Gripping, emotional, and sadly, true

Rating: 8/10 (21 August 2016)

Spotlight is a gem, a must-see film. Spotlight was a special group of Boston Globe reporters tasked with taking on deep investigative stories that took a lot of effort. Boy did they hit the jackpot with the Catholic priest scandal.
In the early 2000's, it was discovered that, the greater Boston Diocese knowingly allowed pedophile priests to continue working, transferring them from one parish to another, and putting them in places for "rehabilitation", right in neighborhoods. This movie depicts the steps taken by the reporting team, led by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams, to get to the truth.
Liev Schreiver also delivers as the new managing editor who comes in to direct Spotlight's work when he smells the story that no one else goes near. In Boston, the Catholic church is sacrosanct. But Schreiver is not from Boston, so he feels no compunction to handle this story any differently than any other story of corruption and abuse of power.
Bit by bit, the reporters, working with the lawyer played by Stanley Tucci, peel off the layers of the onion to discover the sordid, bitter truth. The trail of corruption leads to the highest levels of the church, sending shock waves still felt to this day.
This is a no-nonsense film that will stick with you long afterwards. You will feel disgusted and saddened by the horrible things done by people who supposedly represent God on Earth. I don't think any of the reporters knew what they were getting into, but at the end, they were all emotionally shaken to get the facts.
Excellent acting by all, and wonderful, taut direction was rewarded with the Best Picture Academy award, and 6 Academy nominations.
If you want to see a gripping, moving, and emotional true story, go see Spotlight, which sheds light on the darkest parts of the shameful, hidden Catholic church's behavior.