Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Margot Robbie | ... | ||
Sebastian Stan | ... | ||
Allison Janney | ... | ||
Julianne Nicholson | ... | ||
Paul Walter Hauser | ... | ||
Bobby Cannavale | ... |
Martin Maddox
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Bojana Novakovic | ... |
Dody Teachman
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Caitlin Carver | ... |
Nancy Kerrigan
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Maizie Smith | ... |
Tonya (3 1 /
2 Yrs)
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Mckenna Grace | ... |
Tonya (8-12 Yrs)
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Suehyla El-Attar | ... | ||
Jason Davis | ... |
Al
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Mea Allen | ... |
Snooty Girl
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Cory Chapman | ... |
Chris
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Amy Fox | ... |
Skating Judge
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From the proverbial wrong side of the tracks in Portland, Oregon, former competitive figure skater Tonya Harding was never fully accepted in the figure skating community for not inherently being the image of grace, breeding and privilege that the community wanted to portray, despite she being naturally gifted in the sport athletically. Despite ultimately garnering some success in figure skating being national champion, a world championship medalist, an Olympian, and being the first American woman to complete a Triple Axel in competition, she is arguably best known for her association to "the incident": the leg bashing on January 6, 1994 of her competitor, Nancy Kerrigan, who, unlike Tonya, was everything that the figure skating community wanted in their representatives. Her association to that incident led to Tonya being banned from competitive figure skating for life. Tonya's story from the beginning of her figure skating life at age four to the aftermath of the incident is presented... Written by Huggo
Tonight I went to the opening night film at the Philadelphia Film Festival and it turned out to be "I, Tonya". I wasn't particularly thrilled about this, as I really didn't care much about seeing a biopic about Tonya Harding. In hindsight, I am glad I saw it as the film was exceptionally well directed and the acting was occasionally brilliant. In particular, Australian actress Margot Robbie was simply amazing as Harding—turning in the sort of performance that could mean an Oscar nomination. Likewise, Allison Janney was amazing as well playing Tonya's incredibly despicable mother. You really have to respect the great job both of them did in the film as well as Robbie's learning to skate well in order to make this movie.
The film is about the life of Tonya Harding .yes, THAT Tonya Harding the one who gained infamy for her part in the attack on rival ice skater Nancy Kerrigan back in 1994. My daughter was only a small child at the time of the attack and I told her nothing about Harding because I wanted to see her perspective on the story. Both of us left very impressed. However, I must put in a warning about the film. It is very violent .filled with intense and very realistic domestic violence among the most realistic I have ever seen. With my background as a psychotherapist, this churned up a lot of memories for me and the film often had me in tears. If you have been a victim of domestic violence, then I strongly urge you to think twice before you see the picture or at least see it with someone you love. Seeing Tonya being slugged, slapped and even shot was tough to watch. Interestingly, often the audience responded by laughing an inappropriate but thoroughly understandable coping mechanism for such ugliness.
Does the film excuse Harding's behaviors or paint her out to be a victim? Not really and if it had, the film would have been a waste of time. What it does do is help you at least understand who she was and why she did what she did as she was more than just an intense competitor who didn't come forward when she learned her husband and his friend had physically assaulted Tonya's competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. Overall, a fascinating look back to one of the most celebrated news stories of the 1990s .one that folks who are old fogies, like me, well remember!