Spotlight: 2015

Lies, a massive cover-up, and priests--one of those items seems out of place. Or at least it did until I watched Spotlight, the 2016 Academy Awards Best Picture Winner. While I knew the film is about  priests in Boston who sexually abused and raped children, I had no idea how far reaching this scandal was (and still is).

Spotlight begins as a film about journalists, focusing on the investigative reporting team at the Boston Globe known as Spotlight. The team consists of three reporters and one editor, Walter "Robby" Robinson (played by Michael Keaton). When the Globe hires a new editor-in-chief (played by Liev Schreiber), Spotlight is given a new assignment: investigate child abuse in the Catholic Church. Seems simple enough but it's not, given that it's Boston where the church reigns in city politics and culture. Unlike some of the other films I've watched for this project, the setting becomes a character in this film. Robby and his friends don't believe that this new editor understands Boston. He doesn't love Boston like they do. And that's a fault. That means this new editor isn't going to last.

But as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Robby and his friends don't know Boston either because what's happening with the Catholic priests is much bigger than anyone ever expected. They peel back the layers and find rot at the core.

What struck me as most impressive in Spotlight is the acting. The story is certainly compelling and captivating, but that is in part due to being based on a true story. It's the subtlety in the acting, as Keaton plays a man who is coming to realize that the values the church instilled in him growing up are not what the church practices. His performance's strength lies in his facial expressions and body language. Mark Ruffalo, who plays Spotlight reporter Mike Rezendes, also amazes in this film with his passion. At no point did I doubt his dedication to finding the truth and reporting that. The trailer alone showcases the skills of Keaton and Ruffalo in becoming these characters.

It isn't just the acting that made me feel like I was watching a documentary. The set design and costumes did as well. Despite the fact that well-known actors like Keaton, Ruffalo, Schreiber, and Rachel McAdams starred in Spotlight, the costumes and set make them seem like regular people. In one scene where the reporters meet with the editor to determine how to move forward, the costumes are plain business casual and the set is clearly a boring newsroom. Nothing fancy but that makes it all the more real.

Again, I find myself grateful for this blog. If I hadn't set my goal of watching these films, I would have never picked up Spotlight. While the plot is emotionally difficult to experience, the film is outstanding with the acting, set, and more. It's a must-watch for sure.