In 1994 Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) was competing for a place in the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating team when her biggest competitor Nancy Kerrigan was assaulted. This film pieces together events, no matter how contradictory from interviews given by those involved.

I, Tonya is hard to classify as it is both a deeply serious character study and darkly comic and irreverent. It is at its best when Margot Robbie and Allison Janney (playing Harding’s seemingly heartless mother) are on screen. Robbie is exceptional as Harding anchoring the film with someone to root for despite what you think you might know about the events. Is being plain stupid enough of a defence? Janney’s character on the other hand gives us insight into why Tonya may have made some of the choices she did. If a mother’s love is rooted in belittlement then does that mould a person to seek that type of love?

Rounding out the cast are Sebastian Stan as Tonya’s husband Jeff and Paul Walter Hauser as Tonya’s self proclaimed bodyguard Shawn. In a film full of dumb people Shawn wins hands down and manages to be funny doing so.

The film provides good insight into figure skating, abusive relationships and sheer stupidity whilst being blackly comic and dramatic. The only thing that wore out its welcome was the direct to camera voiceover that dominates the film but otherwise it’s a great watch.

Stay seated for the first half of the credits to see the real life Tonya skating.