of doping, attempts to lie and cover it up for years, and eventual fall out. Chris O'Dowd plays journalist David Walsh, who was constantly after Armstrong for years because he knew something was up. The full cast includes Jesse Plemons, Lee Pace, Guillaume Canet and many others. I still want to see this, it looks like a deep investigation into one of the craziest cover-up stories in sports history. Compare to these first two trailers. Here's the new Us trailer for Stephen Frears' The Program, found on YouTube (via The Film Stage): From Academy...
- 2/11/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It didn’t quite make a splash upon its festival debut last fall, but we’re still somewhat intrigued to see if Stephen Frears has anything new to offer when it comes to the life of Lance Armstrong. Portrayed by Ben Foster, he looks to be giving a committed lead performance alongside Lee Pace, Chris O’Dowd, Dustin Hoffman, and Jesse Plemons. Ahead of a theatrical release next month, we have a new U.S. trailer for the biopic.
We said in our review, “When you think about what Lance Armstrong did to the sport of cycling—winning seven straight Tour de France titles before finally being revealed as a cheater—you have to laugh. It’s funny how much stock people around the world put in professional sports and athletes only to see their fallibilities as a betrayal. Celebrities in other vocations screw up all the time; some have...
We said in our review, “When you think about what Lance Armstrong did to the sport of cycling—winning seven straight Tour de France titles before finally being revealed as a cheater—you have to laugh. It’s funny how much stock people around the world put in professional sports and athletes only to see their fallibilities as a betrayal. Celebrities in other vocations screw up all the time; some have...
- 2/10/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
There a few sports stories like that surrounding Lance Armstrong, the formerly beloved and inspiration cycling champion, who soon become the poster boy for disgrace and duplicity. It's rich dramatic material, and it's no surprise the story has made it to film, but it's a bit of a bummer there hasn't been that much excitement about Stephen Frears' "The Program." Read More: Watch: Three New Clips From 'The Program' With Ben Foster The always reliable Ben Foster leads the adaptation of David Walsh's book "Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong," that tracks the downfall of Armstrong as the controversy about his alleged doping began to swirl. And there's a solid supporting cast in place including Chris O'Dowd, Jesse Plemons, Dustin Hoffman, and Guillaume Canet taking roles. And while the picture didn't quite work for our critic at Tiff, I'm nonetheless curious to check it out.
- 2/10/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Studiocanal
To celebrate the release of The Program, available on Digital HD from today and on Blu-Ray and DVD from 15 February 2016, we are looking at 5 biggest scandals to ever hit the sporting world. We are also giving 3 lucky readers the chance to win a copy of The Program on Blu-ray along with a copy of the book and poster. 2 runners up will receive Blu-ray copies.
Inspired by Seven Deadly Sins by David Walsh, The Program uncovers the true story of Lance Armstrong, one of sport’s biggest heroes and how he was able to orchestrate a staggering web of lies while managing to hold the public in the palm of his hands.
Ben Foster stars as Armstrong who, at the peak of his cycling career enjoyed the life of a sporting hero, all while leading the most sophisticated doping program the sport had ever seen.
Doping, murder, fixing and everything in between…...
To celebrate the release of The Program, available on Digital HD from today and on Blu-Ray and DVD from 15 February 2016, we are looking at 5 biggest scandals to ever hit the sporting world. We are also giving 3 lucky readers the chance to win a copy of The Program on Blu-ray along with a copy of the book and poster. 2 runners up will receive Blu-ray copies.
Inspired by Seven Deadly Sins by David Walsh, The Program uncovers the true story of Lance Armstrong, one of sport’s biggest heroes and how he was able to orchestrate a staggering web of lies while managing to hold the public in the palm of his hands.
Ben Foster stars as Armstrong who, at the peak of his cycling career enjoyed the life of a sporting hero, all while leading the most sophisticated doping program the sport had ever seen.
Doping, murder, fixing and everything in between…...
- 2/8/2016
- by Laura Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
To mark the release of The Program on 15th February, we’ve been given a copy on Blu-ray, a signed quad and a Seven Deadly Sins book by David Walsh for 1 winner, with unsigned quad posters available for 3 runners up. From Academy Award® nominated director Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) and Working Title Films
The post Win goodies from The Program appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Win goodies from The Program appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 2/8/2016
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
To delve into a familiar, well-known narrative from a unique, outside perspective is becoming something of a popular trend in contemporary cinema. Whether that be the tale of James Dean through the eyes of Dennis Stock in Life, or that of Lance Armstrong – told through journalist David Walsh in The Program. It’s that notion
The post Victor Frankenstein Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Victor Frankenstein Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 11/30/2015
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Stephen Frears’s feature pedals hard enough but comes second to Alex Gibney’s 2013 documentary on the subject
The BBFC description says “strong language, use of performance enhancing drugs” – a description that could apply both to the film and its real-life subject. Ben Foster is scarily convincing as Lance Armstrong, the cancer survivor who became a record-breaking Tour de France winner thanks to a unique blend of charismatic determination and biochemical enhancement. Like Stephen Frears’s award-winning Philomena, this casts a comedian in a straight role as the journalist who leads us through the story, and upon whose writings the script is based. Chris O’Dowd is Sunday Times reporter David Walsh, whose exposé of Armstrong’s systematic doping provoked an aggressive lawsuit. Seasoned pros Frears and screenwriter John Hodge handle the sharp corners of the story with aplomb, although there’s little here that wasn’t covered in Alex Gibney...
The BBFC description says “strong language, use of performance enhancing drugs” – a description that could apply both to the film and its real-life subject. Ben Foster is scarily convincing as Lance Armstrong, the cancer survivor who became a record-breaking Tour de France winner thanks to a unique blend of charismatic determination and biochemical enhancement. Like Stephen Frears’s award-winning Philomena, this casts a comedian in a straight role as the journalist who leads us through the story, and upon whose writings the script is based. Chris O’Dowd is Sunday Times reporter David Walsh, whose exposé of Armstrong’s systematic doping provoked an aggressive lawsuit. Seasoned pros Frears and screenwriter John Hodge handle the sharp corners of the story with aplomb, although there’s little here that wasn’t covered in Alex Gibney...
- 10/18/2015
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
The BBC First British Film Festival has revealed its full program.
Featuring 31 titles, the program aims to capture the magic, unique humour, romance, traditions and new age vitality of British culture.
The festival will open with Paolo Sorrentino.s film, Youth, nominated for the Palme d.Or at this year.s Cannes film festival, and the follow up to his Academy Award-winning film, The Great Beauty (2013)..
Following two old friends, retired composer Fred (Michael Caine) and film director Mick (Harvey Keitel), on vacation at a prestigious hotel in the Swiss Alps, the film is an introspective and thought-provoking, wry buddy comedy — and it employs Sorrentino.s hallmark stunning visuals to majestic effect.
Straight from its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Man Who Knew Infinity — the retelling of mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan.s life — will close the festival..
Featuring performances from Dev Petal (Slumdog Millionaire) as Ramanujan, and...
Featuring 31 titles, the program aims to capture the magic, unique humour, romance, traditions and new age vitality of British culture.
The festival will open with Paolo Sorrentino.s film, Youth, nominated for the Palme d.Or at this year.s Cannes film festival, and the follow up to his Academy Award-winning film, The Great Beauty (2013)..
Following two old friends, retired composer Fred (Michael Caine) and film director Mick (Harvey Keitel), on vacation at a prestigious hotel in the Swiss Alps, the film is an introspective and thought-provoking, wry buddy comedy — and it employs Sorrentino.s hallmark stunning visuals to majestic effect.
Straight from its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Man Who Knew Infinity — the retelling of mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan.s life — will close the festival..
Featuring performances from Dev Petal (Slumdog Millionaire) as Ramanujan, and...
- 9/28/2015
- by Inside Film Correspondent
- IF.com.au
StudioCanal
StudioCanal and Working Title have dropped a new poster for Lance Armstrong biopic-of-sorts The Program. It’s a pretty restrained one-sheet, with Ben Foster’s Armstrong turning to look over his shoulder. A metaphor for his duel roles as champion cyclist and paranoid cheat? How clever!
The Program follows Armstrong through the eyes of journalist David Walsh (Chris O’Dowd) as he begins to piece together the extent of Armstrong’s steroidal deception. It’s got a big cast, with Foster and O’Dowd joined by Guillaume Canet and Jesse Plemons, whilst Stephen Frears (The Queen) calls the shots. Frears has a habit of making Academy troubling films, and it seems The Program is intent on upholding that tradition.
This story already received pretty comprehensive treatment in the 2013 documentary The Armstrong Lie, so there’s definitely a need for The Program to bring something else to the table. Focusing...
StudioCanal and Working Title have dropped a new poster for Lance Armstrong biopic-of-sorts The Program. It’s a pretty restrained one-sheet, with Ben Foster’s Armstrong turning to look over his shoulder. A metaphor for his duel roles as champion cyclist and paranoid cheat? How clever!
The Program follows Armstrong through the eyes of journalist David Walsh (Chris O’Dowd) as he begins to piece together the extent of Armstrong’s steroidal deception. It’s got a big cast, with Foster and O’Dowd joined by Guillaume Canet and Jesse Plemons, whilst Stephen Frears (The Queen) calls the shots. Frears has a habit of making Academy troubling films, and it seems The Program is intent on upholding that tradition.
This story already received pretty comprehensive treatment in the 2013 documentary The Armstrong Lie, so there’s definitely a need for The Program to bring something else to the table. Focusing...
- 8/14/2015
- by Daniel Kelly
- Obsessed with Film
Lance Armstrong went from an American hero to the most hated man in America when it was revealed that he had blood doped and cheated in order to win his record seven Tour de France titles, but had also lied to everyone while off the bike that he was clean. It culminated in a revealing interview between Lance and Oprah and a documentary film called The Armstrong Lie by Alex Gibney.
Now for the first time Lance’s story is being told in a dramatic fiction form, exposing his lie and all that led up to it. Will Stephen Frears’s movie help the cyclist earn some of his credibility back, or will it make him even more of the villain?
Ben Foster portrays Lance in The Program, Armstrong’s story after recovering from cancer up through his Tour victories and till his lie was revealed, all filtered through a...
Now for the first time Lance’s story is being told in a dramatic fiction form, exposing his lie and all that led up to it. Will Stephen Frears’s movie help the cyclist earn some of his credibility back, or will it make him even more of the villain?
Ben Foster portrays Lance in The Program, Armstrong’s story after recovering from cancer up through his Tour victories and till his lie was revealed, all filtered through a...
- 6/11/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Cycling fans loved his story of the comeback and his victory over cancer. After 7 Tour de France wins, Lance Armstrong thought he’d never get caught.
Studiocanal and Working Title Films have released the first trailer for Academy Award nominated director Stephen Frears’ (Philomena, The Queen) film, The Program.
The film stars Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd, Lee Pace, Guillaume Canet, Jesse Plemons and Dustin Hoffman.
The film charts the thrilling rise of pro-cyclist Lance Armstrong through the 90s and early 2000s, battling cancer, as he and his fellow American teammates dominate and change the quintessentially European sport of cycling. Winning the Tour de France an unprecedented seven times, Lance retires as one of the great sporting heroes of our time, and worth millions of dollars.
David Walsh, sports writer, is at first charmed by Lance’s charisma and talent. Seven Tours later, and ostracised by the cycling community for speaking out,...
Studiocanal and Working Title Films have released the first trailer for Academy Award nominated director Stephen Frears’ (Philomena, The Queen) film, The Program.
The film stars Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd, Lee Pace, Guillaume Canet, Jesse Plemons and Dustin Hoffman.
The film charts the thrilling rise of pro-cyclist Lance Armstrong through the 90s and early 2000s, battling cancer, as he and his fellow American teammates dominate and change the quintessentially European sport of cycling. Winning the Tour de France an unprecedented seven times, Lance retires as one of the great sporting heroes of our time, and worth millions of dollars.
David Walsh, sports writer, is at first charmed by Lance’s charisma and talent. Seven Tours later, and ostracised by the cycling community for speaking out,...
- 6/11/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Lance Armstrong is proof that even the best liars eventually fold to the burden of ugly truths. Under the immense pressures of competitor accusations and threats of legal action against him, Armstrong finally cracked, and when he did, director Alex Gibney had just recently wrapped The Road Back. The film was intended to document the cycling legend’s return to the Tour de France, but when Armstrong decided to come clean about his long disputed use of performance enhancing drugs, Gibney was forced to put the film back into production, sitting down with his subject once again, shooting new interviews and revisiting the original ones with a new understanding of the icon’s extreme hubris and his unique political position as charitable cancer survivor turned cycling super star. What was once a triumphant comeback story of a man passed his prime trying to clear his name as continuous smear campaigns...
- 2/18/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Update: Dustin Hoffman has joined the cast of the currently in-production untitled Lance Armstrong film being directed by Stephen Frears. This marks Hoffman's second time working with Frears, his first on 1992's "The Accidental Hero."No word on who Hoffman will play, but the film is now shooting on location in Europe, and Hoffman will come on board when the shoot moves to the Us. Ben Foster stars as Armstrong, and Chris O'Dowd as sports journalist David Walsh.Earlier: A first image (below) has arrived of Ben Foster as Lance Armstrong in the currently untitled cycling film being directed by Stephen Frears ("Philomena"). The film is based on journalist David Walsh's book "Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong," depicting the Sunday Times writer's relentless quest for truth on the Armstrong doping rumors. It co-stars Chris O'Dowd as Walsh.Earlier: The rise and fall of Lance Armstrong is trending.
- 12/6/2013
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
J.J. Abrams' Lance Armstrong biopic is entering its next leg, with Deadline reporting that the movie will be written by High Fidelity's D. V. DeVincentis and based on journalist Juliet Macur's book, Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong. DeVincentis also counts 1997's Grosse Pointe Blank among his screenwriting credits; as for the source material, Macur spent over a decade covering Armstrong for the The New York Times, chronicling everything from the cyclists near-fatal battle with testicular cancer to his triumphant seven Tour de France victories and...
- 12/3/2013
- Rollingstone.com
The tour de biopics about disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong appears to be going one more lap, as Paramount's J.J. Abrams–produced project has found its writer. Deadline reports that D.V. DeVincentis, a reporter who covered the cyclist for more than a decade at the New York Times, has signed on to pen a script based on the book Cycle Of Lies: The Fall Of Lance Armstrong by Juliet Macur. Now, don’t confuse this with the film based on sportswriter David Walsh’s Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong — Ben Foster’s starring in that one. This also isn’t Red Blooded American, in which Bradley Cooper will star. If you need to kick off your years-long Armstrong movie marathon right now, you can check out the newly released documentary The Armstrong Lie.
- 12/3/2013
- by Delia Paunescu
- Vulture
There are few public figures more controversial than the disgraced cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. A seeming all-American hero who beat the odds and came out on top... all of which was washed away when allegations that he had essentially cheated his way to victory turned out to be true. Goodbye, medals! Goodbye, everyone-wearing-those-cheesy-yellow-arm-bands! Hello, public ridicule and scorn!
Last week a documentary about the cyclist, "The Armstrong Lie," opened, and there are at least two movies about the athlete in active development (one being developed by J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot shingle). The first dramatic movie out of the gate, though, seems to be picking up steam -- according to The Wrap, "The Hobbit" star Lee Pace has just joined the untitled Lance Armstrong drama being directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen"), alongside Ben Foster (who plays Armstrong), "Thor 2" scene stealer Chris O'Dowd and "Friday Night Lights...
Last week a documentary about the cyclist, "The Armstrong Lie," opened, and there are at least two movies about the athlete in active development (one being developed by J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot shingle). The first dramatic movie out of the gate, though, seems to be picking up steam -- according to The Wrap, "The Hobbit" star Lee Pace has just joined the untitled Lance Armstrong drama being directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen"), alongside Ben Foster (who plays Armstrong), "Thor 2" scene stealer Chris O'Dowd and "Friday Night Lights...
- 11/15/2013
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
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