Director: Alex Gibney
Country: USA
Genre: Documentary
Official Trailer: Here
Editor’s Notes: The Armstrong Lie opens in limited release tomorrow, November 8th.
Helmed by the Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney, The Armstrong Lie appears to be the last chapter in Lance Armstrong’s tumultuous career. Supplementing his hugely controversial and surprisingly unsurprising admission of drug use on the Oprah Winfrey show in January of this year, Gibney’s documentary provides the final statement from the seven time Tour de France victor. In many ways, the documentary is an ironic reflection of the man himself; Lance Armstrong always did like to get the last word.
Having filmed and documented Lance Armstrong for various years, Alex Gibney set out to record Armstrong’s Tour de France comeback in 2009. Having been away from competitive cycling for some years, the American sports hero wanted nothing more than to prove his cynics wrong; there’s an undertone of desperation to his Tour de France ploy. His failure to win that year (coming third) was followed a few years later by one of the most shocking revelations of the 21st century. Coming clean on the Oprah Winfrey show, Armstrong admitting to using steroids, hormone treatments and doping methods to succeed in not one, but all of his Tour de France victories. As Gibney retrospectively reflects during The Armstrong Lie, when something appears too good to be true, sadly, it often is.
Armstrong is painted as a vile and obnoxious human being by Gibney, who sugarcoats nothing in his eye-opening documentary; he makes no attempts to mystify Armstrong’s past history of violence and complete disregard for his teammates, never once concealing who Armstrong really is: a competitor blinded by ambition and an engorged well of arrogance.
It seemed the ultimate tale of inspiration and bravery in the face of adversary: Lance Armstrong, struck down at a criminally young age by testicular cancer goes on to win seven Tour de France jerseys after facing certain death. However, behind the poster boy and public scrutiny lies a sport brimming with corruption, perverted justice and endless backstabbing held together by a ceaseless struggle for power; and at the centre of it all, Lance Armstrong can be found. Alex Gibney’s eye-opening documentary is dazzlingly enlightening; he explores not only the persona of Armstrong but the dynamic of what many people thought was an innocent sport. Aided by the insight of various colleagues, supporters and competitors of Armstrong, the clouded truth surrounding the cyclist is finally lifted.
Gibney creates a montage of old footage of Armstrong to fill the documentary out; old interviews complement this footage of the young and budding cyclist and effectively, Gibney paints in the bigger picture of Armstrong’s life and career, from beginning to sticky end. The viewer sees him starting out as a young and hotheaded triathlete, eventually going on to compete nationally until he is struck down by his near-fatal illness. Despite the premise of the film, these scenes of a bed-bound Armstrong are actually moving; we feel for him. Even after all of the controversy left in his wake, the audience can’t help but sympathize with the man. Gibney also every so often plays a clip of Armstrong emphatically and stubbornly denying any wrongdoing; the man is relentless in his conviction and this touch of dramatic irony is bitterly sweet. Armstrong even admits that watching the clips back he’s embarrassed, visibly cringing in his seat alongside the audience; we’re embarrassed for him. He then goes on to attempt to justify his actions – but there is no justification to be heard. He merely comes across as a self-opinionated, egotistical and delusional fraud who talks of ‘leveling out the playing field’ and how he can’t bear to lose. His engorged sense of pride awards him instant dislike; needless to say, it soon becomes clear that he feels no remorse or regret for his actions. He’s not sorry for what he did; he’s sorry he got caught.
Gibney himself even admits that he was ‘rooting’ for Armstrong; he too was taken in by a beautiful lie because he wanted and needed to believe it. Gibney understands this factor surrounding the once-hero’s downfall and utilizes it to create a passionate and personal piece of filmmaking.
Armstrong is painted as a vile and obnoxious human being by Gibney, who sugarcoats nothing in his eye-opening documentary; he makes no attempts to mystify Armstrong’s past history of violence and complete disregard for his teammates, never once concealing who Armstrong really is: a competitor blinded by ambition and an engorged well of arrogance. Indeed, he comes across onscreen as extremely unlikeable. This is further expanded by the testimony of his teammates and the ordeals Armstrong put them through for the sake of power are truly abhorrent to hear the details of. However, Gibney never once loses himself in the bitterness of Armstrong’s deceit; he doesn’t forget that this man has raised over $300million for cancer survivors or the love and admiration that once followed him. Gibney himself even admits that he was ‘rooting’ for Armstrong; he too was taken in by a beautiful lie because he wanted and needed to believe it. Gibney understands this factor surrounding the once-hero’s downfall and utilizes it to create a passionate and personal piece of filmmaking.
The Armstrong Lie is an insightful and deeply disturbing documentary; Gibney hides nothing from the audience in a ‘bear all’ attitude, covering the technicalities of doping techniques to the wide and varied opinions of respected colleagues of Armstrong’s. Occasionally the documentary becomes a tad personal; it seems Gibney made the documentary only with the intention of settling the score with Armstrong, who had lied to him too. Despite this misgiving, The Armstrong Lie remains a strong offering from the director who succeeds in illustrating the intricate and complex context of a hero fallen from grace and the rocky road ridden by one of the most famous sportsman in the world.
[notification type=”star”]82/100 ~ GREAT. Alex Gibney’s eye-opening documentary is dazzlingly enlightening; he explores not only the persona of Armstrong but the dynamic of what many people thought was an innocent sport. [/notification]
