Blown Away. Looks like we have our Best Picture Frontrunner

Rating: 10/10 (7 December 2015)

There was a lot of buzz surrounding Spotlight when it first premiered at the film festivals. Many were comparing it to All the President's Men, saying it was just about on par with that one. I had only recently seen All the President's Men and had high expectation for this movie if it was true that it was just as good. I'm ecstatic to report that this movie not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded it to emerge as one of the year's best films.
Spotlight was built to stand the test of time with its true to life, edge-of-you-seat style drama. The story follows the journalists in the Spotlight department of the Boston Globe who broke the story about the molestation charges against Priests that had gone on unnoticed for some time. The story itself is engaging to start with but the screenplay, direction, and acting all come together flawlessly to create an incredibly powerful and emotional film. By the time the end credits roll, the film has landed such a powerful and lingering punch that the events portrayed almost seem surreal. This is most definitely a film that will not be forgotten soon.
The acting is top-notch with everyone from Michael Keaton to Mark Ruffalo to Rachel McAdams giving possibly the performances of their careers, respectively. This is one of the best ensembles of the year. Even those who didn't have as much screen-time like Liev Schriber, Stanler Tucci, and John Slattery shine when their time is given.
Overall, Spotlight is an exceptional film that will most likely receive some major nominations come awards season. The leading and supporting cast all bring their A games as well as director Tom McCarthy. This is a movie you most definitely do not want to miss.
"It takes a village to raise them. It takes a village to abuse them. That's the truth of it."