Review of Spotlight (2015) by Tjman09 — 28 Nov 2015

This is easily one of the best live action films of 2015. At the end of the year this movie will likely get a lot of Oscar attention, and it truly deserves it. Spotlight holds nothing back, features an ensemble of amazing performances, and tells a haunting true story. This story is recent enough that many people probably still remember, but old enough that many people will probably find it educational.

Perhaps the film’s greatest strength is it’s story, which is incredibly dense with information. Not to spoil the film, but to give context the film is about a large scandal involving the Boston Catholic Priests in 2001. The story is so dense that it would have been easy to hold back information or gloss over plot elements, but somehow the filmmakers behind this film were able to fit it all into the film, in just over 2 hours. The film is unapologetically real, despite the occasional moments of theatricality, which all films have.

The entire cast is magnificent in this film, lead by Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton. Both of which will probably receive Oscar nominations for back-to-back years. In a film that relies on a slow-burn approach, with a more emotional grip on the audience, the acting was paramount, and the entire cast delivered. It’s most impressive, because they are able to every moment and make it feel important through their portrayals. These performances also help to make the characters feel more real, and relatable.

The performances support one other major strength of the film, which is the haunting tone of the film. The film is scary in an very real way, as the film showcases that even in large hubs with millions of people, massive secrets can be hidden. At a time with drones, and widespread public mistrust it makes the film even scarier. It’s the haunting story and tone that helps elevate the acting, to form a truly great film.

In the end the film tells a relevant story that every american should know, without compromising its source material. Spotlight is a film so good that even the churches it condemned had to admit that it was great. The film will likely receive a lot of award recognition, and rightfully so, as it stands as one of the best movies of 2015. It’s a haunting film that tells a story so compelling and unbelievable it becomes a must see film.