Solid Film Lacking Dramatic Punch

Rating: 7/10 (13 December 2015)

This was a solid drama elevated by superior acting from a top-notch cast but I left the theater somewhat underwhelmed. The movie lacked the sort of drama that makes you wonder how the story will end even when you know how the story will end. The main problem is that the Catholic Church just doesn't come across as a particularly forceful adversary. We're told that the Church is so powerful and has kept the abuse hidden for decades, but when a group of reporters actually goes digging they encounter some roadblocks but nothing that gives you the sense that the Church was something to be feared. While I didn't necessarily need Cardinal Law to dispatch some Opus Dei goons to discourage the reporters and the victims, the movie would have been more rewarding if they'd encountered much stronger resistance from the Church, public officials, and their own family and friends.