Due to the nature of this documentary and in support of the survivors, this will not be like my normal movie reviews. Athlete A opens on a shot of a gymnast getting her foot taped before practice. We go through the method of watching a team of girls warming up, hearing a coach say "keep your knees in check" to them, and watching them chalk their hands. Then we meet Maggie Nichols and her parents. They describe how Maggie grew up loving gymnastics, eventually training to be the best of the best in hopes of one day going to the Olympics. Unfortunately, that never happened to Maggie. Despite having a brilliant season after recovering from knee surgery that could've sent her to Rio in 2016, she did not even qualify for an alternate position. It was at this moment her parents declare a chilling revelation. They believe Maggie was intentionally ousted from her Olympic dreams because she reported being sexually abused by Larry Nassar, then head physician of USA Gymnastics, in the summer of 2015.
The documentary then transitions us to meet the three journalists from the IndyStar who broke the news story about the sexual abuse claims and subsequent cover-up by USA Gymnastics to the world. All of a sudden, women finally felt safe enough to come forward with their stories. Rachel Denhollander and Jamie Dantzcher, plus many more, are just some who decided they were refusing to be silenced no longer. Athlete A shows us the horrors behind the scenes, away from those perfect routines at competitions: a culture of cruelty, abuse, and an organization who prized its medals more than the athletes. I think, like many others, I always wondered how this case came to be. I remember watching the women give their statements at trial and feeling so moved. I wondered how many others are there on top of the 500 who bravely came forward? How did Nassar feel so bold to do this behavior over decades? Athlete A does not shy away from the simple, hard-to-hear answer: he had the support and help from USA Gymnastics for years. What makes this documentary shine is the fact it gives the survivors and those who were willing to expose the truth their moments to speak. Athlete A showed that Maggie, Rachel, Jamie, and so many other gymnasts were women (young girls at the time) first and athletes second, but were never treated as such. In the moments we do have to endure footage of Nassar and others who enabled him, you feel anger and disgust. It's hard not to feel anything less when you see the deliberate ways they covered up his abuse and used it against the girls. Like most people, I do look forward to the Olympics. It's hard not to be amazed by what these athletes, considered the best of their sport, and watching them compete with others from around the world. As we move into a reality where Tokyo has been delayed, you can't help but feel a little sick about watching next year's games. You're reminded that USA Gymnastics prized its endorsements and churning out Olympic champions than protecting young girls from a serial sexual abuser for years. These girls gave their lives and bodies to be the best athletes to bring home the gold, silver, and bronze, but the cost was being abused in return. The documentary ends with footage from the trial of women giving their statements and Maggie finding her happiness during her time at the University of Oklahoma. It's these moments where you can't help but cry at the sense of unity and strength each and every survivor had coming together to face their abuser. It showed that, even deep in the healing process, these women were a force to be reckoned with. In the end, she is and was never just Athlete A. She is Maggie Nichols. Woman. Athlete. Survivor.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Candy JarThis is the place where I watch movies and then tell you what I think. Archives
November 2020
Categories
All
|