571st Review - Outstanding Investigative Drama

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2016)

The story of Spotlight - the investigative team at The Boston Globe - who uncovered the abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, is told with such outstanding verve that this viewer was knocked sideways. I cannot recall another film this year that so intelligently and without melodrama produces scene after scene that just leave you wanting to know more.
The all-star stellar cast is underpinned by Keaton, who seems to have proved he has had his comeback - here he focuses on a nicely underplayed performance, and Ruffalo, whose slightly off-kilter manner works to his advantage, and Rachel McAdams, who moves from romantic comedies to this with the ease and promise she showed in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. There is not a dud moment in the film - it really is one of the best films about journalism, and ranks along with All The President's Men.
At the end of the day this is not just a great story, director Tom McCarthy, takes us along emotionally - but does so in such a forensic and well-judged manner that it produces a good mixture of trust and a measure of level-headedness. His script, with West Wings regular Josh Singer, is outstanding, simply the best script of the year that I can recall by quite a margin.
Of all the films I've seen this year, this is the one that tackles its difficult subject with bravery, clarity, and simplicity, but it never loses sight of why it matters. I am a loss to understand why it is not on everyone's Oscar list.