In the Middle – Review

In the Middle ★★★☆☆

‘Mouse’ above

“I don’t think I have sent anyone off in 45 years. I would say f*** off if they said anything that I didn’t like,” Mouse, one of In the Middle’s featured officials, states.

In the Middle is an insightful and heartfelt low-budget documentary. It’s about a diverse group of grassroots referees as they attempt to cope with the demanding pressures of officiating lower-league football matches.

Greg Crutwell above

It takes a special breed to be a grassroots referee, with director Greg Cruttwell assembling a cast of wonderful characters. Their love for the game is clear.

‘Rocket Ron’ above

Rocket Ron, an elderly man, is one such character. He has officiated more than 6,000 matches, with his two big loves in life being the church and football. He is the heart of the film, and despite living alone and struggling with hoarding, he finds friendship and company through refereeing. It’s his football family.

Steve, a retired tube driver who has been refereeing for 25 years, is another star of the documentary. He doesn’t care if the players are “tall, short … or blue or green,” if they behave. He also elaborated that, for him, refereeing is a passion, as he is not a sporty person. “Everyone complains about referees, but someone has to do it,” he said in the documentary.

‘Lucy Clark’ above

Then there is Lucy Clark, nicknamed Chopper, who is the world’s first transgender referee. She assumed she would give up refereeing after she transitioned, but decided to continue. She had a couple of issues being misgendered, with one person insisting on calling her geezer. But she felt that she could handle it.

It was fascinating to see Cruttwell use the observational documentary style throughout the film, which worked wonderfully. The opening shot of grassroots football in the middle of a pitch sets up the whole film perfectly, with the voices of referees in the background of the picture.

During this captivating documentary, it was interesting to hear the stories of different people from different walks of life. It just doesn’t talk about the football side but also touches on themes of referee abuse, mental health issues, and their personal lives. This is mostly a feel-good story that focuses on finding a purpose, being part of a community, and dedicating yourself to something whole-heartedly, despite the negative moments.

Given the interesting narratives from the different characters, I feel this could have worked better as a five episode series instead of a feature-length documentary. Each episode could focus on one referee and delve deeper into their story.

It is a compelling documentary which is certainly worth a watch if you are guilty of giving referees a bit of grief.

IN THE MIDDLE is in cinemas 31st March and VOD 1st May www.inthemiddlefilm.co.uk

Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mVzc-GYMg8

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