Floodlights

Floodlights

1h 20m 5.8/10

Overview

The powerful and inspiring story of Andy Woodward, one of the first footballers to come forward with allegations of sexual abuse in the national game. After being abused by football scout paedophile Barry Bennell.

Director

Nick Rowland

Top Billed Cast

Gerard Kearns

Gerard Kearns

Andrew Woodward

Morven Christie

Morven Christie

Jean Woodward

Jonas Armstrong

Jonas Armstrong

Barry Bennell

Steve Edge

Steve Edge

Terry Woodward

Neil Bell

Neil Bell

DS Haleford

Max Fletcher

Andrew Woodward (Young)

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

5/29/2022

7/10

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.

Similar Movies

The Sixth Sense

7.9

The Sixth Sense

1999

Once Upon a Time in America

8.4

Once Upon a Time in America

1984

Escape to Victory

6.9

Escape to Victory

1981

The Celebration

7.7

The Celebration

1998

The Good Shepherd

5.1

The Good Shepherd

2004

The Acid House

6.2

The Acid House

1998

Harimau Malaya: The Untold Journey

0.0

Harimau Malaya: The Untold Journey

2024