The Armstrong Lie

The titular 'lie' refers to Lance Armstrong's use of performance-enhancing drugs in all seven of his victories at the Tour de France (since rescinded) as well as his competitive comeback in 2009. Gibney's film actually started as a fluff piece about said comeback – the remarkable story of one man's struggle against all of the odds. In its place we get an explorative documentary about how Armstrong perpetrated the lie: his ruthlessly competitive nature, the bullying of his teammates, the sinister science of blood doping.

Whether or not you have any interest in the sport, there's a peculiar appeal to watching such an elaborate charade being constructed and maintained in the full view of professional cycling bodies as well as the general public. Despite the constant murmurings from the press, Armstrong was transformed into a symbol of hope against adversity, and his charity, Livestrong, has done incalculable amounts of good for cancer sufferers. While we may deride his actions with hindsight, at the time we were all complicit, caught up in the lie. [Tom Grater]