A movie that needs to be seen!

Rating: 10/10 (11 December 2015)

Spotlight (2015/I) was co-written and directed by Tom McCarthy. In the 70's, 80's, and into the 90's, "everyone knew" that some priests were sexually abusing children. However, no major newspaper had had the courage and/or the staff to bring the story to light.
By sheer determination, combined with investigative excellence, in 1992, the Boston Globe published a factual, detailed expose of the behavior of the rogue priests, and the cover-up of these abuses by high-ranking church officials.
Remember that this was in Boston, where the main ethnic roots are Italian and Irish. Attacking the Catholic Church on what is basically its home turf wasn't easy, and it wasn't fun. However, publishing that story brought many people to the realization that they were dealing with a highly flawed institution. Also, those flaws of abuse and cover-up were nation-wide, not just in Boston. (And, as it turned out, not just in the U.S.) The Boston Globe won the Pulitzer price for reporting, and it was richly deserved.
This movie gives you the feel of a nuts-and-bolts investigation. Blocked avenues that must be circumvented or somehow opened; dealing with people who were damaged by the abuse; working against the power of the church and its supporters; working with people who should be helpful, but who have their own agenda.
The cast includes many fine actors: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci, and Billy Crudup. It's an ensemble movie--each reporter has a distinct personality, as do the lawyers, the churchmen, and the victims.
As I write this review, Spotlight has an overall 8.6 rating, which is extraordinarily high. Believe the rating--it's a great film.
P.S. I hope everyone reading this review who lives in or near Rochester, NY, recognizes the quality of the films shown at The Little Theatre, on East Avenue. Right now The Little is screening Suffragette, Trumbo, Spotlight, and Brooklyn. (Also Macbeth, which we haven't yet seen.) If you love movies, and you're not a member of The Little, you should be!