Sharp Edges (1986)
This film provides a really interesting perspective that you almost never get. Filmed before Tonya's major controversies and success this offers an unbiased look into her early life which is really interesting to see. This is not a film trying to prove a point or support one side, instead it feels really honest, it allows everyone to speak their truths and show their true sides without the concern of how they would be judged or have their words used against them. When you have a controversy as major as the Tonya Harding controversy this is something you basically never see, so hearing these honest takes and seeing these people for who they are is really special, especially when put into the context of events that would come.
Especially as a student film I also think the filmmaking is quite impressive, particularly with the editing. This movie does a great job at letting the audience breath on a scene or moment without any distractions without ever feeling boring or like it was wasting time. It also doesn't try to string together a weak thesis that could have ruined the honest feeling this movie had.
At the end of the day sure this film doesn't have a really strong message and it lacks a level of quality being a smaller student film. But the relevance is given to this movie by later events raises this to be an interesting documentary that gives us a perspective we rarely get to see.
At the end of the day sure this film doesn't have a really strong message and it lacks a level of quality being a smaller student film. But the relevance is given to this movie by later events raises this to be an interesting documentary that gives us a perspective we rarely get to see.