The Program

The Program follows the Irish sports journalist David Walsh as he grows suspicious of Lance Armstrong's repeated victories at the Tour de France. Convinced that the American cyclist's success rests on banned substances, Walsh sets out to gather proof, a pursuit that costs him friends and meets resistance from many sides. The film also traces Armstrong's own path, from his battle with cancer to his rise as a champion and the doping admission that followed.

Stephen Frears directed the drama, working from a screenplay by John Hodge. It was Frears's twentieth film as director in chronological order, coming after Philomena and before Florence Foster Jenkins. Ben Foster plays Armstrong, with Chris O'Dowd as Walsh, Guillaume Canet as Dr. Ferrari, Jesse Plemons as Floyd Landis, Lee Pace as Bill Stapleton and Denis Ménochet as Johan Bruyneel. The production, from StudioCanal and Working Title Films, brought together 35 credited cast members and 49 credited crew.

Released in September 2015, the film runs 103 minutes and took about 3 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6.5 out of 10 from roughly 20,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.4 out of 10 from 559 votes. A critics' rating of 6 out of 10 from 111 reviews places it close to the audience scores, suggesting a broadly middling reception on both sides.