Movie Review: The Armstrong Lie (2013)

Written by Anthony Sargon

Lance Armstrong is literally the only cyclist I can name, and I doubt I'm the only person who feels this way. Most of us were around when Lance got his seven Tour de France victories, and more importantly, we watched him as he lied about his doping, year after year. While "The Armstrong Lie" doesn't necessarily tell us anything that hasn't been covered on the news extensively since the truth about Armstrong came out, it can still be quite engrossing, especially if you're interested in learning about how this man was able to fool us for so long.

The film is written and Directed by Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Freakonomics), and he does a great job of providing as much context as possible for everything he explores. Sure, Lance and his teammates were doping like crazy, but so was everyone else. When everyone in a sport cheats, it becomes about who has more money, more power, and the highest tolerance for risk. Lance Armstrong was that man, and the film makes sure you know that.

The documentary features all the requisite interviews with past teammates, friends, and mentors, and like I said, it's not something you haven't seen before, but watching it all in succession as it unfolds chronologically can help you make sense of why someone would risk everything for a lie. The film also features recent conversations with Armstrong, so it's certainly timely and relevant.

The Verdict:

It's not essential viewing by any stretch of the imagination, but if you're the least bit interested in the whole Lance Armstrong controversy, then you'll surely enjoy "The Armstrong Lie."

Numerical Score: 7.5/10