8.5/10

Rating: 8/10 (18 February 2016)

Yet another true story film that does it right and adds itself to the already busy catalog of movies doing the same thing this year, probably making it to the top of the list. One of those rare films that simply doesn't miss a beat.
It is incredible how director Tom McCarthy manages to make every single scene bring us further into the story and characters. This is one of the best screenplays of recent years directed masterfully. This is a film about subtext, about trusting the audience and making them think and follow for themselves. Almost at no point there is some pause or some big monologue that spoon feeds us what is going on, what we should be thinking or what the film is about. Right from the opening scene, which hooked me terrifically, you understand how intelligent the movie is and how alive it is. Nothing is said explicitly, nothing is thrown at you, all of the characters are giving space to develop and live, which ultimately results in both us having a stronger connection to them and to the overall story. We get why it is so important for them and since it is important for them it becomes important for us, that is basic filmaking yet it is hard to nail and this is a full representation of it. Thrilling from the first to the last frame.
It is also marvelous to see a film put together with such technical perfection. The cinematography other than being gorgeous immensely helps in telling the story and not getting us lost thanks to fantastic visual sound. The editing is constantly brilliant and surprising. Howard Shore's music is pitch perfect for the film and the sound is so alive and flowing it contributes immensely into elevating the slew of great performances we have. What a cast ensemble. Everybody on A+ game, Ruffalo being a very good highlight, yet for me, Tucci in the first place rises above all other, but even more so: Liev Schreiber is stunning. As soon as he appeared on screen I knew something special was going on and he did not disappoint, his work is acting greatness.
Let me just make a digression on my grading system. I use a grading system out of 10 with half votes. Whilst I strongly believe that what ultimately matters is the review and the personal experience, I find that grades really help in giving the overall feel of what the movie did for me, they are my personal stance on each film. Generally when I enter 9 or higher territory, it's always because I thought the film was a masterpiece or almost. 8.5 instead is for great movies that just miss the mark by a hair. Really often I find that I can't immediately put focus on why many 8.5 film don't get the 9 treatment because I am so overwhelmed by how good they are, I never easily find the flaw, but I feel in me it's just missing that mark for something. And as it always happens that something isn't really anything that the film can be blamed for, it isn't a flaw per say, it's just that element that I feel is what is keeping the film from being the freaking best. This is the case of "Spotlight", I have realized what is that element that I admit would have been very hard to integrate and could have easily interrupted the beautiful flow the movie has, yet it's the element that if handled well, I believe, could have made the film as harrowing and riveting as it could possibly be. Enough digression, that element is the representation of the church. Now I am nor Christian nor catholic, it is not why I am saying this, the reason I say it is because the church is never given a light side in the film. Maybe the filmmakers thought that the psychologist-priest was that, but he isn't even ever on screen and talks twice. I am not in anyway denying how corrupt and terrible the church can be, on the contrary I am the first to say that, yet in the landscape of the film, giving the church also a light side, which undeniably exists no matter how big or small it is, that's what could have given the film a huge, even bigger, moral value. The discussion would have been raised a notch and it would have been an even more touching and reflective film, if that is possible. On a side note, I do have two nitpick problems: Mark Ruffalo has two scenes that are a little out of place in the film and feel forced, fortunately they are very brief, secondly the film does use end titles and whilst they didn't bother me as usual I still think they don't work 99% of times because they just kill the thirst of knowledge that well done true story films can instill in you and it is also a very cheap emotional punch.
On a further rewatch, which I hope to do very, very soon, I might change my idea and elevate this film even further. But that's not saying much since it is already one of the best films of the year and one of the delights a film fan can ask for.