Spotlight - Movie Review!

Who's In It?

Liev Schreiber, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton




What's It About?

When Jewish editor Marty Baron takes over The Boston Globe, he assigns their small crime investigation team to look into the molestation of children by the Catholic priests of Boston.

Any Good?

Spotlight opens saying it's based on true events, and that would seem like a ridiculous Hollywood embellishment if I weren't Irish, living in a country that even today has horrific cases of abuses and calculated cover ups still coming to light. Some of the scenes may indeed be shocking, but having heard details of cases exposed in the press here time after time, even today, they unfortunately closely mirror real life. Credit where it's due though, as far fetched as the stories seem, the actors' portrayal in these parts sell it entirely. 

Every character - including minor parts - are played fantastically. Most notably Mark Ruffalo; he seems a bit shaky in the beginning but his turning point is his passionate argument midway through, totally changed my opinion on him. Michael Keaton shone as Spotlight head Robbie; like a journalistic Bruce Wayne (fittingly) remaining passive until he realised what was going on, becoming relentless in his search for the truth - forcing answers from everyone, using his power as a newspaper team leader.

While depicting harrowing tales of Catholic Church priests molesting kids and the abhorrent cover-ups, I actually found Spotlight to be fair to the institution as a whole. There was no vilification of the entire Church; it more focused on the abuses of just the Boston parish,the cover up by that Cardinal and victim's families of said parish. I really enjoyed the actor's portrayals but also the hard hitting story, and definitely recommend it - especially with the trouble the Church continues to find itself embroiled in. This is an important film, if a difficult watch at times & I heartily recommend it.  

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