• Very entertaining storytelling style—clearly influenced by Scorsese (goodfellas, Casino) and late David O. Russell (American Hustle and Joy)- I’d put it somewhere between Russell’s last two when evaluating the quality- not as strong as American Hustle but better than Joy
  • Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are both superb. I’ll get to Robbie in a second but Janney is in a loaded category this year for the Oscars with Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) and Holly Hunter (the big sick) – I’d probably add Ana de Armas from Blade Runner 2049
  • Disappointed in how little we get from the great Bobby Cannavale
  • Like Scorsese’s casino and the Lorraine Bracco sections of goodfellas we get multiple narrators here (this goes all the way back to citizen kane in some respects) and questions of subjectivity
  • Reflexive in style, metanarrative jokes “this actually happens” as characters talk to the camera- and dueling mockumentary interviews
  • I adored the tracking shot, clearly faked, of three Sebastian Stan’s- basically the appearance of one character in his own tracking shot three times
  • the way they shot the skating is interesting. It’s clearly not Robbie and at times they really struggle to keep her faces digitized on there—didn’t ruin it for me though
  • Janney doesn’t blink or flinch and that’s key- she’s given a ton of the punch lines
  • Like much of Russell’s, Boogie Nights or Scorsese we have abuse/violence and comedy really close together- in the same scene- it’s really hard to pull off and I think I, Tonya does it—Gillespie isn’t a director I recognize from anything except the lars and the real girl (2007)- a solid recommend movie. Clearly talented with comedy
  • An interesting mother/daughter comparison film with 2017’s lady bird
  • I think the most purely entertaining film of the year
  • I don’t think it’s an Altman film or anything but I think there’s a solid statement on America amongst the carnival of abuse, humor, soundtrack and entertainment here
  • Sobering film
  • Liked the freeze frame used three times at the ending with the voice over carrying over
  • Heavy use (like influences) of the great soundtrack and blended with some tracking shots (though not many), montages and cross cutting– but I thought it was interesting to use music I assume the real Harding liked and was interested in because it’s mostly from the 1970’s and early 80’s (even though the action takes place in the 1990’s)
  • I have to highlight Robbie again. It’s a great part for an actor, there are scenes of breaking down, high emotion and introspection but she pulls it off marvelously. I mean I already thought she was great in wolf of wall street so I don’t want to call it a revelation but it’s a triumph for her
  • Recommend/ Highly Recommend border

 

2.0 June 2018

  • Scorsese (who influences O. Russell and PT Anderson)
  • 4th wall reflexive- talking to camera in scene
  • some writing is a little on the nose “Tonya was totally american”
  • faux interview biopic like 1974’s Lenny from Fosse
  • 70’s score-heavy (20+ songs and it’s inspired how it’s put together)- “devil woman” on the nose as well
  • laughing and crying in the same thing- comic authenticity– comedic realism
  • love Janney’s “my story line is rapidly disappearing— What the f*ck?”- ha
  • “Goodbye Stranger” by supertramp is in a wonderful three part tracking shot (with multiple Sebastian Stans in one fake shot”- a nod to Boogie Nights and i see Birdman here too (all the way back to Hitchcock’s Rope
  • narrative issues but they feel nit picky– some character act dumb in one scene and smart in another– especially the two leads
  • love Fleetwood on the soundtrack
  • love the OJ Simpson transition and the statement on america
  • Robbie is even better with a second look- the acting in the mirror before the final Olympics scene- putting on cheap makeup, crying, and practicing fake smile– then she has the court room “I’ll do the 18 months in jail” scene- great acting
  • meditation on subjectivity
  • HR- top 10 of the year worthy