Olympic skater, record breaker and knee annihilator are all words that are associated with Tonya Harding, who has resurfaced in the new movie “I, Tonya,” which skated its way into well-deserved recognition.

“I, Tonya” follows the life of former figure skater Tonya Harding who is best known for being the first American to land a triple axel and being involved in one of the biggest sport scandals of all time: the attack of fellow figure skater, Nancy Kerrigan.

The film, rather than focus on the scandal, focuses on Harding’s life and the abuse she (Margot Robbie) suffered into early adulthood. Both her ex-husband (Sebastian Stan) and mother (Allison Janney) physically and mentally abused her.

This unknown side to Harding’s life makes viewers feel a newfound sympathy for her and shows her as a victim similar to Kerrigan, who only appears for a brief 10 minutes in the film.

Due to the constant thread of abuse, the fact that she dropped out of high school and had nothing after her ban from ice skating competitions post-scandal, the movie would be better described as a drama with a few punchlines here and there instead of its current status as a comedy.

Despite the false advertising, the movie included great acting, cinematography and a unique screenplay that included asides each character gave to the audience, which stated parts of the story they claim to be true and which were fabricated.

Robbie and Janney give performances that earn them their justified spots on the Oscar nomination list.  Together, the two of them have a chemistry that shows harshness behind Harding and her mother’s relationship.

Each character has their own interview that spreads throughout the whole of the film, either prefacing what is going to happen or reacting to what the film already showed.

“I, Tonya,” although losing at the Golden Globes and not making the Academy Awards “Best Picture” list still deserves the watch, especially if you’re into dark comedy mixed with professional figure skating.