"6% act out"

Rating: Null/10 (29 February 2016)

'Spotlight' has just won the 2016 Oscar for Best Picture, and deservedly so. However, 'Concussion' and 'Trumbo' did not even get nominated, though Bryan Cranston was nominated for his role in 'Trumbo' playing the eponymous communist screen-writer blacklisted by Hollywood. Will Smith playing the doctor who exposed the concussion scandal in American Football, like his film, is sorely neglected, but that is another story. What all three films have in common, is a story of powerful groups exerting their power at the expense of individuals. This seems a common theme and all three films are worthy products telling true stories.
'Sleepers' (1996) told a tale of child sexual abuse. The authenticity of that film is much disputed. 'Spotlight', by contrast, is a factually true story, but one that reminded this reviewer of the earlier film because they both deal with the same subject matter. It is interesting to note that Billy Crudup appears in both films.
A brief opening sequence, informs the viewer that the subject matter of the film is child sexual abuse committed by Boston priests, as is also quite clear from the trailers. The film then has a pleasant party scene at the Boston Globe newspaper marking the retirement of the newspaper editor. The film moves quickly into gear as the new editor, an outsider from Florida, played by Liev Schrieber, arrives. He meets Michael Keaton who plays the head of the Spotlight team. The editor is informed that Spotlight do long-term investigations, though at the moment they are trolling for work. The editor then tasks them with exploring and expanding on a smaller story of a priest guilty of child sexual abuse.
The film that follows is almost totally concentrated on the ensuing investigation. We viewers see the team investigate the matter and realize, through the paper-trail, that this is not just about one priest, and that it is also about a cover-up too. Of the Spotlight team, Michael Keaton plays the cool-headed and practical manager, Mark Ruffalo plays a passionate and obsessed character, and Brian d'Arcy James's role is somewhat similar. Both are concerned with how close the issue is to them. We see this also in Rachel McAdams role too, though she is used more to show the drudgery of the investigation; firstly, as she knock doors, later, as she conducts interviews. All thespians convince in their authentic playing of newspaper investigators, appalled at the story that unfurled, committed to exposing the truth. John Slattery and Liev Schrieber, in smaller parts, play well their roles as overseers.
Neal Huff and Michael Cyril Creighton are very impressive in their scenes as they explain grooming and child sexual abuse. It should be said that it is these references, and this subject matter, that gives this film a rating of 15 in the UK. It should also be said that these issues are discussed, but not shown.
Mark Ruffalo and Liev Schrieber seem to have gone to some trouble to adopt distinctive accents that surprised this reviewer when first hearing them. Thankfully, the distinctive voice of Stanley Tucci was easily spotted, as he himself was not. He plays a campaigning lawyer who looks a little worn-down and unkempt, perhaps even in need of a haircut, which is why he is a little difficult to spot. Billy Crudup and Jamey Sheridan also play lawyers and Paul Guilfoyle also has a small role.
Since the birth of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago, for the first one and a half thousand years there was only one Christian religion. In the last five hundred years the Catholic, or Roman Catholic, Church has still been the premier Christian religion. The church proclaims itself a church of sinners, but it's adherents were shocked to discover that so many, had sinned so much. For many, discovering the extent of sin within, to be precise; the extent of child sexual abuse by priests, and the cover-up by the hierarchy, has sickened them to their stomachs, and produced a crisis of faith. This is shown well in this film.
Although a solid film about a newspaper investigation, this is also a sombre film, but one with a spot or two of moments of black humour, surprisingly. It tells the tale of the exposure of the cover-up of child sexual abuse in Boston by priests, a story that the powerful church tried to keep the lid on, but that lid was lifted, and the story went around the world.
The story of powerful institutions using their powers at the expense of individuals, and then that power being broken by brave individuals, is one that often makes good material for a movie. This is certainly the case with regard to 'Spotlight'. The same themes are also at play in the excellent 'Concussion' and 'Trumbo', both of which deal with a single individual against a powerful institution, and both of which are worth seeing too. Those who like a good gangster film should know that the recent 'Black Mass' tells the story of the gangster Whitey Bulger, who was exposed as a protected FBI informer by the Spotlight investigation team of the Boston Globe.
'Spotlight', which also won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, tells an important and true story, that is one that is well worth seeing. 10/10.