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I, Tonya

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I, Tonya
Theatrical release poster
Directed byCraig Gillespie
Written bySteven Rogers
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyNicolas Karakatsanis
Edited byTatiana S. Riegel
Music byPeter Nashel
Production
companies
  • LuckyChap Entertainment
  • Clubhouse Pictures
  • AI Film
Distributed byNeon
Release dates
  • September 8, 2017 (2017-09-08) (TIFF)
  • December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08) (United States)
Running time
119 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$11 million[2]
Box office$46.2 million[3]

I, Tonya is a 2017 American black comedy biographical film directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Steven Rogers. It follows the life of figure skater Tonya Harding and her connection to the 1994 attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan. It features interviews with the characters in mockumentary-style set in the modern day, as well as fourth wall breaking. Margot Robbie (who also produced) stars as Harding, Sebastian Stan plays Harding's husband Jeff Gillooly, and Allison Janney plays Harding's mother LaVona Golden; Julianne Nicholson, Caitlin Carver, Paul Walter Hauser, and Bobby Cannavale also star.

I, Tonya had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2017, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 8, 2017, and has grossed $46 million worldwide on an $11 million budget. At the 90th Academy Awards, Janney won for Best Supporting Actress, while the film also earned nominations for Best Actress for Robbie and Best Editing. It earned three nominations at the 75th Golden Globe Awards, winning Best Supporting Actress for Janney,[4] and at the 24th Screen Actors Guild Awards, it won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Janney and was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Robbie).[5] At the 71st British Academy Film Awards, the film earned five nominations, winning Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Janney.[6]

Plot

In 1970s Portland, Oregon, three-year-old Tonya Harding is impelled to ice skate by her abusive mother, LaVona. As Tonya grows up, LaVona takes her out of school to focus on her skating career, and she trains extensively under coach Diane Rawlinson. Tonya quickly becomes one of the best figure skaters in the United States, but is unable to move beyond her "white trash" reputation, homemade costumes and unconventional choice of performance music. At 15, Tonya begins dating 18-year-old Jeff Gillooly despite her mother's disapproval. Tonya marries Jeff in order to move out of her mother's home, but soon Jeff begins physically abusing her as well. LaVona scorns Tonya for putting up with it, but Tonya blames LaVona for raising her in an abusive environment.

Meanwhile, Tonya becomes the first American female figure skater to complete two triple axel jumps in competition. However, Tonya fails to stick her landings and comes in fourth place at the Olympics. Defeated, she returns to Portland and takes a job as a waitress, but her first coach Diane Rawlinson convinces her to train for the 1994 Winter Olympics. Tonya visits her estranged mother who chastises her for seeking kindness, claiming that she made her a champion, knowing she'd hate her for it.

After Tonya's confidence is shaken by a death threat; Jeff realises he can do the same to Tonya's main rival Nancy Kerrigan. However, Jeff's delusional friend Shawn Eckhart, seeking notoriety and prestige, hires two inept crooks to attack Kerrigan after a practice session in Detroit. Kerrigan's knee is badly injured by Shane Stant, and both men involved are soon arrested. Eckhardt's bragging around town quickly leads the FBI to him. He points the finger at Jeff, who is horrified to learn that Eckhardt gave orders beyond sending death threats via letters. Tonya qualifies for the Olympic team amid the allegations that she was involved in Kerrigan's attack. Realizing that she will be found guilty by the association, she goes to the FBI and tells them what Jeff and Shawn did, who then show her written testimony to Jeff during the interview, and he races to her house to attack her. Tonya leaves him for good and he implicates her to the authorities, claiming she knew about the attack.

At the Olympics, Tonya comes in eighth place and Kerrigan wins the silver medal. Back in Portland, Tonya finds herself in a media circus. LaVona visits Tonya and offers her kind words; she finally tells her she is proud of her and that she is on her side. However, when LaVona asks if Tonya knew anything about the attack, Tonya realizes she is wearing a recording device and ejects her from her home. Jeff, Eckhardt and Stant are all sentenced, with Tonya's trial postponed until after the Olympics. Tonya avoids jail but is given three years probation, 500 hours of community service, and a $100,000 fine. She is also forced to withdraw from the 1994 World Figure Skating Championships and is banned from competitive figure skating for life. Heartbroken, she begs the judge to give her jail time rather than take away the one thing she knows how to do; the judge declines. Jeff acknowledges that he ruined Tonya's career, changes his name and remarries. Tonya embraces her notoriety and becomes a boxer, whilst becoming a nurturing mother to her own children.

Cast

Production

Screenwriter Steven Rogers was inspired to write the film after watching a documentary about ice skating which mentioned Tonya Harding.[7] Rogers arranged interviews with Harding and ex-husband Jeff Gillooly. Both remembered the events of the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan very differently. Rogers decided: "Well, that's my way in: to put everyone's point of view out there, and then let the audience decide."[7]

Margot Robbie, who played Harding and co-produced the film, did not realize the screenplay was based on a real event until after she finished reading it.[8] Immediately prior to filming, Robbie flew from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon to meet Harding.[8] To prepare for the skating scenes, Robbie trained for four months.[8] Heidi Munger and Anna Malkova served as skating doubles and Sarah Kawahara provided coaching and choreography.[9][10]

Rogers wrote the role of Tonya's mother LaVona for Allison Janney; she was a longtime friend of Rogers, but the "stars had [not] aligned" for them to work together until he completed the script for I, Tonya.[7] Janney said the part was one of the most challenging of her career.[7]

Principal photography began in late January 2017 in Macon, Georgia, where Macon Coliseum was used as a set.[11][12][13] Throughout the shoot, Robbie suffered from a herniated disc in her neck, and had routine MRIs to ensure it was safe for her to continue filming skating scenes.[8] Filming wrapped in late February of that year,[14] with pickups in Atlanta on May 16.[15][16]

Music

Some of the songs of the soundtrack were used in Harding’s real routines, such as ZZ Top’s "Sleeping Bag". Others were selected by music supervisor Susan Jacobs: tracks from 1970s such as Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" or Supertramp's "Goodbye Stranger" came from an era when music was "powerful and full" and "warm." Jacobs felt the "classic rock songs filled the picture without getting in the way of the story." Critic Emily Manning found that other, such as En Vogue's "Free Your Mind" and Heart's "Barracuda", created "an interesting parallel between Tonya’s tenacity and ambition."[17] The film ends with Siouxsie and the Banshees' cover of "The Passenger";[18] Manning wrote: "There was something really right about seeing Tonya skate to Siouxsie."[17] Jacobs said that "The Passenger" was "something obviously female and the lyrics [resonated]". The lyrics of Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet" were also important as "they felt like the story".[18]

A soundtrack was released on December 8, 2017, by Milan Records, featuring songs used in the film by various artists and tracks from the original score.[19]

Track listing

Untitled
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Fair to Love Me"Mark Batson2:08
2."Devil Woman"Cliff Richard3:34
3."Shooting Star"Bad Company6:15
4."Romeo and Juliet"Dire Straits6:01
5."A Fair Shot †"Peter Nashel1:52
6."Free Your Mind"En Vogue4:53
7."Goodbye Stranger"Supertramp5:48
8."How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"Chris Stills4:00
9."The Chain"Fleetwood Mac4:29
10."The Incident †"Peter Nashel2:51
11."Barracuda"Heart4:22
12."Gloria"Laura Branigan4:49
13."Gone Daddy Gone"Violent Femmes3:06
14."Dream a Little Dream of Me"Doris Day3:43
15."The Passenger"Siouxsie and the Banshees4:09
16."Tonya Suite †"Peter Nashel5:04

† original score track

2

Note: Additional songs adapted from film credits

Release

Robbie at the premiere of I, Tonya in Sydney, Australia in January 2018

I, Tonya premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2017.[20] Shortly after, Neon acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film.[21][22][23] It was theatrically released on December 8, 2017.[24] Asked in January 2018 if she had seen the film, Kerrigan responded that she had not and that "I was the victim" and she was "just busy living [her] life."[25]

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 13, 2018.

Reception

Box office

As of April 3, 2018, I, Tonya has grossed $30 million in the United States and Canada, and $16.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $46.2 million.[3]

After making $11.6 million over a month in limited release, the film made $2.9 million from 799 theaters in its wide weekend.[26] After the film earned its three Oscar nominations it was added to 161 theaters the following week and made $3 million.[27]

Critical response

Photo of Allison Janney.
Allison Janney's portrayal of LaVona Golden earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, I, Tonya holds an approval rating of 90% based on 303 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Led by strong work from Margot Robbie and Alison Janney, I, Tonya finds the humor in its real-life story without losing sight of its more tragic – and emotionally resonant – elements."[28] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating to reviews, the film has a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[29]

Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com gave the film three and a half out of four, describing it as "an irresistible, soapy mix of jealousy, competition and class warfare, fortified by powerful performances and unexpected emotional resonance."[30] In Rolling Stone, Peter Travers wrote that the film holds "a mirror up to the class-conscious America most of us tend to ignore or dismiss – and makes us see ourselves reflected in it, too. I, Tonya is funny as hell, but the pain is just as real. You'll laugh till it hurts."[31] Vulture praised Robbie's performance, feeling she had found a new "weight".[32]

Richard Brody of The New Yorker felt the film failed to find an original depiction of the working class, and "treats Tonya's background, her tastes, her habits, her way of talking, as a joke... The result is a film that's as derisive and dismissive toward Tonya Harding as it shows the world at large to have been".[33] In The Guardian, Jean Hannah Eldestein felt that the film was "played for laughs" at the expense of its subject.[34]

Allison Janney was widely lauded for her performance as LaVona Golden and was singled out for praise by the critics. Michael O'Sullivan of Washington Post saying : But it is Janney who steals every scene she’s in, as LaVona, a harridan whose noodging goes well beyond tough love. Helen O'Hara from Empire called Janney's performance flawless and saying Golden is flamboyant, with her fur coat, a bird on her shoulder and an oxygen line snaking across her face after a lifetime of smoking, but also small, sad and bitter after her predictions of disaster come true. Even by Janney’s standards it’s an unforgettable performance.

Accolades

Main article: List of accolades received by I, Tonya

I, Tonya earned various awards and nominations following its release. At the 7th AACTA International Awards, Robbie won Best Actress, while Janney won Best Supporting Actress.[35] I, Tonya received five nominations at the 71st British Academy Film Awards, including Best Actress in a Leading Role for Robbie , Best Original Screenplay for Rogers and winning Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Janney.[36] The film also garnered five Critics' Choice Movie Awards, with Robbie winning Best Actress in a Comedy and Janney winning Best Supporting Actress.[37] At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, Janney received the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, while the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Robbie was nominated for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy[4] I, Tonya gathered three Independent Spirit Awards nominations,[38] and a Producers Guild of America Award nomination.[39] Robbie and Janney were nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role respectively at the 24th Screen Actors Guild Awards.[5] Rogers earned a nomination for Best Original Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America.[40]

At the 90th Academy Awards, Janney won Best Supporting Actress. Robbie earned a nomination for Best Actress and Riegel received a nomination for Best Film Editing.[41][42]

References

  1. ^ "I, TONYA (15)". British Board of Film Classification. November 30, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  2. ^ Ford, Rebecca (December 1, 2017). "How Margot Robbie Nailed Her Landing for 'I, Tonya'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "I, Tonya (2017)". The Numbers. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Rubin, Rebecca (December 11, 2017). "Golden Globe Nominations: Complete List". Variety. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  5. ^ a b "SAG Award Nominations: The Complete List". The Hollywood Reporter. December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  6. ^ "The Shape of Water leads Bafta nominations". BBC News. January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d Robbie, Margot; Rogers, Steven; Gillespie, Craig; Janney, Allison; et al. (December 5, 2017). "Conversations with I, Tonya [Cast and Crew]". SAG-AFTRA Foundation (Interview). YouTube. Retrieved December 23, 2017. {{cite interview}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |first4= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d Robbie, Margot (January 12, 2018). "Conversations with Margot Robbie". SAG-AFTRA Foundation (Interview). Interviewed by Jenelle Riley. YouTube. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  9. ^ Elfman, Lois (December 14, 2017). "Kawahara crafts skating magic for 'I, Tonya'". IceNetwork.com.
  10. ^ Marotta, Jenna (December 13, 2017). "Training Margot Robbie to Be 'I, Tonya': Skating Choreographer Sarah Kawahara Tells All". IndieWire.
  11. ^ "Georgia: I, Tonya" (PDF). Directors Guild of America. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  12. ^ "The Tonya Harding movie starring Margot Robbie is filming in Macon, GA next week". On Location Vacations. January 25, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  13. ^ Corley, Laura (February 1, 2017). ""I, Tonya" films in Macon, bringing '90s vibe to Macon Coliseum". Macon. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  14. ^ "Sebastian Stan updates his Instagram – I, Tonya finishes filming! – SebastianStanZone.com – Fansite for Sebastian Stan". Sebastianstanzone.com. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  15. ^ "Margot Robbie's 'I, Tonya' Reshoots Casting Call in Atlanta". Projectcasting.com. May 10, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  16. ^ ""I, Tonya" Casting for Reshoots in Atlanta -". 2018auditions.com. May 11, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  17. ^ a b Manning, Emily (January 17, 2018). "'i, tonya' sets figure skating to siouxsie & the banshees (and it works)". i-d.vice.com. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  18. ^ a b Rosen, Christopher (December 11, 2017). "Best of 2017 (Behind the Scenes): The stories behind the best songs on the I, Tonya soundtrack". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  19. ^ a b "I, Tonya (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. Apple. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  20. ^ "Toronto Film Festival 2017 Unveils Strong Slate". Deadline. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  21. ^ Lang, Brent (September 11, 2017). "Toronto: Neon, 30WEST Land 'I, Tonya' With Margot Robbie". Variety. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  22. ^ Fleming Jr, Mike (September 11, 2017). "Neon & 30WEST Land 'I, Tonya' For $5 Million – Toronto". Deadline.com. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  23. ^ Kohn, Eric (September 11, 2017). "'I, Tonya' Sells to Neon: Why Tonya Harding's Story Is Taking Margot Robbie and Allison Janney Into Oscar Season". Indiewire. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  24. ^ Feinberg, Scott (September 22, 2017). "'I, Tonya' Sets 2017 Awards-Qualifying Release Date (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  25. ^ Shaughnessy, Dan (January 11, 2018). "Nancy Kerrigan Has Very Little to Say About I, Tonya". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 21, 2018). "January Slows As 'Jumanji' Takes No. 1 For 3rd Weekend With $19M To $20M; Older Guy Pics '12 Strong' & 'Den Of Thieves' In Mid-Teens". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  27. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 28, 2018). "Fox Controls Close To 40% Of Weekend B.O. Led By 'Maze Runner' & Oscar Holdovers; 'Hostiles' Gallops Past $10M". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  28. ^ "I, Tonya (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  29. ^ "I, Tonya Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  30. ^ Lemire, Christy. "I, Tonya Movie Review & Film Summary (2017) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  31. ^ "'I, Tonya' Review: Tonya Harding Biopic Is the Movie We Need Right Now". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  32. ^ Bastién, Angelica Jade. "In Praise of Margot Robbie's Performance in I, Tonya". Vulture. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  33. ^ Brody, Richard (December 7, 2017). "'I, Tonya,' Reviewed: A Condescending Bio-pic of Tonya Harding". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  34. ^ Edelstein, Jean Hannah (December 11, 2017). "How I, Tonya betrays its tragicomic ice-skating protagonist". The Guardian. London. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  35. ^ Kilday, Gregg (January 5, 2018). "'Three Billboards' Named Best Film at Australian Academy's International Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  36. ^ Ritman, Alex (January 8, 2018). "BAFTA Awards: 'Shape of Water,' 'Three Billboards,' 'Darkest Hour' Lead Pack of Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 8, 2018. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  37. ^ Pedersen, Erik; Hammond, Pete (December 6, 2017). "Critics' Choice Awards Nominations: 'The Shape Of Water' Leads With 14 Nods; Netflix Tops TV Contenders". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  38. ^ Lewis, Hilary (November 21, 2017). "2018 Independent Spirit Award Nominations Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  39. ^ Lewis, Hilary (January 5, 2018). "PGA Awards: 'Wonder Woman,' 'The Post,' 'Three Billboards' Up for Top Film Prize". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  40. ^ McNary, Dave (January 4, 2018). "Writers Guild Awards: 'Get Out,' 'Call Me by Your Name,' 'Lady Bird' Nab Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  41. ^ "Oscar nominations 2018: The complete list of nominees for the 90th Academy Awards". Los Angeles Times. January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  42. ^ Smith, Patrick; Hawkes, Rebecca; Robey, Tim (March 5, 2018). "Live Oscars 2018: The nominees, winners and speeches - Best Supporting Actor goes to Sam Rockwell - live". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
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