The Program
A determined Irish journalist challenges the heroic myth surrounding Lance Armstrong by tracing the doping system behind his Tour de France dominance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- serious
- skeptical
- sports film night
- true story viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found Ben Foster's committed performance compelling, but considered the film's treatment of its real-life scandal insufficiently deep.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
David Walsh persistently gathers evidence that Lance Armstrong's Tour de France victories rely on banned substances.
Armstrong's victories, reputation, medical support, and team structures collectively reinforce a heroic public image.
The plot is organized around Armstrong's rise, doping allegations, and the journalist's effort to expose him.
Professional road racing and Tour de France environments provide the film's central visual and dramatic arena.
Films like The Program, and why
Foxcatcher
real-life sports scandal, investigative journalism, and morally compromised ambition
I, Tonya
biographical sports drama centered on institutional corruption and performance pressure
Spotlight
journalistic investigation exposing systemic deception in a grounded true-story drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Stephen Frears
- Release Date
- 2015-09-16
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (559)
Cast
- Ben Foster
- Chris O'Dowd
- Guillaume Canet
- Jesse Plemons
- Lee Pace
- Denis Ménochet
- Edward Hogg
- Dustin Hoffman
- Elaine Cassidy
- Laura Donnelly
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Program about?
- A determined Irish journalist challenges the heroic myth surrounding Lance Armstrong by tracing the doping system behind his Tour de France dominance.
- What is The Program like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Program as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Program violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Program as mild.
- What did critics think of The Program?
- Critics broadly found Ben Foster's committed performance compelling, but considered the film's treatment of its real-life scandal insufficiently deep.
- Which films are like The Program?
- Films with a similar feel include Foxcatcher, I, Tonya, and Spotlight.
- How long is The Program?
- The Program runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Program?
- In United States, The Program is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
