The power of investigation

Rating: 9/10 (2 January 2016)

It's incredible what good writing can do. The screenplay for "Spotlight" (written by Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer) takes several characters, a trying investigation that got deeper and deeper as the months progressed, and have managed to compact it down into a very compelling 128 minutes (and the film feels shorter than that, another good sign). Honestly, McCarthy (as a director), his crew, and the cast didn't need to do a whole lot else to punch things up. This is straightforward storytelling about an important piece of investigative journalism, and rarely does it make any mistakes.
Given how many people are involved in this (I'm even reluctant to declare one person the "main character"), I'll have to summarize the plot without giving names. A new chief editor has been hired at the Boston Globe, and he's looking for a way to get readership up. He commissions the four person "Spotlight" team of the Globe to investigate reports of a priest molesting children in the Boston area (even though the team doesn't take requests). The team accepts the commission, but as they dig deeper, they find the case involves way more priests, victims, and even lawyers than originally imagined.
Given how labyrinth things get, one might think the script would try to shortchange events or dumb down certain scenes. But thankfully, McCarthy and Singer are smarter than that. They assume that we, the audience, are intelligent people, and that we will be able to follow everything on the screen. The amount of detail to the plot is heavy (and may require a second viewing, or subtitles), but as long as you stay alert, it can be followed. When the film ended, I had both a greater appreciation for all of the work the Boston Globe put into investigating this story, and I sought out more information for myself about the case. To me, that's a sign that I was really involved in the plot.
The cast? Home runs all around. What a relief to see Michael Keaton get a good role that's not Batman or references his Batman past. Liev Schreiber is incredibly convincing as the soft spoken, but determined new editor who wants this story told. For Mark Ruffalo, one of his best roles yet. The same goes for Rachel McAdams. Stanley Tucci? Hey, what else can you expect but excellence from him. There are several other names I know I've left out, but rest assured that every performance is very convincing. These are smart people in action; you understand why they make every decision that they do. Again, what a relief that this film assumes that we are an intelligent audience, and will watch smart choices on the screen.
I have heard a few people comment that the Catholic church doesn't seem like a big threat in this film. I have to disagree. The Catholic church is a force in this film, but not in an obvious way. The dirty work has already been done. The crimes have been committed, the paper trails have been eliminated, and now it is up to the Spotlight team to put the vast pieces together and write an all-encompassing article about the church's actions. When people involved with the church tell these reporters "don't do this," I think it's more out of their knowledge of how much their (formerly) private world is going to be rocked, not so much a threat of violence.
The one thing this screenplay may be short on is character development. This is a film that is more interested in following the events of the investigation that deeply knowing the people involved. But that is an okay tact to go with, as it allows for the storytelling to be very straightforward. And, if you listen closely, there are a few clues peppered throughout that subtly indication what makes each person tick.
We've had some great movies about investigation in the past. "Ciziten Kane" on the fiction side, and "The Insider" on the non-fiction side, for example. Add "Spotlight" to that list. It's smart about its characters and their decisions, it assumes we are smart and will understand a detailed plot, and it leaves a thought provoking impression at the end. My interest has been very piqued in these events, and between that and the terrific screenplay, I'm not sure how much else I can do to compliment this film.