uper accessible crowd pleaser. There are two big problems I have with this film, however. Its soundtrack, while filled to the brim with classic songs, often felt out of place or completely unnecessary at times. For an iconic 90s story, having only 70s songs was an interesting choice. A lot of the songs played at strange moments as well and sometimes they were just too on-the-nose. For example, Supertramp's "Goodbye Stranger" plays as Jeff and Tonya separate for the first time. The other problem with this film involves the inclusion of the fourth wall breaking moments. This happens maybe 10 times throughout the film, but it didn't add anything and in fact distracted me from the story when it happened. That said, what's great about this movie is how *truly* funny it is. I was expecting a few laughs because of the ridiculousness of the story, but the comedy here was really smart. It plays like a crime-gone-wrong Fargo-esque tale in its latter half and it works this way really well. The performances are strong especially from the always good Allison Janney (who is a huge scene stealer) and Margot Robbie. I've never seen Robbie give a performance like this before and I consider this her first big, meaty roll that allows her to use all of the acting bones in her body. She's funny, charming, brash, and you can tell she really committed herself to this role. Very impressed.

d completely, and gives us a movie in which I felt I truly got to know these characters. Now how accurate those "characters" are to their real life counterparts is another discussion for another time, but contained within the movie itself, I was very satisfied with the insight I got in _American Ice Skater Story_. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._

hat much, but that is 100% okay with me as the tone was light enough to have an amazing time with this film. Music choice was excellent throughout. **Score:** _90%_ **Verdict:** _Excellent_

es that exaggerated the public’s account of the life and drama of Tonya Harding. I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy this movie, but Margot Robbie’s outstanding frenzied Oscar-worthy performance and unique storytelling proved me wrong.

tential to get onto the US team for the Winter Olympics. Along the way, Tonya falls for the local nice-but-dim Jeff (Stan) and marries into something initially quite lovingly benign before it starts to become a turbulent and occasionally violent reflection of her own, unsentimental, upbringing. Of course the sport's establishment don't take too kindly to this rough and ready exponent of their art and much prefer her rival Nancy Kerrigan. It's the famous nobbling incident that debilitates her and puts the blame fairly on Harding that sees her career put, quite literally, onto the skids. It's told in an engaging documentary style with the three principal characters each taking a thread of their own to illustrate/contest/validate their own role in this increasingly messy scenario. That works really quite effectively and occasionally comedically as it shows us the flaws and upsides of all three people. As the story evolves it does tempt you to revaluate your assessments of each of them from time to time, too. There's not a great deal of ice action, it's much more of a melodrama that turns a little dark, almost screwball, as the denouement emerges in a fashion that fiction couldn't make up. There's no hanging about for this two hours and it successfully lifts the lid on a sport that is outwardly genteel and demure but underneath - well it's dog-eat-dog.