A Mesmerizing Spotlight On Our Failings

Rating: 9/10 (13 March 2016)

Surpassing all my expectations 'Spotlight' is a genre of film making largely left behind for the air-headed action blockbuster. A genre overlooked at the expense of storytelling with the highest degree of integrity. I was pleased I didn't know more than the basics before heading to the Cinema and surprised to learn I had just watched a 130min film that moved at such a smart pace it seemed more like 90mins. Looking back over the list of award winning talent involved, coupled with the extended care they took with editing explained why. While not always agreeing with the glitzy awards process this is one of the few times I felt they got it right.
The balance of voice over, and music under montages was flawless. Howard Shore's inspired score was special, managing to be melodic and actionful all at once. During one sequence, Shore propels a bed of rapidly edited investigative research images with an intense underscore, at the same time leaving me wanting to revisit the sound track just to enjoy the musicality.
It's not all that common to be treated like thinking adults by modern commercial movie makers and it leaves this audience member wanting more. The whole exercise had the look and feel everyone involved wanted to leave a little part of themselves (for all the best reasons!) etched in motion picture history. Director Tom Mc Carthy (remembered for his part in creating that great story "Up" in 2009) creates another winner. The sterling cast and crew are all deserving of their awards and nominations. It's also to be hoped this work may go towards convincing the perverted and sick to stay away from institutions whose sole purpose should be to serve as 'carers', not for gaining opportunistic access to the less fortunate. And perhaps if humanly possible, recognize and seek treatment for their afflictions, not inflict them on others.
All institutions must take responsibility for those they employ and how they conduct themselves to protect the vulnerable. The astonishing level of research details given within the end credits show a shocking pattern of actions taken by the Vatican 'city' in moving offenders out of prime positions throughout the world, into 'prime' positions within that very 'city' or otherwise.
When an institution supposedly dedicated to the word of GOD begins making and serving its own laws, there's little hope it can any longer genuinely serve God or humanity. As for the law society and their part in these and other atrocities...there's an equal measure of shame. Even, as this brave film demonstrates, journalists themselves are not without guilt. Can we also dare to consider this work may possibly contribute towards lifting the level of support for 'quality' journalism in these days of superficial 'social' media!!?
Bravo all round (and a nod of recognition for that other great Boston establishment WGBH for their past years of similarly great documentaries that this movie reminded me of)
Note to caring parents (if any still out there). Took a star off for patches of not always necessary crude dialog. KenR