My closest personal encounter with Tonya (so far…I still have hope) was spotting her in a local grocery store a few years ago. She was next to the orange juice. I was so star-struck, all I could do was stare and then run to the baby food aisle to breathlessly call a friend in Massachusetts whom I knew would share my glee.
I have several friends who have met Tonya. One friend, Gigi, sees Tonya quite often because of the nature of her work. Gigi is kind enough to occasionally throw fun facts my way about the infamous skater’s current life. I lap them up like catnip.
Last week, Gigi asked me if I would like to join her and a small group of her coworkers on a movie date to see Tonya’s biopic “I, Tonya.” A small group of people WHO KNOW TONYA! I cleared my schedule and practically did a triple Lutz in anticipation. Today couldn’t come soon enough!
The original plan was to see the film in one of those swanky movie theaters with reclining chairs and adult beverages. But it was quickly determined that all the shows for today were selling out FAST. Clearly, I am not the only nosy neighbor who wants to sip a nice Cabernet while peeking into the life of our local Olympian-turned-tabloid-fodder.
A quick redirect and flying fingers on keyboards nabbed tickets at a less exciting theater (read: no recliners and only Coke products). We all agreed to meet 30 minutes early so we could assure seats together.
When I arrived in the parking lot, I quickly changed into my hockey jersey. I have never worn it out in public before; I could not imagine a better time for it to make its debut on my shoulders.
A friend of mine is an avid hockey player and one of his local teams was called The Hardings. When David discovered my fascination with Tonya, he very kindly offered to part with one of his jerseys. I display it proudly on a hook in our laundry room. I see it every time I come into the house from the garage and at least three loads every week. A few benevolent visitors have kindly inquired about it, allowing me to enthusiastically tell the story of how I came to possess a rather random but totally amazing Tonya Harding souvenir.
Back to the movie theater.
After amusing the ticket-taker with my jersey, we filed into the theater expecting to have to scope out 7 seats in a group. Instead, there were not even 7 seats filled. Obviously, my county has discerned that Tonya is best enjoyed with a cocktail. The movie I mean. Or maybe not?
People slowly trickled in but the theater was only about one-third full by the time the copious coming attractions gratefully ended. Most folks looked to be in their 50s and older; clearly, we were the ones that were there and not distracted by homework or Power Rangers when it all went down in 1994.
As we watched preview after preview after bloody preview, I started to get a little concerned about what type of flick “I, Tonya” was going to be. You know how previews are usually in the same genre as the coming attraction? Well, every preview preceding “I, Tonya” involved blood, violence, lying, drama, intensity. And now that I type that, never mind. The previews nailed it.
My official review of “I, Tonya”: 6.0 from the Woodhaven judge
Even if I didn’t sort of stalk Tonya as a hobby, I would have loved this movie. It is compelling, entertaining, disturbing, familiar, and new. I already know I need to see it again. And the soundtrack ROCKS! I shall be ordering the CD soon... because that's how we rolled in the '90s.
When I first heard about it, I assumed the film was going to be campy and gossipy and something of a parody. Basically the movie version of the stage production “Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera” that Rob and I saw in Portland about 10 years ago. (Did I mention Super Fan?)
I was quite surprised when I learned instead that there is Oscar buzz about the movie, particularly the two central actresses playing Tonya and her parakeet-wearing-mother. People are actually taking the movie – and Tonya – seriously. To which Tonya might add “…for once in my freakin’ life!”
The acting was indeed impressive. The likenesses of everyone involved except Tonya was uncanny. Having watched every recent Tonya interview possible (Super Fan!), Margot Robbie certainly has Tonya’s mannerisms down but her accent is a little weird. (Given that Margot is Australian and trying to do Redneck American, I shouldn’t fault her too much.) And honestly, Tonya is prettier than Margot’s version of her. But otherwise, the hair, the nails, the wardrobe…it was like watching all that news footage from the mid-90s all over again.
There were some authentic laugh-out-loud moments in the movie. Laughter that lingered and made me miss the next few lines. Sometimes the humor was intended; sometimes it was from the absurdity of the situations and people in Tonya’s life.
Despite reading countless books and articles and such over the years (Super Fan!), I did learn a few tidbits. Such as the fun fact that the real plan – which Tonya was in on – was just to send threatening notes to Nancy. And that the buffoony bodyguard was actually the source of the death threat Tonya received a couple weeks prior to the infamous knee whack. The inept bodyguard faked the death threat because he was somehow “thinking four steps ahead.” Yeah, don’t try to figure it…or him…out.
As I watched the familiar story unfold, I was struck by how straight-out-of-a-Hollywood-movie the whole situation was. I truly think if someone had pitched Tonya’s story as fiction, it would have been panned for being ridiculously unbelievable. I also found myself…and overheard a few others in the theater…rooting for Tonya.
Her story as she tells is it heartbreaking. Her childhood, her mother, her husband were all painful to watch. Tonya became a singularly sympathetic character as her truth was told. By the end of it, I just wanted to give her a hug.
At one point, in documentary-interview style, Tonya explains how her treatment by the media after “The Incident” was like being abused all over again. And, talking directly to the camera, she asserts that all of us who are intrigued by the calamity of her life are her abusers as well.
I gotta admit, I wasn’t so proud of my hockey jersey at that moment.
As we left the theater, I asked Gigi and her coworker who knows Tonya best if the movie changed their opinions at all. For the most part, the answer was no.
Gigi said she knew Tonya had had a rough childhood but didn’t realize it was as troubled as the movie depicted. We wondered together why other adults in Tonya’s life didn’t bring in CPS or other authorities to protect her.
Gigi’s coworker simply said, “All I can say is Tonya has always been very nice to me.”
I bet that would make Tonya happy. Very freakin’ happy.
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