“Pop Star on Ice” Review

Last Sunday I attended the premiere of Pop Star on Ice in Los Angeles. The documentary chronicles the life of three-time US national champion Johnny Weir. Directed by James Pellerito and David Barba, this film provides the audience with a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the life of an elite, outspoken, and fun-loving figure skater.

Skating fans aren’t usually privy to what goes through a skater’s mind during a competition or what happens when they have a meltdown in the middle a practice session and storm off the ice. The general public doesn’t know how it feels to miss the Olympic podium but have to stick around the arena to get drug tested with the three medalists. Pop Star on Ice shows us this. It shows us how athletes have to pick themselves up–no matter how well or poorly they have just performed–and walk into a mixed zone backstage filled with dozens of eager reporters. It shows us how skaters often push through injuries, not telling their coaches or trainers, in Weir’s words so as not to “jinx” the injury to make it worse. The bad days, the breakdowns, the skater/coach relationship, and the pressure of world-level competition are portrayed beautifully in this film.

Directors Barba and Pellerito didn’t start out with the intention of creating a documentary about Johnny Weir. After forming a friendship and working together as students at Columbia film school, they began this documentary with a mission to put together a piece depicting the changes in the sport of figure skating. The removal of figures, the new judging system, and those in charge of the sport were going to be their focus. When they found out that financially this intended story would be impossible for them to tell, they soon realized that their focus would be best suited in Johnny Weir, whom they were introduced to by former judge Jon Jackson.

Part of me was expecting the film to be blatantly pro-Johnny, which as a Johnny Weir fan I didn’t see myself having a problem with, but I was struck by how honestly Pellerito and Barba portrayed their subject. As an audience we saw Weir as his true self: somewhat unpredictable, frustratingly self-obsessed, and completely and utterly real.

In one scene, following the 2006 Olympic games, Weir travels to New York to walk in the Heatherette fashion show. A maid working at his hotel recognizes Weir, and she begins to lecture him on what she feels he needs to improve on in his skating. Many in this situation would be completely turned off by a stranger giving them unsolicited advice, but Weir kindly lets her into his room and proceeds to sign a few autographs. This rare moment gives the audience an understanding of who Johnny is as a person, and not just as an incredibly talented skater.

Although there are many glimpses into Weir’s life away from the ice, the bulk of the film is centered around his career and relationship with ex-coach Priscilla Hill. When he announced his coaching change from Hill, most in the skating world were shocked. Weir and Hill had been together since the beginning of his career and had garnered much success.

Through Pop Star on Ice we can now better understand the unraveling behind their relationship. A shaky end to Weir’s 2006 season and a disastrous 2007 paved way to tension between the pair. During this period it seemed at times Weir didn’t want to train, was annoyed with the sport, and took his frustrations out on Hill. Hill, desperately trying to figure out why Weir is constantly having such difficulties training despite his one-of-a-kind natural talent, comes across, at times, as a passive bystander during practice sessions.

I found myself cringe during one scene when Hill follows Weir off the ice in the midst of a bad practice session to give him a pep-talk. Her words were exactly what any elite coach should have given a skater in that situation, but Weir appears to roll his eyes and shrug them off. He tells us later that although he could see Hill’s desire to boost his spirits, he doesn’t like pep-talks and would have appreciated it if she had let him fix the problem on his own. Perhaps this, in a small way, shows how he began to break himself off from Hill’s help and that her coaching was falling on deaf ears.

After watching the tension in his and Hill’s relationship, it is obvious to see that Weir’s change to present coach Galina Zmievskaya was vital. Despite the necessity of the change, it was apparent to see how much Hill cares about Weir, and it was painful to watch the sadness in her face when she talked about their ended union.

Where Johnny’s career will take him this season under Zmievskaya is unknown, and throughout the film questions of “Why?” were continually raised by Hill and those closest to Weir. Why did Johnny let it get away? Why can’t he keep it together under pressure? Why is he unwilling to put in the training needed to carry his talent to the top of the podium? Although these “Whys?” weren’t answered at the documentary’s conclusion, hopefully Weir and Zmievskaya are presently working to come up with a solution to these questions.

Pellerito and Barba are currently filming Weir’s reality show to be aired this January, and I hope Johnny is able to keep it together this year and skate to the best of his ability. After watching Pop Star on Ice and gaining a greater understanding of Johnny Weir as a person and as an athlete, I find myself anxious for the competitive season to begin. I hope he is able to discover in himself the drive needed to train hard and step it up when it counts. Like Hill said in the film, he truly has the most talent of any skater competing today, if not ever.

Pop Star On Ice will air on the Sundance Channel on December 28th, and I urge those who are fans of the sport, along with those who don’t know much about the world of elite figure skating, to watch this film. I applaud Barba and Pellerito for this insightful and moving documentary, and I hope we will see more honest film depictions of elite athletes in the years to come.