Film Review: "The Program" (2015).

"Champion. Hero. Legend. Cheat. The true story of the greatest deception of our time." This is The Program. This biographical drama film directed by Stephen Frears, written by John Hodge, and based on Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong by David Walsh. An Irish sports journalist becomes convinced that Lance Armstrong's performances during the Tour de France victories are fuelled by banned substances. With this conviction, he starts hunting for evidence that will expose Armstrong.

After reading a review of Tyler Hamilton's book, The Secret Race, Frears had the idea to make a film about Armstrong. Unable to acquire the rights for Hamilton's book, he instead settled on Walsh's book. Frears then turned to Hodge to pen the script, partly because of Hodge's experience as a doctor. Hodge has said that he primarily based his screenplay on Walsh's book, in addition to other journalism and affidavits from cyclists. Hodge says he ruled out using Armstrong's own accounts of his behavior during this period, and that scenes shown from Armstrong's perspective are fiction. By October 2013, Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Guillaume Canet, Jesse Plemons, Lee Pace, Denis Menochet, and Dustin Hoffman were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Austin, Texas, USA and Paris, France. British cyclist David Millar was Cycling Consultant to the film. To better understand his role, Foster took performance-enhancing drugs while shooting the film. Foster admitted the emotional storyline about the disgraced cyclist took more a toll on him than the physical demands of the role.

The film stars Foster, O'Dowd, Canet, Plemons, Pace, Menochet, and Hoffman. Foster and O'Dowd gave perhaps their most remarkable performances in an already remarkable careers. The remarkable achievement is not just in Foster's performance - but in the sly, often almost imperceptible observations of how violently worlds can collide with a fleeting word, a subtle gesture.

A fantastic, endlessly engrossing film, anchored by some of the year's best performances and Alex Heffes' liltingly beautiful score. Makes for engaging and entertaining viewing. Not just the subject, it's also the interpretation and storytelling that one closely identifies with. Frears's movie pays Armstrong the supreme compliment of taking it seriously, and it's hard not to feel that the results will enjoy a long and fruitful reign in the affections of moviegoers. The film's myopia is so complete, the performances so meticulous, that you can't help but start to care about, or pine for, or want to condemn Armstrong. Stuffed with stinging truths about swiftly turning winds of public opinion, Frears' film is a tough, fair-minded and, at times, morbidly satirical depiction of the extraordinary circumstance of leading in grief as well as government. Frears' film offers an incisive and utterly persuasive glimpse behind the scenes of recent history. I was to this film. It's slow and plodding throughout, yet the format Frears brings to the table is gripping in its balance. Beneath the simple and straightforward facade lies a hidden depth that does not announce itself with dramatic intensity.

Simon says The Program receives:

Also, see my review for Philomena.