The Mercy - an intriguing real-life story comes to the big screen

trailer review

In October 1968, amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst set out to compete in a non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race. Eight months later, the fascinatingly shocking details of his journey would come to light and end up causing a public sensation. Now, nearly half a century later, his story – just as intriguing today as it was almost 50 years ago – is being brought to the big screen in the upcoming British film The Mercy which comes out in February next year.

The official trailer for the movie shares a few scenes from this drama while shedding light on its overall narrative.

Colin Firth portrays the film’s protagonist, a struggling businessman who enters the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, hoping to win the £5,000 prize by circumnavigating the world in a boat alone. But the Brit starts running into numerous problems soon after his voyage begins. An inexperienced seafarer in an inadequate vessel on a gruelling challenge, Crowhurst realizes that if he continues on his quest then he faces dire chances of survival, and if he turns back, he faces “certain ruin”.

The real-life story the movie is based on is fairly well known – Crowhurst has already been the subject of a number of books, documentaries, and films – so you may already know the choices he made in desperation and their consequences, but that doesn’t diminish how compelling the movie seems.

Director James Marsh – who has won numerous accolades for his Philippe Petit documentary Man on Wire (2008) and Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything (2014) – has already shown us how good he is at working with biographical material, so he seems like a very suitable choice to helm this vehicle. And from the glimpses we get of the film in the trailer, the movie certainly seems like it is well shot.

The cast, too, is very impressive. Firth is a safe bet in the lead role, and supporting him is the beautiful Rachel Weisz who portrays the protagonist’s wife; both these acclaimed actors seem terrific in their parts.

There is certainly enough talent attached to the project to make The Mercy look very promising. Plus the filmmakers have a very compelling story to work with. Hopefully they will be able to paint a nuanced portrait of Crowhurst, his predicament and eventual unravelling.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blogs - 6th December, 2017 *

Gaga: Five Foot Two - a glimpse at the person behind the Lady Gaga persona

documentary review

Trying to stay in the limelight on the back of controversies and shock tactics may work in the short term, but this strategy doesn’t guarantee longevity for the career of an artist. It becomes progressively harder for the entertainer to capture the attention of an increasingly jaded audience, and the weaknesses of the performer’s material start to become more apparent as the novelty of their offbeat persona wears off.

That’s the problem Stefani Germanotta found herself running into. After taking the music world by storm under the provocative guise of Lady Gaga, the American pop star started losing traction with each new record, receiving lukewarm reviews, weaker sales, and waning attention for her latter releases. The best way forward, logic dictated, was an image overhaul, so it didn’t come as a surprise when the singer chose to strip away the eccentric Gaga façade and present a more intimate visage for her new album, Joanne (2016).

It’s this latest phase in her career that is the subject of Gaga: Five Foot Two, a Netflix documentary that captures a glimpse of the singer’s personal and professional life as she makes and promotes Joanne.

The film shows Germanotta recording in the studio, primarily with producer Mark Ronson, creating the songs that would end up on her fifth album. The emotional story of the titular Joanna – her father’s sister who died of lupus at the age of 19 – is relayed in a touching segment of the documentary. We also see the singer making the ‘Perfect Illusion’ music video, promoting the new record, performing at the Democratic National Convention and at a birthday celebration for Tony Bennett, and preparing for her Super Bowl half-time show which took place earlier this year. The documentary also highlights her acting successes; her stint on American Horror Story and her upcoming movie A Star is Born are both mentioned in the film (although you don’t find out anything substantial about the latter project).

Alongside her musical and acting endeavours, Five Foot Two also offers a peek into Germanotta’s personal life, from her bond with her family to her loneliness following the disintegration of her relationship with ex-fiancé Taylor Kinney. But the most affecting part of the documentary is her struggle with severe pain, which is mentioned several times in the film. Throughout the documentary, Gaga is shown suffering from chronic pain which often leaves her in tears, as she struggles with spasms or gets treatment for the disease which seems to have been undiagnosed when Five Foot Two was being made but was later revealed to be fibromyalgia.

The documentary appears to have two primary aims: to showcase Germanotta’s vocal prowess as she embarks on this stripped-down segment of her musical journey and to humanize the artist. And while it succeeds to a certain degree on both counts, it doesn’t completely triumph on either level. As an artist, hearing the singer record in the studio leaves you with little doubt that she has one of the strongest voices among her peers, plus her piano playing skills are consistently impressive, but the songs she records are a tad underwhelming and not exactly her finest creations. As a person, we get to see a more vulnerable side of the performer which makes her seem more personable, but we don’t really get to know a lot about the singer. The film doesn’t explore her early life or career. Plus, it’s hard not to wonder how real and raw the documentary really is, especially when comments or scenes start to seem a little staged.

All in all, though director Chris Moukarbel has done a competent job capturing his subject’s busy schedule, her seemingly chaotic life, and the severe pain that she has been dealing with for years. The film is also an interesting showcase of the current stage of Germanotta’s career, which itself seems like a move in the right direction – albeit executed in a lacklustre way – for her as an artist who finally wants the focus to be on her talent instead of her antics. The documentary is primarily for little monsters or viewers who have some knowledge about the singer’s life and work; those who know nothing about her might feel a little lost as not everything is clearly spelled out or explained. Ultimately, you won’t walk away with a comprehensive understanding of the woman at its centre as Five Foot Two doesn’t shed light on much of her life and work, nor does it delve too deep into her thoughts and choices, but it does give you a fascinating look at Germanotta’s Joanne era and a glimpse at the person behind the Gaga persona.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 3rd December, 2017 *

Pet smart

vet wise

Animal lovers can sometimes stumble across a problem regarding their furry, feathered, or scaled friends that they can’t figure out the solution to. So we have asked veterinarian Dr. Faheem Ahmad to help our readers with their animal-related queries.

Taking care of stray cats

Question: The interview of vet Dr. Faheem was really good.  I have a few questions for him. First, I want to say that we don’t have good and reliable pet shops and vet clinics in Karachi, and that is why we have to go to ordinary vet clinics for medicines and vaccines when my cats get sick. My cats are strays. I picked them from the street when they were born. Their mother disappeared after some time. They are playful. They are around 6 months old.
Here are my queries:
1. How do I find out if my cat is sick? What symptoms should I look out for? Sometimes I don’t understand.
2. My friends say that the person who keeps pets should also get some medical treatment to protect themselves from germs. What sort of treatment is that? Can you briefly talk about it and who to talk to about it – the vet or a general doctor?
3. Is it safe to keep stray cats? What should I keep in mind while cleaning them? They jump a lot when you throw water on them so I soak a piece of towel in Dettol water and wipe their body. I know it is not enough.
4. What sort of food should I feed my cats? I give them milk, chicken liver, chicken meat, and also chichare. I have seen cat food in the supermarket but I have no idea what to buy.
Thank you so much. I look forward to seeing the answers to my questions. – Farah Sikandar, Karachi

Answer: Thanks for your compliments regarding my interview. Here are the answers to your questions:
1. Signs of illness: It’s very simple. Just look at the behaviour of the cat (if he’s dull or hyper), changes in the eyes (any discharge), dietary issues (he will stop eating if he’s ill), and also see the consistency of the faeces.
2. Precautions: Yes, you have to be careful, especially when the animal is suffering from any disease. In normal condition, some owners – not all – may suffer from allergy due to the cat’s fur; for that, you have to regularly brush the cats. Moreover, to avoid any serious infection from cats, vaccinate your cat from a reputed vet who will issue a proper vaccination card.
3. Cleaning: If the cat does not like bathing, then there is no need to bathe the cat regularly. Only bathe when it is required. Otherwise you can clean the cat with a wet towel. Don’t use Dettol. You can get some proper medicated shampoo from any reputed shop.
4. Diet: There are some pet food brands which are good, like Purina, NutraGold, Whiskas, Reflex, Acticlog – these are good from my practical experience. Otherwise you can give the cat chicken meat, preferably not raw. Don’t give liver [in a large quantity] to cats, as this is poisonous for cats.

Trying to pick a reliable vet

Question: The Vet to the Rescue cover story was very interesting. The veterinarian suggested that people should trust their vet, but there are so many instances of vets mistreating and mishandling animals, even losing animals in their care and seeming unconcerned about the death of animals they were treating, that it becomes hard to trust the life of an animal we love into the care of a relative stranger. How can I tell if the vet I am taking my pet to is reliable? Are there any qualities or qualifications that I should look for or ask them about? How, basically, do I find out which vet to trust (from the very few choices I have)? – Anon.

Answer: Frankly speaking, dealing with a pet is not an easy job. It is actually very difficult, as the animals don’t exactly tell you the problem. It is all about experience, knowledge, and Allah ki shifa. So for me, all the vets who are continually practicing are good. Moreover, most of the doctors have displayed their degrees online and at their clinic; you can always check their qualification before letting them treat your pet.

Helping a cat suffering from dietary issues

Question: I have read your article Vet to the Rescue and I really liked it. Actually, I also own a cat and for the past few months, my 1-year-old cat has been throwing up a few times a week, sometimes a few times a day. My vet has tested her blood, and changed her to a low residue food diet, but nothing seems to help. My cat has also chewed all the fur off her right shoulder blade. What should I do? Should I change vets and get a second opinion? We got another cat in December and had a baby in April. She acts fine otherwise. Please help! – Mamoona Khalid

Answer: The first thing is whether the cat is dewormed or not. If not, you should get her dewormed. Secondly, I would suggest that you change your cat’s diet to a reputable brand. Switch to a reputable diet, feeding her the exact quantity mentioned on the pack, and divide it into small portions given over the course of the day. You can apply an Elizabethan collar to stop her from eating fur, as fur can also be the main reason for an upset stomach. As far as changing the vet goes, you can, of course, get a second opinion.

Thanks to our readers who wrote in with their animal-related queries, and good luck taking care of your animal friends! For any further questions regarding animal care or the veterinary field, feel free to drop Us a line at sameenamer [at] hotmail [dot] com.

*****

Food you should not feed animals

Pet owners might be tempted to share a few bites of their meals with their animal companions, but that isn’t always a good idea. Similarly, leaving your snacks or medicine unattended could give your pet the chance to ingest something unsuitable for animals, which could have dire consequences for your pet. There are several food items and substances that may be safe for humans but could have adverse – even lethal – effects on animals.

Here are some such food items that you should not feed your cats and dogs:

• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Caffeine
• Citrus
• Coconut
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Nuts
• Onion
• Salty snacks

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 1st December, 2017 *

Will Disney ruin our childhood with its adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time?

trailer review

If you read Madeleine L'Engle’s fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time as a child (or even as an adult for that matter), then chances are that your mind’s eye probably didn’t conjure up an image of Oprah Winfrey in a blonde wig whenever the character of Mrs Which appeared in the story. And if you were to come up with a fantasy casting for a movie adaptation of the 1962 classic, then, once again, blonde Oprah probably wouldn’t have been the first person you pictured in that role. But that, somehow, is exactly what we’re getting in the upcoming adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, Disney’s second film based on the popular children’s book (which was previously turned into a television film of the same name in 2003).

The story revolves around a young girl, Meg Murray (Storm Reid), who goes on a fantastical journey to search for her missing physicist father (Chris Pine). Along with her prodigious younger brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), and their friend Calvin (Levi Miller), the misfit Meg finds herself on a magical ride across the universe – powered by three astral beings, Mrs. Which (the aforementioned Oprah in all her majesty), Mrs. Whatsit (an instantly winsome Reese Witherspoon), and Mrs. Who (a less convincing Mindy Kaling) – to unravel the mystery of her father’s disappearance.

First impressions based on the trailer? Decidedly mixed.

The most striking and instantly noticeable thing about this project, of course, is the diversity of both the talent in front of and behind the camera. The cast is wonderfully diverse; it’s especially nice to see a young black girl lead the ensemble. Plus the film reportedly makes director Ava DuVernay the first woman of colour to direct a blockbuster with a $100 million plus production budget, and with the praise she has received for her work so far – particularly for the film Selma (2014) and the documentary 13th (2016) – it does feel like she has the talent to bring this enchanting tale to cinematic life.

On the other hand though, it seems a little too much like The Chronicles of Narnia meets Tomorrowland by way of Alice in Wonderland. And the few glimpses the trailer has given us of the film don’t dissuade the concerns that the story may have been overly Disney-fied and turned into a bright, CGI-drenched fantasy escapade where the adults look like they’re dressed for cosplay.

One thing’s for sure though: this isn’t what most of us pictured when we thought of the film adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. Whether that’s a good thing or not … we’ll just have to wait till March 2018 to find out.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blogs - 22nd November, 2017 *

The immaculate cat

cover story

Fluffy, king of the garden

Cats are awesome, and they know it. They are so amazing, in fact, that they were even worshipped as deities in ancient cultures (and if you’ve ever met a cat, then you know this historic divine status is something that the feline has never forgotten). But popularity breeds haters, and that is exactly what has happened in the case of these magnificent furry creatures. There are some misguided – and, let’s face it, clearly quite envious – humans who have been levelling completely baseless accusations against our feline overlords companions, calling them things like annoying, aloof, fickle, and – excuse me while I gasp – useless. But that smear campaign ends today, for not only are cats cute and cuddly and altogether adorable, but they also happen to be the most selfless, hardworking, and useful creatures that have ever set paw on planet Earth. That’s right; the cat diligently serves many functions in various capacities all around us, tirelessly toiling all day long just to help others. All you need to realize its many roles in our lives is a little bit of love (and a lot of imagination).

Renovation instigator
You are lazy. That’s ok, I’m not judging you. But we both know that if it were up to you, you’d never bother to renovate your living space and would just end up with the same curtains and sofas and blankets and carpets for a decade. Left to your own devices, your life would be stagnant. Thankfully though, the cat is always there to help you, slowly nudging you on by shredding your drapes and using your rugs as his own personal scratch pad, all in the hopes of inspiring you to give your house an overhaul. The cat isn’t doing any of this for himself; the cat is doing this all for you. Because he loves you and cares about you. You’re welcome.

Alternative interior decorator
If you are a human being, then i) I’m sorry for your luck, and ii) chances are you keep all your possessions inside cupboards/drawers or on tables. O ye of little imagination! We humans are bound by mental constraints revolving around things like “order” and “arrangement”, but unlike us, the cat is not afraid to think outside the box. “What would everything look like if it was on the floor?” the cat wonders, before promptly throwing everything on the ground. Because changing the way the room looks has a positive impact on the mood, of course. Sure you may not be very pleased that your porcelain doll has parted ways with its head and your favourite coffee mug is now in pieces, but that’s just a small price to pay in order to enjoy the cat’s creative decorating skills.

Kitty in a tree

Nature documentary participant
The majestic cat moves with impeccable grace. Ain’t she a beauty! Suddenly, she sees a sparrow in the distance. She slowly, stealthily moves towards the unsuspecting bird. Crikey! She jumps at her prey, lunging towards the sparrow … and promptly smacks straight into the window between her and the bird that she had failed to take into account!
Cats are funny.

Comedian
See: nature documentary participant.

Gardener
Digging? Check!
Grass pruning? Check!
Applying fertilizer? Check!

Jolly performing a balancing act

Gymnast
The cat is an acrobat and the world is her circus. The consummate entertainer, the feline gymnast will swing from trees, climb to vertigo-inducing heights, make astounding jumps, and (cat)walk on impossibly thin beams, all in a noble attempt to keep us humans amused.

Financial advisor
The cat keeps meowing. I think she’s saying she wants something to play with. I should get her some toys. ($10)
Aww, doesn’t the cat look cold? Time to buy her a little cat house. ($15)
Yikes! The cat is coughing. I should take her to the vet ($50)
Oh no, we’re almost out of dry cat food. Must get some more. ($25)
Almost forgot, also need to get the wet cat food. ($25)
Might as well pick up some treats while I’m at it. ($10)
Doesn’t the cat seem like she could use some…
Wait, why am I suddenly broke?!

Motivational meower
Yes, you better not lose your job or the cat is going to have you for dinner. Work harder, human! The cat needs those fancy yumyums!

Alarm clock
The cat is nature’s alarm clock, guaranteed to wake you up in the morning. And by morning I obviously mean the middle of the night at a completely random time of her choosing. The cat knows that spontaneity makes life more exciting. Dependable digital alarm clocks that wake you up at a time of your choosing – where’s the fun in that?

Paradox generator
Just ask Schrödinger.

Lee proving that chairs are redundant

Innovator
Humans invented chairs.
Cats discovered that humans are idiots who come up with redundant inventions, because if people had the slightest common sense, they would’ve figured out that just about everything can be used as a chair.
Cats are clearly smarter than humans.

Muse
The cat has been the muse for many artists, writers, and filmmakers, dutifully inspiring them to produce some iconic works that would have simply been inconceivable without the feline.
Just think about it.
Would people have flocked to the cinemas to watch That Darn Hyena? I think not.
What would have become of Puss in Boots? Dog in Clogs just doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?
The Cat in the Hat simply wouldn’t have worked without our furry friend, because The Dolphin in the Beret doesn’t even rhyme!
And Lewis Caroll would’ve been in a real pickle if it weren’t for the cat. The Cheshire Carp? Cheshire Caribou? Cheshire Cassowary? Cheshire Cormorant? Cheshire Chamois?! That’s just madness, I tell you, madness!

Uggy striking a very elegant pose

Model
Aware of its natural beauty, the cat is always gracefully catwalking and striking a pose to give you a chance to capture its gorgeousness in photos, which is a good thing because otherwise you wouldn’t know what to do with your smartphone camera.

Internet content provider
As we all know, the Internet was invented so that we could share cat photos and videos with each other. If the cat were to suddenly disappear, the World Wide Web would turn into a barren, desolate wasteland, with tumbleweed blowing down its fake news streets filled with depression and despair. But that will never happen, not on Lil Bub, Maru, Colonel Meow, Venus, and Tardar Sauce’s watch!

Jolly, always there to help when I'm working

Bookmark
The cat makes a very effective bookmark. When you’re reading something, there’s a very high chance the cat will sit on it. WHILE you’re trying to read it.
Also quite effective as a paperweight.
Come to think of it, the cat is not just a bookmark and paperweight but, in fact, a full personal assistant, personally assisting you no matter what you’re working on by helpfully sitting on whatever it is you’re working on. Always so helpful.

Lucky the brave explorer

Explorer
Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong, and, of course, our good friend felis catus – some of the world’s greatest explorers who have boldly partaken in brave and daring expeditions all in the name of discovery.

Food critic
That thing you just spent an hour chopping, shredding, mixing, boiling, cooling for the cat? Yuck. Discarded. Because your cooking sucks.
That thing the cat found lying on the ground that had been sitting out there, getting coated in dust for a week? Yum!

Christmas tree ornament

Aussie, my friend Anny's beloved cat, displaying how to be a Xmas tree ornament

Fur donor
Real fur is cruel and fake fur looks, well, fake. But don’t worry – the cat knows how weary you are of both fox and faux fur. That is why it very helpfully leaves a layer of fur on all your clothing. Now you too can be posh and trendy and proudly walk around with a real fur covered top or sweater, cruelty free and prepared for you with love by your very considerate feline friend. See? The cat gives and it gives…

Hitler impersonator

Hitler, pensively wishing I had named him Chaplin instead

Hail Kitler! Because we must remember the past so as not to repeat it in the future. Or something.

Friend filter
What kind of a person doesn’t like cats? Block, delete, buh bye!

Fitness trainer
Like we talked about earlier, you’re lazy. Don’t worry, still not judging you. But laziness isn’t good for your health. That’s why the cat is worried about you. And since he only wants what’s best for you, he has made it his life’s mission to keep you on your toes. No need to join the gym when you are owned by a feline, because the cat takes his responsibility as your fitness trainer very seriously. Yes, he has you running around doing chores for him all day, but that’s just because he wants you to get some exercise. And when he goes missing and makes you frantically search for him all over the neighbourhood, it’s because he wants you to get that extra cardio.

Social interaction initiator
Speaking of frantic neighbourhood searches…
In a tech obsessed world that is leaving many of us increasingly isolated, where our messed up priorities have ended up trapping us in the 24 hour news cycle… we somehow seem very pleased with ourselves for knowing what’s happening in a random place on this planet a million miles away, yet have no idea what’s going on with our own neighbours. The cat realizes that this needs to chance. That’s why she keeps coming up with different ways to get you out of the house and socialize with the people around you. The cat wants you to know your neighbours, and for your neighbours to know you too, so that the next time they see you, they can think “ugh, there’s that insane woman who keeps showing up at our house looking for one of her five million cats. Quickly hide before she sees us and comes over again and starts jabbering away about how great cats are. Oh no, too late…”

So yes, cats are awesome, and they know it. And it’s about time everyone else knew it too.

- By a crazy cat lady Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 17th November, 2017 *

Simply Complicated - a candid look at the life of Demi Lovato

documentary review

Achieving fame (and its accompanying fortune) at a young age may seem like the ultimate dream, but, in reality, childhood stardom is precariously fraught with troubles. Wading through the waters of fame at an early age while growing up in the public eye can be a tricky business, and Demi Lovato is one of the many child stars who have experienced this phenomenon first-hand.

The American singer and actress stepped into the entertainment industry at the tender age of 8, getting her first prominent role in the children’s series Barney & Friends (2002 – 2004) before gaining global recognition after joining the Disney Channel roster in 2007. Starring roles in the short show As the Bell Rings (2007 – 2008), the Camp Rock television film series (2008 – 2010), and the sitcom Sonny with a Chance (2009 – 2011) as well as a nascent pop music career soon made her a household name. But the then-teenager subsequently found herself facing a number of personal struggles that threatened to derail both her life and her career.

The 25-year-old has now opened up about the many issues that she has had to deal with in the first two and a half decades of her life in her new documentary Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated, a candid look at her tumultuous past and her current endeavours.

Released on video streaming platform YouTube, the film serves as both an intimate, confessional piece about her life and a promotional tool for her latest album, Tell Me You Love Me (2017).

Directed by Hannah Lux Davis (who has previously directed music videos and is making her full-length debut here), Simply Complicated finds Lovato opening up about her drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorder, depression, anger issues, and love life. Also included in the documentary are snippets from interviews with her family members, close friends, and management team, which help shed light on her various battles and triumphs.

The ‘Skyscraper’ singer reveals heart-breaking details of being severely bullied at school where at one point a “suicide petition” got passed around saying that she should kill herself. She looks back on how she ended up becoming a star in her teens, the impact of her early success, and what transpired behind the scenes as her personal life unravelled. Lovato details her long road to recovery from cocaine addiction and alcoholism – which she blames in part on her biological father’s choices and her search for why he found drugs and alcohol so fulfilling that he chose them over his family – and how she still struggles with bulimia.

Her relationship with Wilmer Valderrama also comes up in the documentary, and the singer makes it fairly obvious that she is still in love with her former beau even though they broke up last June. She admits that she is open to a “human connection” irrespective of gender and is still looking for love, using a dating app to find potential suitors.

But candid discussions about her life aren’t all that this film is about. Simply Complicated also attempts to showcase Lovato’s vocal talents. Her performances are complimented as she records songs in the studio while creating her sixth album, Tell Me You Love Me. The film doesn’t quite give you a full picture of Lovato as a pop star and working musician, nor do we get a proper sense of her creative process, but there are enough musical pieces thrown into the proceedings to nudge the viewer into potentially purchasing her songs.

It’s this combination of commercial and confessional that doesn’t always gel and, at time, undercuts the overall impact of the documentary. The blend of promotional and revelatory isn’t as seamless as you’d hope, and ends up serving as a reminder that the film wasn’t created just to explore the singer’s life but also to promote the artist and her latest project. That said, the overall focus of the documentary mostly remains on her personal ups and downs, and her raw honesty ultimately wins you over. Lovato really does reveal a lot about some of the darkest moments from her past, and it is inspiring to see the progress this young woman has made in overcoming her demons over the last few years. Her fans, who are obviously the primary audience for this piece, will surely appreciate her candour, but the film is also likely to fascinate anyone else who is interested in an exploration of the highs and lows faced by a child star turned popular artist in the world of show business.

- By Sameen Amer 

Instep, The News on Sunday - 5th November, 2017 *

I, Tonya - a darkly comical biopic powered by Margot Robbie's charm

trailer review

Sports rivalries can add excitement to games by raising the stakes and making the experience more intense and thrilling for both the participants and viewers. But there is also a dark side to such rivalries, especially when they get out of control and turn ugly as overzealous fans or over-competitive athletes take things to dangerous levels. That is exactly what happened in the case of American figure skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, when the former went too far in her attempt to surpass the latter in a shocking 1994 incident. The story of this scandal and the woman at its centre is now being brought to the big screen in the film I, Tonya.

Directed by Craig Gillespie, the biographical sports black comedy is based on the real life of Harding (portrayed by Margot Robbie), who rose to infamy because of her involvement in the attack on her fellow skater.

The trailer suggests that the film takes a look at various stages and aspects of Harding’s life. The movie sheds light on her tough upbringing – the wonderful Mckenna Grace plays the protagonist as a child, while Robbie portrays the former U.S. champion as an adult. Also explored in the biopic is her relationship with her eventual ex-husband Jeff Gilooly (Sebastian Stan), who, along with her bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt (Paul Walter Hauser), hired an assailant to break the leg of her competitor, Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver), to keep her from competing at the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Robbie seems like a good choice for the lead role. The Australian actress has already proven that she is great at putting comedic and crazy together in her terrific performance in (the otherwise disappointing) Suicide Squad. While her character in I, Tonya is completely different from Harley Quinn, Robbie seems to be bringing the same charm and pizzazz to this performance, which will hopefully make for an enjoyable viewing experience. The other standout actor in the trailer is Allison Janney, who is very well cast in the supporting role of Harding’s strict mother, coldly pushing the young girl both on and off the rink.

I, Tonya combines an interesting real-life tale with an impressive cast. The film seems to posses all the major component that make a movie compelling and entertaining, and the trailer definitely leaves you looking forward to its release this December. It remains to be seen if Steven Rogers’ script is as sharp as the project deserves, but from its first few glimpses, this sports comedy sure looks like it could potentially be a winner.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blogs - 3rd November, 2017 *