Spotlight: Scariest Movie Not Labeled Horror

Rating: 9/10 (17 February 2016)

A good one-word description for Spotlight would be "unadulterated". As with many films in the drama genre it is typical for some amount of "crowd pleasing" romance, action, side plot, or pacing/climatic build to be included that can have little to do with the actual plot as a means to entice the average minded audience member. That is not the case with this film: Spotlight appears to be very strict; holding to what actually happened with minimal embellishments and "hollywoodizations" to make it more "fun" for the viewers. It very straightforward like tells the story of how a team of journalists uncovered huge amounts of child molestation and cover up within the Catholic Church, and that's it. No clichéd montage that makes tedious work appear enticing, no stupid love triangle to make it more exciting, and no typical 3 Act screenplay in which you can predict the outcome of every scene with an exciting build in the last 30 minutes. Don't misunderstand me and think that this film is boring and approaches the story from an apathetic viewpoint. This film is very exciting and passionately and brings the story to life in a well-balanced and paced way that makes the viewers want to weep and question mankind's morality.
Everyone knows that the catholic church is famous for having priests getting to cozy with altar boys and such but few of us actually think about how awful that is, how awful it is that it is so widely covered up, and how awful the long term consequences (for the victim) of the actions are. Spotlight gets down to the nitty gritty with unabashedly frank sexual dialogue so as to not sugar coat the situations, impassioned performances by the cast, and incredible writing with character development that takes a turn into questioning human morality.
I grew up always hearing the cliché of Priests and Altar Boys but it was not until I saw this movie that I realized the extent too which this has occurred. Spotlight makes the viewer very aware of the systemic problem within the Catholic Church with a very gradual build in the plot. I never felt that any part of the movie was rushed; on the contrary it takes its time so as to not gloss over anything or to presume the audience knows the story already nor did it ever feel like it was dragging or moving to slow either. It is haunting and keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wait to see what next turned leaf will reveal making you feel like a detective or investigative journalist yourself by just watching the film. On a personal level, in one of my jobs we had to be trained in recognizing the signs of sexual abuse in children and the behaviors of predators and it was amazing how much the film got right when it comes to the behaviors of predators and "grooming" their victims which is said by one of the victims in the movie. When it comes to child abuse, it's not stranger danger you have to worry about so much, it is the friend you thought you could trust, and the movie presents just that situation. Who wouldn't trust a man of God to mentor their child? It is down right terrifying.
It is very difficult to say anything about this film from a technical standpoint because of the amount of emotion that it evokes and distracts you with. I honestly can't remember a darned thing about the camera work, the music, or the editing. I was completely absorbed in the recreation of the Boston Globe in the early 2000s as if I was there, and I hope that was the aim of the director and producers. In a sense it is the complete opposite of "The Revenant" and "Mad Max" which slap you in the face and command that you notice the technical aspects of their creation. Spotlight commands that you acknowledge the horrendous acts that have been committed and think deeply about what you as an individual can do to make the world a better place. A scene toward the end when Keaton's character starts asking "Why didn't we do anything sooner, everyone knew?" was hard hitting and makes you think about what situations you might be looking the other way.
Terrific film. Terrific Script. Great Acting. Scary as hell.