The Program

The Program can be viewed as especially relevant, given that doping in sport is coincidentally, in the news again.

...this movie, despite being staunchly non-conformist, ends up, like Armstrong, a disappointing let down. What stops it in its tracks is the fact that we already know every detail about this case that there is to know. He is a public figure who made it a point to install himself in the consciousness of the world and there is very little Frears could have done with this story to make it fresh.

If you want to gain a perspective on what went wrong in Armstrong's professional pursuits, this film is worth a watch. But if you have plans of discovering more about the man himself, we'll just have to wait for a more solid reboot.

Foster works hard on the character, but the portrayal is rather one-dimensional as he interprets the disgraced racer as twisted, shrewd, arrogant and ambitious. We feel no sympathy for this man at all in this rather straightforward account of Armstrong's dramatic life story.

Even though The Program stays away from Armstrong's personal life, there is still far too much going on at any given point. However, the solid performances from Foster and the supporting cast steer the narrative.