A very real film...

Rating: 9/10 (6 February 2016)

Spotlight is a film about how journalists at The Boston Globe uncovered the harrowing abuse of young boys and girls by Catholic priests. This shocking film represents storytelling at its finest. Nothing is glorified in this film. These journalists are not some sort of just action-figures that go around locking up bad people. They are portrayed as very real individuals, from their workplace attire to their emotions when dealing with various people. Everything is presented in deplorable realism, which really emphasises how appalling this story really is. This film contains an all-star cast, and it is safe to say that all of the performances are very good. They all understood the importance of a realistic portrayal when dealing with a story like this. Mark Ruffalo's performance was a personal favourite, but in this ensemble cast, there were no performances that triumphed another's. This film may not be for everyone. It is basically 2-hours of conversation between various people, and so it may not meet the standards of those expecting Michael Bay-esque explosions and car chases between the Boston Globe and the Church. This film really shocked me, and will be very controversial for many. A lot of characters in the film put importance on 'telling the story right'. The same goes for this film, it needed to be told right if the message was to be given across effectively and I have no doubt in my mind that this story was told in a faultless manner, securing this film as one of my 2015 favourites.