Watch The Armstrong Lie

The Armstrong Lie is a documentary film from 2013 that explores the rise and fall of cycling legend Lance Armstrong. Directed by Alex Gibney, the film features interviews with Armstrong himself, as well as former teammates, journalists, and experts on doping in sports. The film begins with Armstrong's miraculous comeback from cancer in the late 1990s and his reign as the dominant force in professional cycling throughout the 2000s. Armstrong's seven consecutive Tour de France victories made him a global celebrity and an icon of perseverance and determination.

However, the film soon takes a darker turn as it delves into the allegations of doping that began to swirl around Armstrong in the early 2000s. The film explores the many ways in which Armstrong and his team, US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team, went to great lengths to conceal their use of performance-enhancing drugs, from hiring doctors to administer banned substances to using secret codes to communicate about their doping practices.

The film also examines Armstrong's aggressive tactics in silencing his critics, including former teammates who spoke out about his doping practices. One of the most compelling interviews in the film is with Betsy Andreu, the wife of Armstrong's former teammate Frankie Andreu, who recounted how Armstrong had called her a "fat bitch" and a "crazy bitch" after she had testified about his doping practices to federal investigators.

As the allegations against Armstrong mounted and his legacy began to crumble, the film captures the sense of betrayal and disappointment felt by fans around the world. The film also documents Armstrong's attempts to maintain his innocence, even as doping charges were leveled against him and many of his former teammates.

Ultimately, the film chronicles Armstrong's dramatic fall from grace as he is stripped of his Tour de France titles and banned from the sport of cycling for life. The film ends with Armstrong's admission of guilt in a highly-publicized interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2013, in which he finally confessed to using banned substances throughout his career.

Overall, The Armstrong Lie is a gripping and thought-provoking documentary that offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of professional cycling and the devastating impact of doping on both the sport and the individuals involved. Whether you are a fan of cycling or simply interested in the intersection of sports and ethics, this film is a must-see.

The Armstrong Lie is a 2013 documentary with a runtime of 2 hours and 4 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3 and a MetaScore of 67.