I, Tonya (15)
Directed by Craig Gillespie
★★★★

WITH its unconventional structure and contradictory viewpoints, this irreverently dark and funny film is as unbelievable as the true story of US figure skater Tonya Harding and the scandal that rocked the sporting world that it is based on.

But producer and Oscar-nominated star Margot Robbie, who plays Harding, didn't realise it was based on a true story when she first read Steven Rogers' script.

Rogers' masterful screenplay for this mix of documentary, drama and comedy is inspired by the true and contradictory interviews given by Harding and her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) about their lives, during which they deliver a shocking attack on her fellow competitor Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver).

They're skilfully woven into the surreal narrative, which sees a knock-out performance by Robbie. She paints a rounded and comprehensive portrait of Harding and the hardships she endured growing up on the wrong side of the tracks. Bullied by her eccentric and acid-tongued mother — played brilliantly by Oscar-nominated Allison Janney, bird on shoulder and all — she was physically abused by her ex-husband.

And she was penalised by the skating community and judges for being poor and not playing the game, even though she was the first American woman to land a triple axel in competition.

There's stunning editing by Tatiana S Riegel for the thrilling and nail-biting skating sequences, which seamlessly marries Robbie's skating with CGI versions of the most complicated triple axel. There have only been six women in the world to perform them and the only two skaters who could replicate them on film today were training for the Olympics, so wouldn't risk it.

The film lets audiences decide who was really to blame for the Kerrigan incident but it goes some way to portraying Harding as not quite the villainous character that the media made her out to be.

Maria Duarte

Native (12A)
Directed by Daniel Fitzsimmons
★★

IT'S taken two years for this courageous but sometimes tedious science-fiction feature to appear in Britain after debuting at the 2016 Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival, where director Daniel Fitzsimmons won the best new film-maker award.

The key protagonists Cane (Rupert Graves) and Eva (Elle Kendrick) appear to be human but are actually from a hive-like society. Receiving a telepathic message from the far side of the universe, they venture through space to find and colonise the world that sent the transmission.

Given the patently low budget, everyone on both sides of the camera deserves praise. The repetitive special effects decorating the space flight work well enough, leaving Graves in particular to carry a story that's overly slow and undernourished.

Forty-five minutes in, Cane poses the question: “What am I doing? I don’t know what this is?” Agreed. But the climax carries an undeniably potent dramatic punch.

And Graves — slowly and convincingly disintegrating until admitting “I am the problem” and ending up sedated and restrained by Kendrick — is compelling and the latter works hard too.

All in all, a lengthy journey into space that’s just about worth the effort.

Alan Frank

The Ice King (12A)
Directed by James Erskine
★★★★★

PRODUCER-WRITER-DIRECTOR James Erskine deserves all the plaudits for this biopic of celebrated ice skater John Curry, who transformed ice skating from a sport into a glorious dance form.

Banned by his father from taking ballet lessons, the young Curry turned to skating as substitute, growing up to become a competitive figure skater who won Olympic gold and was world champion at the age of 26. Outed as gay, he went on to achieve worldwide fame as a truly magical artist.

This is an emotional and heartrending story of a skater who brought a radical ballet sensibility to the sport before dying of Aids.

Erskine vividly blends fascinating archive footage and interviews with friends and family to create a memorable and moving document of ambition and broken dreams.

AF

Finding Your Feet (12A)
Directed by Richard Loncraine
★★

A STELLAR British cast on fine acting form isn't enough to save this predictable, sentimental and cliched rom-com drama aimed at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel audience.

The over-60s deserve better than this condescending film, directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Meg Leonard and Nick Moorcroft, whose overriding message is, predictably, that there is still life in the old dog yet.

It stars the wonderful Imelda Staunton as Lady Sandra Abbott, a judgemental snob who, on discovering her husband of 40 years (John Sessions) has been having an affair with one of her best friends (Josie Lawrence), leaves him and reluctantly goes to stay with her bohemian and free-spirited sister Bif (the delightful Celia Imrie) in her council flat.

The latter introduces her to her eclectic circle of friends, including the down-to-earth Charlie (Timothy Spall) — romance spoiler alert — who takes her to a dance class to loosen up. Mayhem ensues, with all major plot twists and denouements heavily signposted.

Sadly, there are no ingenious surprises. The cast and target audience deserve so much more.

MD

Birth of the Dragon (15)
Directed by George Nolfi
★★★

THE POPULARITY of kung fu in the US can be traced back to Bruce Lee, some would have it.

So, presumably hoping to cash in on the fame in real life and on-screen of the legendary fighter, director George Nolfi and screenwriters Christopher Wilkinson and Stephen J Rivele serve up some splendid martial arts action and some unfortunately silly drama in their recreation of the “true story” of the battle between Lee and Wong Jack Man, a Northern Shaolin master from China in 1964.

Coaching wannabe kung-fu fighters in San Francisco, Philip Ng as Lee is convincing enough — in the rousing combat sequences at least — while Xia Yu scores as his opponent.

Lee fans should love it.

AF