There have been some audacious cheats in sporting history; sprinter Ben Johnson, skater Tonya Harding, and Boston marathon winner Rosie Ruiz who took the subway mid race. However in recent times, no one comes close to seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong when it comes to being revealed as a fraudster. Not only did he dope for most of his career, but also he constantly denied it, bullying those along the way who threatened to reveal his double life. Catch his story in Alex Holmes explosive documentary Stop At Nothing, just one of my picks for the week.
There have been some audacious cheats in sporting history; sprinter Ben Johnson, skater Tonya Harding, and Boston marathon winner Rosie Ruiz who took the subway mid race. However in recent times, no one comes close to seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong when it comes to being revealed as a fraudster. Not only did he dope for most of his career, but also he constantly denied it, bullying those along the way who threatened to reveal his double life. Catch his story in Alex Holmes explosive documentary Stop At Nothing, just one of my picks for the week.
Monday 22nd June… Chinese Puzzle
Chinese Puzzle is the last film in director Cedric Klapisch’s charming dramedy series about the professional and personal ups and downs of Xavier, a French novelist who thrives on life’s complications. Much like Richard Linklater’s ‘Before’ trilogy, The Spanish Apartment (2002), Russian Dolls (2005) and now Chinese Puzzle follow the same cast of characters as they grow up and sort themselves out. For authenticity, Klapisch moved to Chinatown for a year to write the script, largely set in New York, and much like his other films, deals with life’s important issues with a light touch. You’ll easily follow the action even if you’ve missed the previous films, so there’s no excuse not enjoy a cast that includes Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou and Cécile De France.
Thursday 18th June… Stop At Nothing
It doesn’t matter how well you know the details of this story, there is something compulsive about watching Lance Armstrong fight to keep the fairytale alive. With the help of Armstrong’s former teammates, director Alex Holmes weaves together a story about a hero living a double life as a compulsive liar, threatening bully and cheat. Unlike Alex Gibney’s film The Armstrong Lie where Armstrong speaks about his doping confession, neither the director nor Armstrong appear on camera. This is a more conventional story told in a chronological manner and the interesting question Holmes asks isn’t so much why did Armstrong cheat, but why did it take so long for him to come clean? It would have been good to learn more about Armstrong’s collaboration with Italian doctor Michele Ferrari, but Holmes does a great job of piecing this story together, and what an incredible story it is.
Saturday 20th June… Love is Strange
Writer director Ira Sachs beautifully understated and yet emotionally rich Love is Strange is a joy to watch. Filled with nuances and subtlety, this character driven drama is both gentle and highly-strung. John Lithgow and Alfred Molina star as Ben and George, a couple in their late middle age who get married after being together for 40 years. After getting married, George is fired from his teaching job at a local Catholic school, and the newly weds are forced to sell their apartment. Unable to find anywhere else to live, Ben and George must do the unthinkable and temporarily separate, with Ben moving in with his nephew’s family, and George with some friends across the hall. Love is Strange is a wonderfully warm and mature film about coupledom, and retaining your individuality within that relationship even after such a great length of time together. Fabulously acted, Love is Strange is one of those films that linger with you for days.