Last week channel 4 first screened the film Secret Life starring Matthew Macfadyen
as a paedophile just released from prison. The film explores the life of a paedophile from their perspective, and is the first film I have ever seen to portray a paedophile in a somewhat sympathetic manner. That is not to say it condones the practices, merely it shows a paedophile as a human being trying to resist their (to say the least) peculiar tendencies and attempting to live without harming children. The lead character starts out in a rehabilitation centre, which then closes.

Another interesting angle is that it portrays the people living close to the lead character in a very negative manner. We have crazed idiots campaigning with pickets, abusive graffiti, an unfair probation officer and, in one scene, chasing the paedophile around in a crazed manner a la Benny Hill. It also raises the interesting point that, even if they wanted to, it would be very hard for a convicted paedophile to get a girlfriend.

I have wondered in the past what happens when someone feels sexual urges for children, but don’t want to act on it. I would imagine it is quite hard to sign up to a paedophile support group or go and start discussing it with your psychotherapist. This film suggest one thing that someone could do. Perhaps others in the same situation will watch it and follow the same advice. Is that a good thing? Watch this film, challenge your opinions and prejudice and see who you end up rooting for - paedophile or vigilante…

8/10

Learn more about the film and the issues surrounding it

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 at 9:04 am and is filed under Films. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.