The Program Review

Breaking Bike 

Released : September 16th 2015

Certificate : 15

Director : Stephen Frears

Cast : Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd, Dustin Hoffman, Jesse Plemons, Lee Pace

Plot : The biopic of Lance Armstrong (Foster) as he fights through cancer, rise to the sporting hall of fame, and then shames it with the discovery of his insentient performance enhancing drug usage. His story is obsessed over by journalist David Walsh (O’Dowd).

Stephen Frears third biopic film, moving from that of a partiotic queen through struggle of family crisis, and another sweet old lady finding her son, on to the man how lead the biggest sporting drugs controversy in sporting history. A story of much more dark and thrilling nature, which needed to convert the touching and moving work done of on his last two instalments into shock and awe. The story itself carries with it a large amount of that awe within the script, how much of it is dramatised is up for question, in particular extent of corruption as well as David Walsh’s involvement with the story. Providing Frears with great base material of which to build upon, with a story which is a real pitch change for Frears after perfecting his craft of the moving biopic whit Philomena and The Queen.

Additionally to we have the apperence of Ben Foster in his first main star role. As some biopics do including The Program, there is an large amount of reliance on the lead character, and this was more relivant to this film than other of recetn years such as Steve Jobs. As The Program carries with it little extra luggage in the war of supporting roles from actors that are well known (not to mean they will deliver poor performances), meaning Ben Foster carried the film alongside that of Frears (not to the same extent as Fassbender and Boyle). But the script provided as well as the brillliantly insightful account of the cheat, some solid material for the drama between that of Armstrong with Walsh as well as co-rider Floyd Landis (Plemons). While Armstrong and Walsh have limited time on screen, the script balanced the presentation well with the impact that both character have on each other worlds, something that will never had been gained from reading the news articles (gain the extent of this reality is questionable). This is the main drama of the film included, as the family life of Armstrong is almost entire left out, apart from a wedding, despite the man having five children.

So for the first man to carry the half of the film is that of Frears, who’s work on Philomena was close to the quality of the enjoyment of the film, which was immense. Frears sets the scene effectively with dated footage of the tour, followed by a low camera angle behind Lance, making him tower over the audience, an effect that is continued throughout the film. Despite this and other directorial techniques not being ground breaking, it was enjoyable to see some meaning behind the presentation of the film. And despite its simple nature the little techniques that are in place do prove simplistically effective, for example the repeated effect of low camera angle to present Lance proved very poignant in a scene showed in the trailer when he becomes rattled by the imposing nature of his dope supplier informing him of the imposing allegations in his home. Some what effort was imploued from Frears was clever and added to the exprence, but his work was not has appreciable or memorable as in previous works, where it felt as if he was more in tune with the stories.

The fact that Frears work wasn’t as dominate within the film may be due to the fact of the utterly absorbing performance of Ben Foster that stole the show. Some may argue that similarly to the new Steve Jobs the character is presented in a overly distasteful way for the sake of entertaining cinema, but with a character that is one of the most famous cheats, the representation is acceptable and uncanny to the real Lance. This is all the way down to the fact that Foster and Armstrong even look similar, which added a chilling edge to the performance. Not that this was needed, as Foster presented him as man who that you could both understand and reveal in his twisted morality. Scenes that provided scenes of striking acting skill, where that of the recognition of ‘defeat’ after his attempted come back into the tour, as well as the inevitable breaking point of when he is caught. This is to name but a few in a performance that is sound throughout, and despite the characters ‘evil’ nature is completely enjoyable to watch. A piece of work from Frears which was simple but effective in the positioning of Fosters performance was that of brief recreation of the famous Oprah interview.

The Program is film which by no means rest on the entertainment of just the story, with may aspects of the film providing high quality. And as the goal of a biopic is, it needs to remain thrilling and absorbing despite the audience knowing how it is all going to end, which the film does and then some. Adding to the enjoyment is that of surprisingly strong performances of that of O’Dowd, how captures the driven and slightly everyday man striving for morals to a surprisingly high level given his previous work. And another performance from that of Plemons, who plays the worker overshadowed and mistreated by that of Armstrong, who battles with his morality as well as his own drive to become the champion, which he is forced to suppress. Both of which acted to compliment the run away star of the show that is Foster’s performance, who dipictes anger, deceit, ego and despair beautifully in a character arch which we know who it plays out. But we are still driven to see each scene, as Foster role provides to be one of the best ‘villains’ this year so far.

Verdict : A true story, with true trills, and utterly absorbing insight into the true story, and thanks to carer best work from Ben Foster and Chris O’Dowd, a brillliant character study as well. The only hold back is Frears nothing being as good as always, but just because he ins’t firing on all cylinders, doesn’t mean that the film isn’t.

Verdict : 4/5

Quote : “And I will not be brought down.”