A Courageous Film

Rating: 7/10 (2 September 2018)

Based on a true story: In the early 2000s, a team of reporters at the Boston Globe investigate several incidents of Catholic priests sexually abusing children.
"Spotlight" works well on many levels and not just for its main story of finding the shocking facts. It also reveals that universal and timeless evil known as the 'conspiracy of silence' that occurs within establishments. In this particular story, the conspiracy is not only within the Catholic Church but also within the upper echelons of Boston society. Another fact of human nature is also revealed: in any closed society, it often takes outsiders to make necessary changes.
The film also sheds light on a group of people rarely exposed in movies: lapsed Catholics i.e. those raised in the religion but who became discouraged by grave misconduct at higher levels of the church hierarchy. It turns out that all of the reporters are in this situation and there is a fascinating scene in which they discuss their backgrounds and how this might affect their approach to their investigation.
The first half is filled with energy with much inter-cutting among scenes. The highlight is a cross-cut of two scenes involving interviews with abuse survivors - one straight, one gay. In these scenes, the language is refreshingly blunt and revealing. A later scene involving an interview with a priest is even more shocking. The actors playing the survivors and the priest are also powerful in their brief roles.
The second half is still good but it tends to lag a bit. It seems like time to wrap up but more issues keep getting piled on. One is a scene involving a conflict on the newspaper team. The benefit of this scene is that it shows the best of Mark Ruffalo who gives the most passionate performance among a very fine cast. The downside is that the scene feels like an unnecessary extension to the movie.
This movie is rightly being compared to "All the President's Men" as a great journalist story. It can also be compared to the superb Canadian film "The Boys of St. Vincent" (1992) for exposing clergy child abuse. "Spotlight" is a fine film that may not meet all expectations; but it must be given credit for its courage and boldness.