It’s easy to get angry when watching Athlete A. Angry about the familiar narrative of sexual abuse and about how systems of power silence survivors for their own gain.
The documentary follows the shocking story of the female elite gymnasts who, for years, were sexually abused by USA Gymnastics’ doctor Larry Nassar.
The title’s ‘Athlete A’, Maggie Nichols, leads the film, telling her story and opening the narrative up to a wider conversation about the culture of abuse and the systems that allow it to permeate.
Nichols’ recounts her trauma with vulnerability and bravery and soon more victims join her, sharing their own stories of abuse at the hand of the USA Gymnastics doctor.
They are stories that are sadly all-too-familiar and equally shocking in their numbers. One survivor turns to two and by the end, 500 women come forward, all survivors of Larry Nassar’s abuse.
The film’s directors, Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, pair the survivors’ stories with the investigation from reporters from the Indianapolis Star, who broke the story.
In Spotlight-esque fashion, the reporters’ investigation brings a gripping and eye-opening energy to the film, as they uncover a wider story about how USA Gymnastics knew the abuse was happening and allowed it to continue for years.
Greed, power and money are the fuel behind USA Gymnastics coverup and it becomes clear that this is a system built upon these pillars, with power at the centre.
It’s not just the hallways of the doctor’s office where this abuse happens. Coaches, managers and USA Gymnastics staff create an environment of abuse for these young athletes, instilling a message that one shouldn’t speak up or push back.
But, push back they did. Perhaps the most powerful moments in the film come at the end, as the women stand up in court to read their statements in front of the judge and their abuser.
There’s one line that stands out, bringing a triumphant and hopeful end to the story: “I’m here today with all these other women. Not victims, survivors. We have a voice now. We have the power now”.
★★★★☆
