The Program (2015 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 2015 |
Key people | Stephen Frears (director), Ben Foster (actor), Chris O'Dowd (actor) |
| Products | Biographical drama film |
The Program (initially titled Icon) is a biographical drama released in 2015 that chronicles the life of Lance Armstrong. The film was directed by Stephen Frears and features Ben Foster portraying Armstrong, with Chris O'Dowd playing the role of journalist David Walsh.
Adapted from Walsh's 2012 publication, Seven Deadly Sins, the narrative delves into Armstrong's cycling achievements alongside the doping controversy surrounding him. The movie debuted at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival on 14 September 2015 and was subsequently released in theaters in France on 16 September and in the United Kingdom on 14 October.
Cast
- Ben Foster as Lance Armstrong
- Chris O'Dowd as David Walsh
- Guillaume Canet as Michele Ferrari
- Jesse Plemons as Floyd Landis
- Lee Pace as Bill Stapleton
- Denis Menochet as Johan Bruyneel
- Dustin Hoffman as Bob Hamman
- Edward Hogg as Frankie Andreu
- Elaine Cassidy as Betsy Andreu
- Laura Donnelly as Emma O'Reilly
- Sam Hoare as Stephen Swart
- Kevin Hulsmans as Filippo Simeoni
- John Schwab as Travis Tygart
- Lucien Guignard as Alberto Contador
- Nicolas Robin as Christophe Bassons
- James Harkness as Wayne
- Josh O'Connor as Rich
- Nathan Wiley as Charles Pelkey
Development
The idea for the film originated with director Stephen Frears after encountering a review of Tyler Hamilton's The Secret Race. When rights to Hamilton’s book were unattainable, Frears opted to base the screenplay on David Walsh’s Seven Deadly Sins. Screenwriter John Hodge, selected partly due to his medical expertise, was brought on board to develop the script.
Hodge crafted the screenplay primarily using material from Seven Deadly Sins, supplemented by investigative journalism and testimonies from cyclists. He deliberately omitted Armstrong’s personal narratives, explaining that scenes depicting Armstrong’s viewpoint are dramatized rather than factual.
Casting
In November 2013, actor Lee Pace was added to the ensemble, followed by the inclusion of veteran actor Dustin Hoffman in December 2013. To achieve an authentic portrayal, Ben Foster reportedly used performance-enhancing substances during production.
Filming
Principal photography commenced in October 2013.
Box office
Worldwide box office receipts for The Program totaled approximately $3.3 million. The film became available for rental through DirecTV starting 19 February 2016 and saw a theatrical release in the United States on 18 March 2016.
Critical response
On the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 62% approval rating based on 111 critiques, averaging a score of 6 out of 10. The consensus acknowledges Ben Foster’s compelling performance but notes that director Stephen Frears’ treatment of the subject matter is somewhat restrained. On Metacritic, it has garnered a score of 53 from 20 critics, reflecting mixed or average reviews.