Floodlights (2022 TV Movie) User Reviews

Powerful viewing.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 18 January 2023]

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.

Floodlights

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 25 May 2022]

It is surprising how much abusive behaviour was tolerated by parents and sporting authorities from sports coaches. Driving young kids to the edge was the only way they would win that gold medal.

The flip side was young kids would often be left vulnerable to mental, physical or sexual abuse.

Barry Bennell was one such coach. He promised talented young school kids footballing riches. Many were later groomed and regularly abused.

Floodlights is the story of Andrew Woodward who played football for Bury. He publicly spoke out against Barry Bennell (Jonas Armstrong.)

The television movie starts with the adult Andrew Woodward being approached by the police as they try to contact possible abuse victims of Bennell. It leads to Woodward reexamining his own childhood experiences with Bennell.

It has the classic grooming techniques employed by Bennell. Charming the parents, telling them that Andrew was talented and could go a long way. Bennell organised weekend get togethers with other promising young footballers. Bennell's house would be like an arcade with all the computer games and the kids could run amok. It was a way to obtain the kids trust.

Bennell tells that Andrew that he is one of the special ones. There is a scene where Bennell strips off in front of the kids and hits the showers. Another way to show that nudity in the dressing room was natural. The kids unable to fully comprehend what just happened.

The adult Woodward is haunted by the events of the past. His footballing career is cut short and he joins the police but is later accused of gross misconduct himself. It leaves him to consider whether to go public with the press about Bennell.

It was a harrowing drama that had to tread a fine line regarding the abusive behaviour given child actors were involved. Armstrong plays Bennell as someone smarmy, overly confident, someone who knew just what buttons to press and exhibit a bit of menace when required.

I was surprised to find that the drama left out just how entwined the Woodwards were with the Bennells. Andrew's aunt had been murdered some years earlier by Barry Bennell's cousin. Barry himself had gone on to marry Andrew's sister.

Shedding light on a problem.

[adamjohns-42575 · 7/10 · 25 September 2022]

Floodlights (2022) -

I hate football! I firmly believe that it has become far too important in a world that needs to recognise poverty and education, but allocates ridiculous amounts of money to man-children who fall over more than they will ever score a goal, but I wanted to see this story for Gerard Kearns who I had appreciated in 'Shameless' (2004-10).

I think that if footballers had a more real presence in the world and were more free to be themselves, not some image that they are forced to present, it could make a huge difference in the world for all sorts of tolerance and acceptance across the board. I'd love to see the England team play against the top gay team in Britain (I probably wouldn't watch it, but I'd appreciate the message being sent out) or to see a straight footballer dancing with another man on 'Strictly Come Dancing' (2004-) to show that the LGBTQ+ community is valid, because we need to see the toxic masculinity taken out of the game and replaced with a more worldly wise masculinity that understands everyone's place on the planet.

Obviously that inclusion wouldn't stretch to predatory paedophiles, but a more open environment would help the victims of these crimes feel able to come forward, because it wouldn't have such a stigma and wouldn't give them a feeling that they would be looked down upon as lesser men. It was brave for Andy Woodward to eventually tell of his experiences, but how many others have suffered needlessly and silently, before and since?

While this was a good film and seemed to represent the ordeal carefully and with great thought and consideration, it was also one that easily turned my stomach. I live in a bubble as much as possible, so I try to avoid watching upsetting things if I can, especially when I'm feeling low. It's because of people like Barry Bennell and the other horrors out there that I avoid the news and emotional films about cancer, apocalypse or general injustice, trauma or tragedy as a whole. I hate the world we live in, where people can still get away with so much for so long, but it was nice to see that there was some justice as a result of Andy and a previous lad coming forward with their tales.

It was awful to think about all of the people that had turned a blind eye for so long too and I had to wonder how they felt about themselves after it all came to light, even if they weren't so sure about every detail.

I have always felt sorry for the actors that have to play such awful perverts, because it must be difficult to give a good performance whilst worrying that you'll never get work again because you played a creep too accurately and Jonas Armstrong did do it very well.

In fact all three of the lead actors, playing the sex offender and the two ages of Andy, gave very good performances, potentially Oscar worthy in my eyes, if it gets put forward.

It was a well put together piece about "The Beautiful Game" and the dark side of it, that is still relatively hidden and needs to be addressed.

660.21/1000.