A biopic of Lance Armstrong was debuted in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) earlier this week, which showcased the rise and downfall of the much celebrated and disgraced cyclist. Directed by Stephen Frear who famously directed the movie, The Queen, and screen written by none other John Hodge (screenwriter of Trainspotting)-- the film biopic, The Program, is set to take you into the life of the infamous cyclist, and how he managed to deceive the world through his intricate drug enhancement program.
Ben Foster (Six feet under, The Messenger) plays as the famous cyclist in the movie, while the Italian physician and coach who devised the doping program taken by the U.S. Postal Service Team is played by Guillaume Canet (Tell No One). The movie takes on a very sensitive topic that has racked the sports world ever since it was release that Armstrong was using drug enhancers during his games. But it also shines light on the fact that this was one of the most ingenious acts done by a coach and an athlete.
In the movie, it showcases the start of Armstrong's career till the moment he won his first and seventh Tour de France championship. The whistleblower martyr is portrayed by Jesse Plemon (Breaking Bad) while the Irish journalist who was chasing Armstrong's story is played by Chris O'Dowd. The movie is based on the 2012 novel by British journalist David Walsh entitled Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit Of Lance Armstrong.
During an interview in the TIFF, Ben Foster said that to be able to really delved into his character, he decided to dope himself as well, just like Lance Armstrong did. "Doping is not the reason why Lance Armstrong won but it did shape a culture at the time, and it certainly shaped him, and I wanted to understand - on a personal level, on a cellular level - what that experience is like," he said. The biopic, The Program is set to be released in numerous European Cinemas within this month after its success in the TIFF according to Studio Canal.
