The Program (2015) (English Language)

Review

103min

Genre:     Fact-based, Drama, Sport

Director:  Stephen Frears

Cast:       Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd, Jesse Plemons…and more

Writers:   John Hodge, David Walsh

Biographical drama from British director Stephen Frears (The Queen, High Fidelity) about the rise and spectacular fall of cancer survivor, 7-time Tour de France winning cyclist and disgraced drugs cheat Lance Armstrong, chronicling his sophisticated doping program and the Times journalist who was determined to expose it at the risk of his own reputation.

Based on thousands of court documents and the work of Irish journalist David Walsh who exposed the cycling superstar, ‘The Program’ stars Ben Foster in a truly captivating performance as Lance Armstrong. Not only are the physical similarities striking but equally impressive is Foster’s fleshing out of this complex and manipulative character whose life trials and determination created an intense drive to win at any cost, and way beyond his natural “god given” capabilities.

For the majority of people who will not be Cycling fans ‘The Program’ is a decent enough introduction to the sport without getting into its intricacies. But at its heart this is a strong journalistic drama that beautifully exposes the science of performance enhancement and the intricate art of evasion, which allowed Armstrong and his team to get away with it without failing regular drug tests.

‘The Program’ is also a fascinating look at a complex character with psychopathic tendencies who became a global icon of success, and despite all the revelations remains an enigma. The film does a good job of illuminating Armstrong’s struggles with cancer and how he used it to succeed, for better or worse. After all, his was a lie that created a noble charity and raised 500 million dollars for the battle against cancer.

Because of its adherence to the facts of the story, ‘The Program’ has little scope for dramatic license and as a result is not really a sporting drama with urgency and tension. Naturally the narrative itself is focused on a single character in a trial of public opinion, the result is a lack of focus on the sport and its longstanding problems that go beyond Lance Armstrong. Disappointingly the cycling authorities are not given their perhaps deserved balance of the blame, for at best ignoring the issues in the defence of the sport and their interests, and at worst being complicit in the whole thing.

The Bottom Line…

Although limited as a sporting drama and narrowly focused, ‘The Program’ is a fascinating character study on the rise and fall of a global icon and a thoroughly engaging journalistic drama about one of the biggest lies in the history popular culture.

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Similar films you may like (Home Video)

All the President’s Men (1976)

Oscar-winning journalistic drama chronicling the true story of Washington Post reporters Woodward and Bernstein and their efforts to expose the “Watergate Scandal” which created global news and led to the resignation of an American president.

Directed by Alan J. Pakula and starring Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford and Jack Warden among others.

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