Review of Spotlight (2015) by Valentina M — 27 Jun 2016

This movie takes you by the collar and drags you through a pit of mud--forcing you to see the ugly truth. Tom McCarthy the director of spotlight chooses to tell this story with an air of authenticity--nothing is sensationalised. The audience is equally invested in the telling of the decade long cover up by the end. The team of journalists are worked to their core, and gripped by their haunting discoveries. This movie much like the investigation itself conducted in 2001 by the Boston Globe is uncomfortable-- to say the least. It questions an institution that lies at the very core of our society today. Describing this discovery as shocking is a gross understatement--it is more of a betrayal. The movie is very much a crescendo as the clues come together and the audience along with the team of journalists ( Mark Rezendes, Robby, Sacha Pfeiffer, and Matt Carroll) begin to piece together a puzzle hidden in secrecy and fear. The harrowing accounts of victims leave us indignant, hurt, and disbelieving-- as they look into the eyes of their interviewers and say "how do you say no to god." reminding us of the maliciousness of the "system" as Marty Baron keeps stressing.

The actors in this movie do a wonderful job with mimicking the emotions that grip the audience as they too realize the horrific facts. This resulting in Mark Ruffalo's a.k.a Mark Resendez' breaking point. A melt down is only necessary in this film---it's what gives it emotion leading the audience to feel something. every performance throughout the movie whether it be a major or minor character screams for empathy. Spotlight has been nominated for 6 academy awards of which three are dedicated solely to the cast. Each journalist plays their own role and brings a unique perspective for the story. Mark Resendez makes his mark as the eager, truth driven writer desperate to tell the story that has consumed his life. Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) comes off as the warm interviewer who is able to reach out to the victims willing to share their horrific experiences; and then Matt Carroll( Brian D'arcy James)-- the family man who finds out that he lives only blocks away from an identified child molester. This film is very much influenced by the idea of racing against time--this in terms of getting the story published and written before any other newspaper, while also exposing corrupt priests as quickly as possible. Finally Robby (Michael Keaton) also plays into the concept of time by making the team wait until they can deliver the story right. He is the fearless leader and editor of the group serving as a glue of sorts--keeping the unique personalities of the team on the same page, (he also stars in Birdman--another terrific role).

There is one quote that stands out very sharply in this film, that being "If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one" the story went down in history because of its sheer size and elaborate scheme to keep victims silent. While spotlight and the investigation itself aren't an attack on the catholic church per say they are a tribute to the corrupt nature of any institution--even those we deem holy. It builds a deep appreciation for journalists without putting them on pedestals in fact acknowledging their flaws--by repeatedly pointing out that the boston globe had ignored previous allegations of sexual abuse by priests. While this fact-based thriller is a slap in the face it is definitely a must see.

Grade:A.