PEDAL HEAL

Available online from Laemmle Virtual Cinema...

A Peloton of One--The title of this documentary doesn't refer to the beleaguered exercise bike company, but rather to the word's meaning in competitive cycling: it's a grouping of cyclists in a race, riding together for their mutual protection. The "one" here is a man named Dave Ohlmuller, who in 2018 rode his bike, mostly by himself, from Chicago to New York to raise awareness of childhood sexual abuse and to encourage other survivors to break their silence. As a 12-year-old in New Jersey, Ohlmuller had been abused by the family Catholic priest.

The film, directed by Steven E. Mallorca, Joe Capozzi and John C. Bernardo, follows Ohlmuller on his odyssey through the rust belt and Midwest, as he tries to pedal away some of his shame and rage. Along the way, he meets other survivors who greet him warmly, sometimes ride a few miles with him, and show him that he's very far from alone.

We get their stories as well, and we also hear from legal advocates and activists working to bring the problem to light; there's a particular emphasis on extending, or even eliminating, the statute of limitations deadlines for these crimes, behind which so many of these offenders escape justice. This infuriating material has been covered powerfully in other films, notably Tom McCarthy's superb 2015 Spotlight, but it has a special directness and immediacy here.

The movie's manner is uplifting, but it has a tragic tone as well. Ohlmuller comes across like he's just barely holding it together, and more than once someone else expresses concern about his psychological state. On a human level, this is worrisome; on a dramatic level, it only deepens the movie and makes his struggle all the more compelling and heroic.