103. Sulphur & White; movie review

SULPHUR & WHITE
Cert 15
121 mins
BBFC advice: Contains child sex abuse theme, strong sex, nudity, language

No wonder so many victims of child abuse struggle to overcome the trauma to maintain normal adult lives.
The horror or even the guilt can fester inside for years, particularly if they bottle up their feelings rather than seek counselling.
Such was the case with City high-flyer David Tait who was 'hollow inside' after being the target of his father and his friends while living in South Africa.
The story of David (Mark Stanley) begins with him standing on the edge of a cliff before it spins back through his life to elicit how he reached such a desperate moment.
Julian Jarrold's film shows how David builds his career in the cutthroat world of financial trading.
He is single-minded to the point of ruthlessness and manages, for a time, to be on top until his childhood memories threaten to destroy him.
His potential saviour is colleague, Vanessa (Emily Beecham), who he believes is the love of his life but he even refuses to open up to her until it is nearly too late.
Clearly, the most disturbing aspect of Sulphur & White is David's abuse in South Africa.
Hugo Stone plays the ten-year-old who is brought-up by a brutal father (Dougray Scott) and petrified mother (Anna Friel).
Mercifully, the camera doesn't linger when the boy is attacked but the imagination fills the gaps.
When his father loses his job, they return to London but there is no escape from the persecution.
His experiences ruin his relationships with others and, despite his outward success, good looks and posh suits, he is a wreck of a man.
The real Tait has endorsed this biopic which must a hard watch for him and his nearest and dearest.
I take it that he influenced his own far from flattering portrayal but he has done so for the greater good and enhance the movie's message that child sex abuse must be brought out into the open.
Of course, that is easier said than done but, hopefully, Tait's bravery has enabled this small step down a long road.

Reasons to watch: Tough true story
Reasons to avoid: Upsetting scenes

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? David Tait is a major supporter of the NSPCC and has raised over £1 million by climbing Mount Everest on five occasions. He was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his services to the charity.

The final word. Emily Beecham: "I hope that it can help encourage people to speak up if they are bottling up this kind of traumatic experience." Film list

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