Everyone of even the slightest notable fame is destined to get their own biopic. If you happened to found Apple, you get two in as many years. With so many movies with a “based on a true story” tagline occupying cinemas, it was only a matter of time before Lance Armstrong’s recent controversy was turned into a movie. Though many biopics are forgotten almost immediately upon release, the talent behind the camera for The Program suggests that maybe the film could be great cinema.
With the aid of some impressive makeup work, Ben Foster stars as the man who won seven straight Tour de France titles only have to have stripped away from him after a doping scandal. Chris O’Dowd plays David Walsh, the journalist set on exposing Armstrong’s lies. Written by John Hodges (Trainspotting, Trance) the film costars Lee Pace, Dustin Hoffman and Jesse Plemmons. Directed by two-time Oscar nominee Stephen Frears (The Queen, The Grifters), The Program has yet to announce a release date.
Synopsis:
An Irish sports journalist becomes convinced that Lance Armstrong’s performances during the Tour de France victories are fueled by banned substances. With this conviction, he starts hunting for evidence that will expose Armstrong.
