ATHLETE A
Striking documentary, but its graphic subject matter is for adults.
Should You Watch It?
ATHLETE A is a striking documentary about the Indianapolis Star reporters who broke the story of Dr. Larry Nassar’s abuse of young female gymnasts. It also gives survivors, including Maggie Nichols, space to describe the courage it took to speak out.
The film’s moral purpose is clear. It exposes sexual and physical abuse, condemns the culture that protected an organization’s brand over girls’ well-being, and highlights justice, integrity, compassion, and the survivors’ courage. But the descriptions of abuse are graphic and scientific.
This is worthwhile viewing for discerning adults who can engage its subject matter without harm to their conscience. It is not appropriate for children or young teens. The practical answer: watch it at home as an adult, not as a family movie.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESATHLETE A follows the Indianapolis Star investigative reporters who uncovered Dr. Larry Nassar’s abuse of female gymnasts. It also follows Maggie Nichols, the anonymous “Athlete A” whose report helped lead to the first public disclosure of Nassar’s crimes.
Through interviews with survivors, parents, journalists, and others connected to USA Gymnastics, the documentary examines the organization’s abusive culture and its efforts to protect its brand rather than the girls under its authority.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means the film is a striking and effective documentary. It explains the abuse scandal clearly through investigative reporting and interviews with survivors, parents, and journalists.
The documentary also presents the wider culture of physical and mental abuse within competitive gymnastics. Its strongest achievement is moral clarity: it exposes evil, honors the courage of survivors who speak out, and emphasizes justice and integrity.
The Worldview
ATHLETE A has a strong moral worldview. It exposes and opposes the sexual abuse of young female gymnasts and looks down upon a culture that allowed abuse to continue. The film presents lawyers, diligent reporters, and courageous survivors as instruments through which wrongdoing is brought to some justice.
It also emphasizes integrity and compassion within an organization. USA Gymnastics is condemned for caring more about winning and protecting its brand than about the mental and physical health of the girls under its authority and control. The documentary’s central moral concern is the abuse of power and the selfish ambition that protects it.
The film aligns with a biblical view in its defense of vulnerable young people and its insistence that hidden evil should be exposed. Its focus is justice within institutions rather than a specifically Christian account of repentance or redemption. Scripture says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong moral worldview about exposing and stopping sexual and physical abuse of young female gymnasts, where, with the help of lawyers, diligence from reporters and courage from the survivors, evils are brought to some justice, integrity and compassion within an organization are emphasized as valuable, and the culture of abuse is looked down upon in an effort to protect young female athletes
Foul Language
Two “s” obscenities and one use of “rat’s a**”
Violence
Documentary centers on the sexual abuse scandal of Dr. Larry Nassar and the following trial, as a result there are graphic, scientific descriptions of the sexual abuse of underage female gymnasts, there are also descriptions of the abusive training methods used by USA Gymnastic coaches, physical and mental abuse is described, such as coaches slapping girls, and calling them “fat,” plus a gymnasts injure her knee on screen
Sex
Documentary revolves around the sexual abuse scandal of Dr. Larry Nassar and the following trial, so there are some graphic, scientific descriptions of the sexual abuse of underage female gymnasts
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
No alcohol
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
People lack integrity and cover up evil, documentary shows how an organization cared more about winning than it did for the mental and physical health of female gymnasts under its authority and control.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The documentary shows people protecting a powerful organization instead of vulnerable girls. What does God require of people who have authority over the weak?
Micah 6:8 · Proverbs 31:8–9Reporters and survivors pursue truth despite the cost. When is speaking the truth an act of courage and love?
Ephesians 4:15 · Proverbs 12:22The film condemns abuse of power and selfish ambition. How should Christians use influence to serve rather than control others?
Mark 10:42–45 · Philippians 2:3–4What responsibilities do organizations have when they learn that someone under their authority has been harmed?
Romans 13:3–4 · James 2:1–4The Final Word
ATHLETE A is striking, morally serious, and valuable for adults who can face its graphic descriptions of abuse. It is not for children or young teens. For discerning adult viewers, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For other family viewing, choose something else.
