Don't Tell (2017)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Tell is a historical drama (based on a true story) which premiered in 2017.

 

This drama takes place in Australia, more precisely in the city of Toowoomba, which is located in the southeast corner of Queensland.

 

Lyndal, a young woman who is 22 in 2001, says she was sexually abused by a teacher at Toowoomba Prep boarding school, when she was a student there, when she was 11 and 12 years old.

 

Now she wants to sue the Anglican Church, the owner of the school, because the Church failed to protect her from the teacher who abused her for a long time.

 

Joy Conolly, Lyndal’s therapist, who is a psychologist, refers her to a lawyer who may be willing to take her case. At first, the lawyer Stephen Roche hesitates, but having talked to Lyndal and to her parents, he says he is willing to take her case.

 

The lawyer must prepare the case and work with a barrister who will represent the client in a mediation conference. If mediation fails, the barrister will represent the client in a trial.

 

The barrister Bob Myers and Stephen Roche have met before. They are not exactly good friends, but they agree to work together in order to help the client.

 

In this drama, we follow the case from both sides: Lyndal, her lawyer, and her barrister on one side. The chairman of the school council, a representative of the Anglican Church, and their counsellor on the other side.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** Director: Tori Garrett

** Writers: Anne Brooksbank, Ursula Cleary, and James Greville

** Based on the book Don’t Tell - Toowomba Prep: The Case Which Broke the Silence on Child Sex Abuse in Australia by Stephen Roche (first published 2011, reprinted 2017)

** Run time: 107 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

** Sara West as Lyndal (adult)

** Kiara Freeman as Lyndal (young)

** Susie Porter as Sue – mother of Lyndal

** Martin Sacks as Tony - father of Lyndal

 

** Aden Young as Stephen Roche - lawyer

** Jack Thompson as Bob Myers – barrister

** Ashlee Lollback as Jodie Collins - Stephen's assistant 

** Rachel Griffiths as Joy Conolly – psychologist

 

 

** Robert Taylor as Robert Brewster – chairman of the school council

** Jacqueline McKenzie as Jean Dalton – counsellor for

the school and the Anglican Church

** Gyton Grantley as Kevin Guy – the teacher (the offender)

 

*****

 

Since this drama is based on a true story, the basic facts are part of the historical record. They are not a secret. This is why I feel free to mention some of them here.

 

While this historical drama is based on a true story, it is not a documentary film. It is a dramatized version of events. 

 

Not everything happened exactly as shown here.

 

Some details may have been altered, added or excluded for dramatic reasons or practical purposes. But the basic story is true.

 

The start is a bit slow. At first, it is not easy to know who is who and what is going on. But after a while, you will find out who is who and what is going on. When this happens, I think this drama will capture your attention more and more, as the story moves forward.

 

The main story is set in 2001 when the trial takes place. From time to time, the main story is interrupted by a flashback to the past when Lyndal was 11 and 12 years old, when she was a student at the boarding school.

 

In these flashbacks, we see the young Lyndal and the teacher Kevin Guy who was questioned at the time regarding his behaviour with Lyndal and other female students.

 

Kevin Guy took his own life on the day when he was supposed to attend an important meeting regarding his future at the school.

 

When the mediation conference begins, the school says there is no proof that Kevin Guy did anything wrong.

 

The school was not aware of any wrongdoing on his part and therefore the school cannot be blamed for any negligence.

 

But in order to show good will, the school is willing to make a payment of 40,000 dollars on two conditions:

 

# 1. The settlement must remain confidential

# 2. The school does not admit any culpability

 

Lyndal rejects this offer. She says she does not want money; she wants justice.

 

She wants the school to admit that it failed to protect her and other students from a sexual predator.

 

Later, the amount is raised to 100,000 dollars, but this offer is also rejected. Since mediation fails, the case goes to trial. The story becomes a courtroom drama.

 

I do not want to spoil the viewing for anyone. This is why I am not going to offer any details about what happens in the courtroom. 

 

What I can say is that the story becomes increasingly emotional and, in my opinion, more gripping as it moves forward.

 

*****

 

What do reviewers say about this drama?

Here are some answers:

 

60 percent = The Guardian (Luke Buckmaster)

72 percent = IMDb

80 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the professional critics)

100 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the general audience)

 

Nine user reviews are posted on IMDb. Here are the headlines and the ratings offered:

 

80 – A landmark battle between a brave abuse victim and a heartless church school

80 – Congratulations Australia

80 – We’ve seen the kind before, but you should really see this one

90 – Powerful and significant movie

90 – Outstanding Australian drama

100 – Sara West – an Oscar-winning performance

100 – Such resonance with the journey of a sexual abuse survivor

 

As you can see, the nine user reviews posted on IMDb offer better ratings than the average rating offered by the website.

 

I understand the numerous positive reviews and I agree with them. The story is important. It deserves to be told, and in this drama, it is done very well.

 

I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).

 

PS # 1. What about the title Don’t Tell. What is the origin? Lyndal explains that this is what Kevin said to her whenever they had been together:

 

“Don’t tell anyone! It will not be good for you. No one is going to believe you!”

 

PS # 2. This film about sexual abuse in a school owned by the Anglican Church in Australia has been compared to the American drama Spotlight, which premiered in 2015, and which focuses on sexual abuse committed by the Catholic Church in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

Both films focus on institutional cover-ups of sexual abuse committed against children. In Australia, one specific case. In Boston, a large number of cases.

 

Reference:

Jason Di Russo, “Review: Is Don’t Tell Australia’s answer to Oscar-winning Spotlight?” ABC News, 18 May 2017

 

PS # 3. The case presented in the drama Don’t Tell was probably one of many reasons why the Australian government decided to create a royal commission to study the question of sexual abuse in Australian institutions.

 

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was announced in 2012 and established in 2013. Evidence was collected over several years. The final report was released in 2017.

 

Reference:

Helen Davidson, “Survivors are finally being listened to. The commission on child abuse is doing a great job,” The Guardian, 29 August 2014

 

PS # 4. The following item is available online:

 

Russ Scott, "Don't Tell, directed by Tori Garrett, 2017, 110 minutes," Psychiatry, Psychology, and Law, October 2017, pages 786-791

 

*****

 

Don't Tell -

Toowoomba Prep:

The Case Which broke the Silence on

Child Sex Abuse in Australia 

By Stephen Roche

(first published 2011)

(reprinted 2017)

 

*****

 

"Former pupil sues church over abuse"

An article in an Australian newspaper

published on 13 November 2001

 

*****

 

Brian Banks (2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brian Banks is a historical drama which premiered in 2018. It is about the African American athlete Brian Banks, whose career as a football player was suddenly interrupted when he was falsely accused of rape.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** Director: Tom Shadyac

** Writer: Doug Atchison

** Run time: 99 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

** Aldis Hodge as Brian Banks (born 1985)

** Greg Kinnear as Justin Brooks - a lawyer and co-founder of California Innocence Project (CIP)

** Sherri Shepherd as Leomia Myers - Brian's mother

** Melanie Leburd as Karina Cooper - Brian's trainer and friend

** Tiffany Dupont as Alissa Bjerkhoel - a lawyer who works for CIP

** Xosha Roquemore as Kennisha Rice - the accuser - the name is fictional, her real name is Wanetta Gibson

** José Miguel Vasquez as Mateo -the District Attorney

** Morgan Freeman as Jerome Johnson - a teacher who works in the prison school

 

*****

 

While this historical drama is based on a true story, it is not a documentary film. It is a dramatized version of events. 

 

Not everything happened exactly as shown here. 

 

Some details may have been added, altered or excluded for practical purposes or dramatic reasons. But the basic story is true.

 

Since this drama is based on a true story, the basic facts are part of the public record. They are not a secret. This is why I feel free to mention some of them here.

 

In 2002, while he was only 16 years old, Brian was falsely accused of rape. He denied the charge. He said he was innocent, but the police refused to listen to him. 

 

He was arrested and charged with two serious crimes: kidnapping and rape.

 

In 2003, a trial was prepared. Just before the trial began, his lawyer had a brief conversation with him.

 

She said it was difficult or perhaps impossible to win this case. She said he was facing a sentence of 41 years to life in prison. 

 

She said the prosecutor had offered him a plea bargain: five years in prison followed by five years on parole. Brian had only a few minutes to think about this deal. 

 

Under pressure from his lawyer, he accepted the deal.

 

In court he pleaded no contest and accepted the deal. In court, the judge told him that he would also have to register as a sex offender. He was surprised, but it was too late to change his mind.

 

Brian served five years in prison: from 2003 to 2007. In 2008, he was released from prison, but he was not really free. He was on parole for five years: from 2008 until 2012.

 

His freedom was restricted. He had to meet with his parole officer at regular intervals. He was not allowed to travel anywhere without permission from his parole officer.

 

During this time, he could not resume his career as a football player, because he was on parole. During this time, it was difficult for him to find a job, because he was a former prisoner. 

 

He tried to explain that he had been falsely accused, but most employers did not believe him.

 

When he went to a gym, he met a trainer named Karina Cooper who believed him. They became good friends.

 

In 2011, while he was still on parole, the accuser contacted him via Facebook. He was surprised, but he decided to answer her. He asked if she wanted to meet him. She said yes and a meeting was arranged.

 

Brian and a friend decided to hold the meeting in an office where the conversation could be recorded with a hidden camera.

 

The accuser showed up. During the conversation she admitted that Brian had never raped her. She said she had made up the whole story.

 

Now Brian had some evidence to support his claim that he was innocent. He took this recording to the lawyer Justin Brooks who was a co-founder of the California Innocence Project.

 

Justin said he believed him and that he wanted to help him, but there was a problem: the recording could not be used as evidence, because the accuser had not been told that the meeting was recorded. Since it had been recorded without her permission, it was not admissible in court.

 

Justin tried to talk to the District Attorney Mateo. At first, Mateo did not want to help, but after a while, he changed his mind. He realised that Brian had been a victim of a false accusation and a wrongful conviction.

 

In 2011, his lawyer took the case to court. He asked the judge to cancel the plea bargain and to overturn the conviction. When the judge asked the prosecutor about his opinion, Mateo said:

 

“The people have no objection to this request.”

 

The judge considered the matter for a brief moment and then he accepted. Brian's conviction was overturned! 

 

In 2012, he was exonerated!

 

Having served five years in prison and having lived on parole for almost five years, he was finally a free man. Sadly, he was now too old to resume his career as a football player. But he was free to start a new life.

 

*****

 

What do reviewers say about this historical drama? 

Here are some answers:

 

** 58 percent = Meta

** 63 percent = The Roger Ebert website

** 64 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

** 97 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

** 72 percent = IMDb

 

As you can see, the reviews are mixed. Some are average, around 60 percent, while others are very positive (close to 100 percent).

 

More than 70 user reviews are posted on IMDb. They can be divided into three categories:

 

** Five reviews are negative. They offer only 10 or 20 or 30 percent.

** Fifteen reviews are average. They offer 60 or 70 percent

** More than twenty reviews are positive. They offer 80 or 90 or 100 percent.

 

I understand the numerous positive reviews and I agree with them. The story is important. It deserves to be told. And in this drama, it is done very well.

 

I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).

   

***** 

 

PS. This case has an economic aspect which concerns both sides: Wanetta Gibson and Brian Banks.

 

In 2003, when Brian was convicted and sent to prison, Wanetta sued the local school district. She said the school district had failed to secure a safe environment. She wanted economic compensation for her pain and suffering.

 

The case ended in 2007 when she won a settlement of 1.5 dollars. Apparently, the school district only paid half of this amount: 750,000 dollars. 

 

In 2011, when the school district learned that she had made a false accusation, they sued her for using a false accusation to get economic compensation.

 

This case ended in 2013 when she was ordered to pay back the money she had received: 750,000 dollars.

 

In addition, she was ordered to pay for lawyers as well as punitive damages of one million dollars. The total amount she had to pay was 2.6 million dollars.

 

But Wanetta and her mother Wanda Rhodes had already spent the money she received in 2007.

 

Six years later, in 2013, they had no money. This is probably why they decided to disappear. Apparently, nobody knows where they are now.

 

Brian had suffered as a result of the false accusation. Five years in prison followed by five years on parole with many restrictions.

 

It was very difficult for him to start his life, because he was a former prisoner and because he was registered as a sex offender. Almost no employer wanted to hire a person with such a background. 

 

After his exoneration, he applied for economic compensation. In 2013, he was awarded a payment of 142,000 dollars. 

 

This is less than 100 dollars per day for five years in prison and nothing for the troubles he faced during five years on parole.

 

The state admitted that he was innocent and that he had been a victim of a wrongful conviction. But the state was not very generous when it had to correct a wrong which was committed by the system.

 

At least one good thing did come out of this horrible case: Brian Banks managed to clear his name. 

   

REFERENCES

 

# 1. A book

 

What Set Me Free

By Brian Banks

With Mark Dagostino

(2019)

 

# 2. A website

 

History vs. Hollywood

Brian Banks by Kevin Lang

01 August 2019

 

*****

The American athlete

Brian Banks

(born 1985)

 

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What Set Me Free

by Brian Banks

With Mark Dagostino

(2019)

 

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