THE PROGRAM
UK, 2015, 103 minutes, Colour.
Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Jessie Plemons, Lee Pace, Guillaume Canet, Dustin Hoffman.
Directed by Stephen Frears.
One of the biggest sports scandals in recent years was the unmasking of cycling champion, Lance Armstrong, who had built up extraordinary popularity over many years, and his successive wins in the Tour de France. He was a very public personality, was well-known because of his bout with cancer, his overcoming it, and his foundation with his charitable outreach.
It seems quite early to have a feature film on the Lance Armstrong story and the exposé. This is true because Academy Award-winning documentary maker, Alex Gibney, jas already produced the very telling film, The Armstrong Lie, going into the visual archives of Armstrong’s early life, marriage and family, cancer and treatment, as well as in detail of training and the champion rides, success despite some of the journalists being wary of his abilities. Gibney’s film also treats the exposé, or the evidence against Armstrong and his team, against Doctor Ferrari who supplied medications, and the finale where Armstrong confessed publicly on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
So, why a feature film?
Audiences respond to a documentary, listening to and looking at the facts, looking at the images, the body language, Armstrong and his denials. But, in a fiction based on fact, there can be some exploration of the character, interactions, the effect of enquiry and criticism, and some insight into the compulsions which drive a celebrity into cheating and denials.
The Program has the advantage of being directed by British director, Stephen Frears, who, for over 40 years, has made a wide range of films, tackling many subjects, serious and comic, a vast amount of experience in storytelling. In recent years he was well known for directing the true-life story, Philomena, and the impressive but less-seen story of the boxer facing the Supreme Court of the US, Mohammed Ali’s Greatest Fight.
This film also has the advantage of having Ben Foster playing the central role. Foster has built up a career of playing many unpleasant characters, unsympathetic characters, villains. Because the general public does not necessarily know Ben Foster, the actor is able to incarnate Armstrong, young, ambitious, experiencing the cancer, even exploiting incidents during his hospital time, training, defying the critics who claim that he was good at one day races but not a long competitive race.
The film then takes us behind-the-scenes, Armstrong’s ambitions and his visits to and discussions with Doctor Ferrari, his collaboration with his coach, building up a team who would support him during the races, especially Floyd Landis who later spoke out against him. Foster is also able to convey the inner intensity, more dramatically than might be possible in a documentary, the obsessive wanting to win at all costs, the consequent ruthlessness.
The film was based on a book by Irish journalist, David Walsh, who was suspicious of Armstrong early in the piece but was scoffed at by fellow journalists and editors alike – who has some ironic enjoyment at the end when Armstrong has to pay back money to The Times which had received because of a court case. Walsh is played by the always engaging Chris O’Dowd?.
There is a good supporting cast including Jesse Plemons as Floyd Landis and a cameo role for Dustin Hoffman as an adviser to an insurance company, also suspicious of Armstrong.
There are many sayings, even cliches, pride coming before a fall, how the mighty have fallen… And this film dramatically illustrates them.
1. The significance of Lance Armstrong, his reputation, career, site, the victories in the Tour de France, his records, his battling cancer, recovery, his foundation and charity work, his comeback?
2. The investigations, drug and enhancement, the accusations, denials, the end of his initial career, his return? The confession on the Oprah Winfrey show, the consequences?
3. The many documentaries, The Armstrong Lie and its documentary presentation? Investigative journalism?
4. The story told through drama? Material included (cycling, illness, wins, journalists, the coach, Floyd Landis, the whole team and their involvement, the culture of drugs, concealment), material less followed through (marriage, wife, children)?
5. The work of the director, a prolific director, the range of films? The strong cast?
6. The title, Armstrong and his regime of drugs? Armstrong’s program? The teams program?
7. Ben Foster, his performance, audiences able to understand something of Armstrong and how he ticked? As young, his family, background, cycling, his ability, his various wins, his determination to win at any cost? The meetings with David Walsh, his comments about Armstrong and the Tour? Successful for one day only? Not having the build and stamina to win?
8. The experience of cancer, diagnosis, surgery, his recovery, the incident in the hospital – and his making something out of encounters, enhancing the truth? His return?
9. Dr Ferrari, his background, sports doctor, Armstrong visiting him? The discussions, the training regime, his recommendations – and the later raid on his house, the ban?
10. His friendship with Johann Bruyneel, riding together? The consultation, discussions, the decision, acting as coach? During the races, following the car, radio connection? Support? The various members of the team? Their wives? Eventual investigation, their all being interviewed, the truth? The introduction to Floyd Landis, his character, his background, flattered to be in the team, his role to support Armstrong?
11. David Walsh, Irish background, journalist, his interest in Armstrong, other commentators facing him, Walsh beginning to question? The discussions with the editor? His writing the book? Being sued? Walsh on the sidelines, but watching, later vindication, the editor, the refund to The Times?
12. Armstrong as a person, intense, the many scenes showing his determination to win, the collaboration of the different rides for the Tour, the wins, the years passing, the crowds, acclaim? His public persona, his charity, the charity evidence, his family and their presence?
13. Dr Ferrari, his character, work, sports medicine, the ban?
14. The coach, the discussions about Armstrong’s return? The race in 2009, third-place and his feeling humiliated?
15. Investigations, the interviews, the truth emerging?
16. Armstrong confessing everything on the Opera Winfrey show? And the background, his writing the dam, his memories, the symbolic ride?
17. The background of the insurers’ questions, Bob Hamman, at the meetings, his suspicions, his principles, the investigations?
18. Bill Stapleton, his role as Armstrong’s adviser, warding off criticism, supporting Armstrong?
19. The final audience assessment of Armstrong, character, the exhilaration of his rides, the revelation of the truth, the intensity in detail of his deception?
