I, Tonya (2017) is a brilliantly unconventional sports biopic that deconstructs the infamous Tonya Harding scandal with dark humor and surprising empathy. Directed by Craig Gillespie, the film employs a mockumentary style, presenting conflicting 'interviews' with its characters to explore the elusive nature of truth. The narrative follows Harding's difficult upbringing in Portland, Oregon, her raw, powerful talent on the ice, and her tumultuous relationship with abusive husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), culminating in the 1994 attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.

Margot Robbie delivers a career-defining performance, completely embodying Harding's toughness, vulnerability, and desperate desire for acceptance in a sport that looked down on her blue-collar background. Allison Janney won a deserved Academy Award for her chilling and hilarious portrayal of Tonya's viciously critical mother, LaVona. The film's genius lies in its tone, masterfully balancing laugh-out-loud comedy with moments of genuine tragedy and social commentary.

Viewers should watch I, Tonya not for a definitive true-crime account, but for its explosive examination of class, media manipulation, and the stories we tell to survive. It's a wildly entertaining, sharply written, and superbly acted film that challenges you to reconsider one of pop culture's most notorious villains. The skating sequences are thrilling, the 90s period detail is perfect, and the script offers relentless, biting wit.