Suburban housewife Liz discovers that husband Stephen is abusing their daughter. She confronts him and reports him to the authorities, but also decides to try to help him recover from what must be "a sickness". Stephen is tried and imprisoned. When he leaves prison, Liz arranges for him to receive treatment at a residential clinic for sex offenders, where he undergoes intensive therapy. Stephen finally faces his guilt and the consequences of his abuse. The family decide to rebuild their lives together. Is this right? Is it even possible? And – if they do - what's the emotional cost?
Acting
Lucy Cohu's controlled unraveling is masterclass restraint.
Writing
Refuses easy answers; every question it raises stays raised.
Director
Paul Wilmshurst
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Wilmshurst based the clinic sequences on actual UK treatment programs, making Stephen's 'recovery' feel bureaucratically plausible rather than dramatically redemptive.
Madeleine Rakic-Platt (Sophie) was 12 during filming; her performance is almost entirely silent, a choice the young actor suggested after finding scripted dialogue false.
US
