★ 7 / 10
This is quite an harrowing story about how
CinemaSerf
This is quite an harrowing story about how a real-life football coach - portrayed well here by Jonas Armstrong - managed to dupe just about everyone for years…
This is quite an harrowing story about how a real-life football coach - portrayed well here by Jonas Armstrong - managed to dupe just about everyone for years that he was a reputable and upstanding individual whilst at the same time, was routinely abusing the trust of those around him to prey on the younger boys who thought he offered them a path to escape the drudgery of their day-to-day lives. On the face of it, it is quite astonishing that he got away with it for so long; but this man was clever. Bennell played upon the aspirations of parents and children alike. Not just their desires for fame and success, but for more ordinary things like inclusion, affection, being part of a team. This story focusses on the young Andy Woodward, whom Bennell cleverly manoeuvred into his bed with promises that a successful career could stop his mum from having to work in the local chip shop. There is nothing graphic here - and that makes the efforts more potent. His manipulation was psychological and he even comes out with the immortal line "you didn't say no!" which though possibly true, is anything but the point. No amount of rules and regulation can ever prevent clever people like this from prevailing simply because it is the honest trust and integrity that exists in most of us that allows people that perpetrate this predatory behaviour to thrive. If we can't see any flaws, then we don't know to look for them - and these young lads were the unwilling victims not of indifference, but of cleverness and shame! The drama is measured, the dialogue poignant and the performances convincing - especially towards the end. This is well worth a watch.
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★ 8 / 10
Powerful viewing.
Sleepin_Dragon
The heartbreak and horrendous story of the abuse former professionals footballer Andy Woodward suffered as a youth player at the hands of coach, Barry Bennell.…
The heartbreak and horrendous story of the abuse former professionals footballer Andy Woodward suffered as a youth player at the hands of coach, Barry Bennell.
I will never forget this story breaking out, as a massive football fan, I read what had happened in shock and disbelief. There have been stories of coaching abuse over the years, but nothing like this.
People romanticise about the seventies and eighties, I do myself, but stories such as this, make you think twice.
I don't often use words like 'triggering' when I watch TV shows, but I imagine for anyone that has suffered abuse, or been directly affected, this could be a harsh watch.
It's very well produced, incredibly well acted, and served to shine a light on the dark side of the beautiful game.
It's truly a moving watch, it's not something I'd rush to watch again, it's way too upsetting for that, but I'm glad I saw it.
Gerrard Kearns, known to many fans of Shameless, he is so good. Armstrong though, it's a fantastic performance from him as Bennell, I've never seen him play such a character, here he shows how versatile he is.
8/10.
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AUDIENCE
7.1/10
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