A documentary chronicling sports legend Lance Armstrong's improbable rise and ultimate fall from grace.
Armstrong’s former teammates provide a wealth of information on how he got away with it for so long, but the film is short on new bombshells, and while Armstrong may express regret, the documentary never nails whether he is sorry he was dishonest, or just sorry he was caught.
A documentary of two halves, Gibney's character study of Armstrong is tough and forensic. But whether through a lingering admiration or the film's origins as a straightforward celebration of the cyclist's talents, there are moments when its powder remains a little dryer than perhaps it should.
The result is a disturbing cautionary tale about money, celebrity and abuse of power.
Gibney’s latest doc might not have the impact that some of his most acclaimed films do, but he manages to find an interesting resonance here that goes beyond Armstrong’s sorry tale.
A worthy effort but Armstrong remains a tough nut to crack.
A master docu-maker gets the inside dope on a master dissembler. It requires stamina, but its charismatic subject exerts genuine magnetism.
Striking but flawed.
You don't need to be interested in cycling or the Tour de France to be fascinated by Alex Gibney's documentary.
As Armstrong sees it, cycling was so rigged he had to dope to compete: what’s ultimately fascinating about The Armstrong Lie is his unwillingness to let go of this justification.
Fascinating and intelligent.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee from Friday February 14, 2014, until Thursday February 20, 2014. More info: www.dca.org.uk
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